"What then?" But as he asked the question Zorzi turned away again and
began to fasten the branch.

Marietta did not answer at once, but she idly picked a rose from the
bush and put it to her lips to breathe in its freshness.

"Why should you think that I meant to insult you?" she asked gently.

"I am only a servant, after all," answered Zorzi, with unnecessary
bitterness. "Why should you not insult your servants, if you please? It
would be quite natural."

"Would it? Even if you were really a servant?"

"It seems quite natural to you that I should betray your father's
confidence. I do not see much difference between taking it for granted
that a man is a traitor and offering him money to act as one."

"No," said Marietta, smelling the rose from time to time as she spoke,
"there is not much difference. But I did not mean to hurt your
feelings."

"You did not realise that I could have any, I fancy," retorted Zorzi,
still angry.

"Perhaps I did not understand that you would consider what my father was
telling you in the same light as a secret of the art," said Marietta
slowly, "nor that you would look upon what I meant to offer you as a
bribe. The matter concerned me, did it not?"