"I hear no great harm of Jacopo," continued Beroviero more familiarly.
"His father is miserly. We have spent much time in the preliminary
arrangements, without the knowledge of the son, and the old man is very
grasping! He would take all my fortune for the dowry if he could. But he
has to do with a glass-blower!"

Beroviero smiled thoughtfully. Zorzi was silent, for he was suffering.

"You may wonder why I sent that message last night," began the master
again, "since matters are already so far settled with Jacopo's father.
You would suppose that nothing more remained but to marry the couple in
the presence of both families, should you not?"

"I know little of such affairs, sir," answered Zorzi.

"That would be the usual way," continued Beroviero. "But I will not
marry Marietta against her will. I have always told her so. She shall
see her future husband before she is betrothed, and persuade herself
with her own eyes that she is not being deceived into marrying a
hunchback."

"But supposing that after all the lord Jacopo should not be to her
taste," suggested Zorzi, "would you break off the match?"

"Break off the match?" cried Beroviero indignantly. "Never! Not to her
taste? The handsomest man in Venice, with a great name and a fortune to
come? It would not be my fault if the girl went mad and refused! I would
make her like him if she dared to hesitate a moment!"

"Even against her will?"