You know what his character is.

He is capable of any evil action; besides, they say that he has dissipated his patrimony, in gaming and other extravagances at Constantinople, and is deep in the hands of the Jews.

If he could have succeeded in carrying off Maria it would more than have mended his fortunes, for she and her sister are acknowledged to be the richest heiresses in Venice.

Oh, there is not a shadow of doubt that it's he.
"You won't hear me saying anything against your love of prowling about in that gondola of yours, since it has brought you such a piece of good fortune--for it is a piece of good fortune, Francis, to have rendered such a service to Polani, to say nothing of all the rest of us who are connected with his family.

I can tell you that there are scores of young men of good birth in Venice, who would give their right hand to have done what you did." "I should have considered myself fortunate to have been of service to any girls threatened by violence, though they had only been fishermen's daughters," Francis said; "but I am specially pleased because they are relatives of yours, Matteo." "To say nothing to their being two of the prettiest girls in Venice," Matteo added slyly.
"That counts for something too, no doubt," Francis said laughing, "though I didn't think of it.
"I wonder," he went on gravely, "whether that was Ruggiero whom I struck down, and whether he came up again to the surface.