An atmospheric classic set in Venice over the course of three days; the plot is bookended by the arrival of a plane and the departure of a ship. She is an elegant Roman signora who scouts for one of the large English auction houses. He is a fascinating, mysterious man of indeterminate age, the leader of a tour group, who seems to know every language and all secrets. But who is he really? Around them, the canals and lagoons of Venice, a city which becomes a character in the novel in its own right.