Towards evening, she sent Nella over to the glass-house to see how Zorzi was doing, and as soon as the woman was gone she stood at the open window, behind her flowers, to watch her go in, Pasquale would look out, the door would be open for a moment, she would be a little nearer.
Even in that small anticipation she was not disappointed.

It was a new joy to be able to look from her window into the dark entry that led to the place where Zorzi was.

To-morrow, or the next day, he would perhaps come to the door, helped by Pasquale, but to-morrow morning she would go and see him, come what might.

She was not afraid of her brother Giovanni, and it might be long before her father came back.

Till then, at all events, she would do what she thought right, no matter how Nella might be scandalised.
Nella came back, and said that Zorzi was better, that he had slept all the afternoon and now had very little pain, and he was not in any anxiety about the furnace, for Pasquale had kept the fire burning properly all day.