"Then the honour of the house does not matter! It is no concern of ours! And your father need never know that his trusty servant, his clever assistant, his faithful confidant, who shares all his secrets, is a good-for-nothing fellow who spends his nights in gambling, or drinking, or perhaps in making love to some Venetian girl as honourable and well behaved as himself!" Marietta had grown steadily more angry while Nella was talking.

She had her father's temper, though she could control it better than he.
"I will find out whether this story is true," she said coldly.

"If it is not, it will be the worse for you.

You shall not serve me any longer, unless you can be more careful in what you say." Nella's jaw dropped and her hands stood still and trembled, the one holding the comb upraised, the other gathering a quantity of her mistress's hair.

Marietta had never spoken to her like this in her life.
"Send me away ?" faltered the woman in utter amazement.