She knows all that happens in the house by day and night, so that I sometimes think she never sleeps." Zorzi looked furtively towards the table, for he could not help hearing all that was said.
"For instance," continued Marietta, watching him, "she knows that last night some one unlocked the chain that moors the skiff, and rowed away towards Venice." To her surprise Zorzi showed no embarrassment.

He had made up the fire and now sat down at a little distance, on one of the flat arms of the glass-blower's working-stool.

His face was pale and quiet, and his eyes did not avoid hers.
"If I caught any one using my boat without my leave, I would make him pay dear," said Beroviero, but without anger, as if he were stating a general truth.
"Whoever it was who took the boat brought it back an hour after midnight, locked the padlock again and went away," said Marietta.
"Tell Nella that I am much indebted to her for her watchfulness.

She is as good as a house-dog.

Tell her to come and wake me if she sees any one taking the boat again." "She says she knows who took it last night," observed Marietta, who was puzzled by the attitude of the two men; she had now decided that it had not been Zorzi who had used the boat, but on the other hand the story did not rouse her father's anger as she had expected.
"Did she tell you the man's name ?" "Yes." "Who was it ?" "She said it was Zorzi." Marietta laughed incredulously as she spoke, and Zorzi smiled quietly.
Beroviero was silent for a moment and looked out of the window.
"Listen to me," he said at last.