"And keep over by Saint Michael's, for the tide is low." The boatman had already understood that his passenger knew Venice almost as well as he.

The boat shot forward at a good rate under the bending oar, and in twenty minutes Aristarchi was at the entrance to the canal of San Piero and within sight of Beroviero's house.
"Easy there," said the Greek, holding up his hand.

"Do you know Murano well, my man ?" "As well as Venice, sir." "Whose house is that, which has the upper story built on columns over the footway ?" "It belongs to Messer Angelo Beroviero.

His glass-house takes up all the left aide of the canal as far as the bridge." "And beyond the bridge I can see two new houses, on the same side.

Whose are they ?" "They belong to the two sons of Messer Angelo Beroviero, who have furnaces of their own, all the way to the corner of the Grand Canal." "Is there a Grand Canal in Murano ?" asked Aristarchi.
"They call it so," answered the boatman with some contempt.