"Yes, I trust him," assented Beroviero. "But these are private matters."
"So private, that my serving-woman knows more of them than I do."
"You encourage her to talk."
Marietta laughed, for she was determined to be good-humoured, in spite of what she said.
"If I did, that would not teach her things which I do not know myself! Is it true that you have ordered the gown to be embroidered with pearls?"
"You like pearls, do you not?" asked Beroviero with a little anxiety.
"You see!" cried Marietta triumphantly. "Nella knows all about it."
"I was going to tell you this morning," said her father in a tone of annoyance. "By my faith, one can keep nothing secret! One cannot even give you a surprise."
"Nella knows everything," returned the girl, sitting on the corner of the table and looking from her father to Zorzi. "That must be why you chose her for my serving-woman when I was a little girl. 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.