not
for that, you would treat him just as before you went away."

"Yes, I would," answered Beroviero thoughtfully.

"The book is there," said Marietta.

She pointed to the big earthen jar that contained the broken glass, and
her father's eyes followed her land.

"It is for Zorzi's sake that I tell you," she continued. "The book is
buried deep down amongst the broken bits. It will take a long time to
get it out. Shall I call Pasquale to help us?"

"No," answered her father.

He went to the other end of the room and brought back the crowbar. Then
he placed himself in a good position for striking, and raised the iron
high in air with both his hands.

"Stand back!" he cried as Marietta came nearer.

The first blow knocked a large piece of earthenware from the side of the
strong jar, and a quantity of broken red glass poured out, as red as
blood from a wound, and fell with little crashes upon the stone floor.
Beroviero raised the crowbar again and again and brought it down with
all his might. At the fourth stroke the whole jar went to pieces,
leaving nothing but a red heap of smashed glass, round about which lay
the big fragments of the jar. In the middle of the heap, the corner of
the iron box appeared, sticking up like a black stone.

"At last!" exclaimed the old man, flushed with satisfaction. "Giovanni
had not thought of this."

He cleared away the shivers and gently pushed the box out of its bed
with the crowbar. He soon got it out on the floor, and with some
precaution, lest any stray splinter should cut his fingers, he set it
upon the table. Then he took the key from his neck and opened it.

Marietta's belief in Zorzi had never wavered, from the first, but
Beroviero was more than half sure that the book had been opened. He took
it up with care, turned it over and over in his hands, scrutinised the
seal, the strings, the knots, and saw that they were all his own.

"It is impossible that this should have been undone and tied up again,"
he said confidently.

"Any one could see that at once," Marietta answered. "Do you believe
that Zorzi is innocent?"

"I cannot help believing. But I do not understand. There is the red
glass, made by dropping the piece of copper into it. That is in the
book, I am sure."

"It was an accident," said Marietta. "The copper ladle fell into the
glass. Zorzi told me about it."

"Are you sure? That is possible. The very same thing happened to Paolo
Godi, and that was how he d