He came, he said, to make sure that Zorzi was recovering from his hurt, and Zorzi knew from Nella that Giovanni had made inquiries about him.

He put on an air of sympathy when he saw the crutches.
"You will soon throw them aside," he said, "but I am sorry that you should have to use them at all." When he entered, Zorzi was introducing a new mixture, carefully powdered, into one of the glass-pots with a small iron shovel.

It was clear that he must put it all in at once, and he excused himself for going on with his work.

Giovanni looked at the large quantity of the mixed ingredients with an experienced eye, and at once made up his mind that the crucible must have been quite empty.

Zorzi was therefore beginning to make some kind of glass on his own account.