Then he would give her the box.

He thought of it with calm delight, as he saw it all in a beautiful vision.
But there was Nella, and there was Pasquale, the former indiscreet, the latter silent but keen-sighted, and quick-witted in spite of his slow and surly ways.

Every one knew that the book existed somewhere, and the porter and the serving-woman would guess the truth at once.

At present no one but himself knew positively where the thing was.

If he carried out his plan, three other persons would possess the knowledge.