Before Giovanni knew what was happening Zorzi had struck the ladle from
his hand, and it disappeared through the 'bocca' into the white-hot
glass within.
CHAPTER IX
With an oath Giovanni raised his hand to strike Zorzi in the face, but
the quick Dalmatian snatched up his heavy blow-pipe in both hands and
stood in an attitude of defence.
"If you try to strike me, I shall defend myself," he said quietly.
Giovanni's sour face turned grey with fright, and then as his impotent
anger rose, the grey took an almost greenish hue that was bad to see. He
smiled in a sickly fashion. Zorzi set the blow-pipe upright against the
furnace and watched him, for he saw that the man was afraid of him and
might act treacherously.
"You need not be so violent," said Giovanni, and his voice trembled a
little, as he recovered himself. "After all, my father would not have
made any objection to my trying the glass. If I had, I could not have
guessed how it was made."
Zorzi did not answer, for he had discovered that silence was his best
weapon. Giovanni continued, in the peevish tone of a man who has been
badly frightened and is ashamed of it.
"It only shows how ignorant you are of glass-making, if you suppose that
my father would care.
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