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Updated: May 5, 2025
Gaspare's voice was speaking outside the door. And now there came a firm knock. Vere turned round, rather startled. She had been very much absorbed by her colloquy. "What is it, Gaspare?" "Signorina, there's a boat coming in from Naples with Don Emilio in it." "Don Emilio! He's come back! Oh!" There was a pause. Then she cried out, "Capital! Capital!" She ran to the door and opened it.
The olive gave its fruit, and the vine its generous blood, and the orange its gold, at the word of the soil, the dear, warm earth of Sicily. She thought of Maurice's warm hands, brown now as Gaspare's. How she loved his hands, and his eyes that shone with the lustre of the south! Had not this soil, in very truth, given those hands and those eyes to her? She felt that it had.
He had a great wish that day to break down a reserve he had respected for many years, but he knew Gaspare's determined character, his power of obstinate, of dogged silence. Gaspare's will had been strong when he was a boy. The passing of the years had certainly not weakened it. Nevertheless, Artois was moved to make the attempt which he foresaw would probably end in failure.
That look went to Hermione's heart; she thought, "Am I going to quarrel with the one true and absolutely loyal friend I have?" She remembered Vere's words in the garden about Gaspare's devotion to her, a devotion which she felt like a warmth round about her life. "I'll come with you, Gaspare," she said, with a revulsion of feeling. "Good-night, Ruffo." "Good-night, Signora."
It was like a battle, Gaspare's manner, his words, the tone in which they were spoken all made her understand that there was some sinister terror in his soul. She did not ask what it was. She did not dare to ask. But she said again: "I am coming with you, Gaspare." He stared at her and knew that from that decision there was no appeal. If he went she would accompany him.
This time she recognized, or thought she recognized, Gaspare's voice raised angrily, fiercely, in a summons to someone. She looked across the ebon water at the ebon mass of the trees on its farther side, and realized swiftly that Gaspare must be there. He had gone to the only house between the two bathing-places to ask if its inhabitants had seen anything of the padrone.
There was something brave, something "safe" so she called it to herself in his whole appearance which had always appealed to her nature. How she longed at that moment to be quite at ease with him! Why would he not trust her completely? Perhaps in her glance just then she showed her thought, her desire. Gaspare's eyes fell before her. "I think I'll take the tram," she said, "unless "
Gaspare's face had suddenly lighted up. His Padroncina's little hand was holding tightly to his strong arm. "Take care, Signorina. That is water!" "Oh, I was nearly in. I thought " He almost lifted her into the launch, which was rising and falling on the waves. "Madre! What a night!" Vere sank down on the narrow seat of the little cabin. The Marchesino jumped aboard.
She said to herself that it was Gaspare's excitement that was affecting her. She was catching his mood. "My dear Gaspare," she said, "we must just wait. The padrone will be here in a minute. Perhaps he has come up by Marechiaro. Very likely he has looked in at the hotel to see how the sick signore is after his day up here. That is it, I feel sure."
"Now it's our turn," cried Hermione. "Questo vino è bello e fino, È portato da Castello a mare, Faccio brindisi al Signor Gaspare." The boys burst into a hearty laugh, and Gaspare's eyes gleamed with pleasure while Hermione and Maurice drank. Then Sebastiano drew from the inner pocket of his old jacket a little flute, smiling with an air of intense and comic slyness which contorted his face.
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