"I'm afraid you can't," said Beppa, laughing.
"Why, when's the wedding? Not for two or three weeks, I suppose?"
"It's day after to-morrow," answered Beppa. "Everything's bought, and all I want is the money to pay for 'em; I knew I could get it of you."
"Dear me! how quick! And these shoes are really too bad; they're clear wore out, and all the cleaning in the world won't make 'em decent."
"Well, Denza, why do you want to come? You don't know any of Giuseppe's family. To tell the truth, I never supposed you'd care about coming, and the table's all planned out for (at Giuseppe's sister's), and there ain't no place for you."
"And you didn't have one saved?"
"I never thought you'd care to come. You see they're different, they're all well off, and you don't like people who are well off—who wear nice clothes. You never wanted us to have nice clothes, and you like to go barefoot."
"No, I don't!" said Prudence.
"'Tany rate, one would think you did; you always go so in summer. But even if you had new shoes, none of your clothes would be good enough; that bonnet, now—"
"My bonnet? Surely my bonnet's good?" said the New England woman; her voice faltered, she was struck on a tender point.