"O Lord! what barbarous customs! Will there ever be an end to them?" he exclaimed impatiently.
"That's just what I should like to know," said Uncle Efes Maria. "These women are draining my pockets. Well, what do you think of the new Ministry?"
"I don't think anything of it at all!" laughed the student, recalling a character in the Dame chez Maxim, a favourite play at the Manzoni Theatre, which he frequented. Then he sauntered off to look at some books he had left on a shelf at the other end of the room. Minnia and the boy had run out into the courtyard; Grazia, seated at the table, with both cheeks resting on her closed fists, was still gazing at her uncle. He turned towards her:
"You read novels, don't you?"
"I? No," she answered, turning red.
"Well, I only wanted to say that if I ever catch you reading certain books—I'll rap you over the head with them."
Her under-lip began to tremble, and, not to let him see her cry, she jumped up and ran out. In the courtyard she found the two children still quarrelling over the purse with the picture of the Pope. "As for stealing," the boy was saying, "you had better keep quiet about that; you, and she there—the bean-pole—you two sold some wine to-day, and kept the money!"
"Oh, what a lie!" cried Grazia, falling upon him and dealing him a blow, but crying herself bitterly all the while.
The courtyard was filled with the chirping of the crickets and the noise of the horses' hoofs; and the warm, starlit air was heavy with the scent of the hay.