When the old man went off on his fishing expeditions, or on the circuits which he made from time to time through the country to dispose of his wares, Costantino felt as though a weight had been lifted from him; the semi-paternal oversight which the other exercised over him having, in fact, come to both frighten and irritate him.
On this particular evening the fisherman was away, and Costantino was sensible of this feeling of freedom from an irksome restraint. Now he could do whatever came into his head, without any one to preach, or that disagreeable sensation of being watched, which, possibly as a result of the long years spent in prison, the mere presence of the old man was sufficient to excite. Moreover, he was expecting a visitor. Although he professed, now, to despise all women, and did, in fact, usually avoid them as much as possible, he had allowed himself to be drawn into relations with a strange creature—a half-witted girl—who lived near Giovanna. She had surprised him one night prowling about the Dejas house and had persuaded him to go home with her.
From this individual he got all the gossip of the white house, and he took refuge with her whenever he thought he had been seen crossing the common. He was waiting for her now at Isidoro's hut, in the owner's absence, but he looked down on her, and her foolish talk jarred on him. Presently she arrived, and Costantino told her to sit down out there on the stone bench beside him.
"It's hot inside, and there are fleas, and spiders, and—devils. Stay here in the fresh air," he said, without looking at her.
"But we'll be seen," she objected, in a deep, rough voice.
"All right; suppose we are! It makes no difference to me, why should it to you?"
"But, as it happens, it does make a difference to me."
"Why?" he said, raising his voice. "Men cannot matter, since they are all sinners as well; and as for God, he can see us just as well inside as out."
"Oh, go away!" she said, but without any show of anger. "You've been drinking." Then she turned away and went into the hut. Striking a light, she looked into the cupboard where the food was usually kept, and, as Costantino still did not come, she returned to the door and called to him: "If you don't come at once I shall go away; but you had better be careful; I have something to tell you."
He jumped up, and, going inside, took her in his arms. The girl broke into a wild laugh.