"What? A dead man?" said Olì laughing.
But when she was in bed, alone in a grey, cold garret, round whose roof the wind screeched ever louder, searching and hammering the rafters, Olì thought of the widow's story; of the mask who had said, 'Woman, wait no more'; of the long black cloak hanging on the wall; of the child who had seen the dead man. And she thought of the little naked birds in the deserted nest; of her poor little neglected brothers; of Anania's treasure; of midsummer night; and of her dead mother. She was afraid—she was sad, so sad that though she believed herself doomed to hell, she longed to die.
[1]The man in charge of a portion of the high road is called the Cantoniere, and lives in the Cantoniera.
[2]Primavera: we should call it, in June, early summer.
[3]Prehistoric ruin.
[4]In Sardinia the older persons are given the titles of Uncle and Aunt.
[5]Coarse woollen stuff.
[6]Brigandage committed by a large number in concert.
[7]The province of Sassari.