Anania was listening. In spite of his private anxiety he laughed.
"Oh, ho!" cried Agata, peeping over the wall, "good evening to your Excellence! What are you hiding for? Come out and let us see your pretty face."
He pinched Agata's arm, and Rebecca who had hidden herself on hearing the young man's laugh, contributed a pinch on the leg.
"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Agata, "go to the devil with you! This is too much. Let me alone or I'll tell——"
The pinches were redoubled.
"Oh! oh! oh! The devil! Rebecca, there's no good in being jealous! Oh! oh! Aunt Tatàna has gone this evening, has gone to ask——Well, shall I tell or not?"
Anania withdrew, asking himself how that minx Agata knew.
"My sweetheart, next time have some respect for Aunt Agata!" she said laughing; while Rebecca who had understood became stonily silent, and Aunt Sorchedda enquired—
"Kindly tell me, Nania Atonzu, is there a single person in Nuoro who has 1000 gold crowns?"
The foul-mouthed contadino came over and asked, "Young man from Rome, Nania Atonzu—is it true that the pope——"