"Have you been there? To Nuoro?"
"Of course I have," said Zuanne, lying.
"I don't believe it. You haven't been there. I remember you haven't been there!"
"I was there before you was born, that's how it was!"
After this Anania went willingly with Zuanne even when it was cold. He kept asking questions about his father and about Nuoro and the road to that city. At night he dreamed of the road, and saw a city with so many, many churches, with such big, big houses, and mountains higher than even the Gennargentu.
One day late in November Olì went to Nuoro for the feast of Le Grazie. When she came back she had a quarrel with Aunt Grathia. Indeed latterly she had been quarrelling with every one and slapping the children. Anania heard her crying the whole night through, and though she had beaten him yesterday he was full of pity. He would have liked to say—
"Never mind, mother dear. Zuanne says if he was like me that he'd go to Nuoro the moment he was grown up and find his father and make him come to see us. But I am ready to go before I'm grown up. Let me go, dear mother!" But he dared not utter a word.
It was still night when Olì rose, went to the kitchen, came back, went down a second time, returned with a bundle.
"Get up!" she bade the child.
She helped him to dress; then put a chain round his neck from which hung a little bag of green brocade strongly sewn.[9]