"Have you any commissions for Cagliari?" said Anania entering his shop.
"Send him a diamond ring," said one of the workmen, "for he's engaged to the Syndic's daughter."
"Well, why not?" said Carchide, with conceit. "Sit down, Anania."
But Anania, irritated by the joke which he thought an insult to Margherita, would not sit down and hurried away. As he went out he met the lad whom rumour called the padrone's son, a tall boy with blue eyes really very like Margherita's, but sadder.
"Good-bye, Antonino," said the student, and the other looked at him with flashes of hatred and envy in his melancholy pupils.
When he came in Anania told everything to Aunt Tatàna, who was preparing a sweetmeat, compounded of oranges, honey and almonds, for him to present to some great person at Cagliari.
"Look," said the boy, "your priest gave me a crown, and the doctor gave me two lire. I don't like to take it."
"Oh, bad child! It's the custom to give presents to a boy going away for the first time!" said the woman, shaking and stirring the slender strips of orange-peel in the shining copper saucepan. Strong smell of boiling honey perfumed the kitchen. Everywhere were little yellow baskets packed with the stores for the student. Anania sat down with the cat on his knee.
"I wonder where I shall be in a week? Stay quiet, Mussittu, put your tail down! Your priest read me such a long sermon."
"I suppose he told you to make your confession and take the Communion before starting?"