"Then go barefoot, strike you dead!" shouted the lunatic menacingly.
"Good-bye," said Anania; "I'm off to college."
"To Iglesias?"
"No, to Cagliari."
"There are pole cats and vampires at Iglesias. Well good-bye. Shake hands. I won't eat you. And where's that mother of yours now, I wonder?"
"Good-bye, take care of yourself," said Anania, freeing his hand from the madman's hard fingers.
"I'm going away myself; to a place where one feasts all day; beans, lentils, sheep's fry——"
"Good appetite to you. Good-bye."
"Eh!" cried the old man, when he had gone some distance, "write to me when you're gone, and don't fall into the hands of the scarlet women."
Anania had other friends to see including the beggar widow, who received him in a little chamber beautifully clean, and gave him a cup of first-rate coffee.