“Bah!” exclaimed the woman, “has she come to-day? I thought they said on Saturday.”
Yanni shrugged his shoulders.
“Do I know what they said? Yoryi gave her to me this morning, to bring straight to you. What I am told, I do.”
“It does not matter,” said the woman quickly, “it does not matter at all. Welcome, my girl! Come in! Come in!” Then turning towards the back of the shop, “Anastasi, your niece has arrived!”
Her husband started, left his loaves and came forward. He was a thin man with stooping shoulders, and a look in his eyes which reminded Mattina of her mother and made a lump come into her throat so that she could scarcely answer when he spoke to her.
“Welcome, my maid, for your mother’s sake,” he said. “When I saw you in Poros you were so high only; now you have grown a big maid! And Kanella, and Yoryi, and their children, and the little one, are they well? How did you leave them?”
“They are well,” stammered Mattina, “they salute you.”
Her uncle Anastasi turned to his wife:—
“Demetroula,” he said, “take the child in; she will be hungry; look to her while I pay Yanni for his trouble.”
Her aunt took Mattina into a little room which opened on the courtyard, and taking her bundle from her, pushed it under a big bed in the corner. Mattina had never seen her before. The poor do not take journeys for pleasure, or for the sake of visiting their relations. But her new aunt had a kind round face and pretty shiny brown hair which one could see quite well, as she did not wear a kerchief; and when she spoke she smiled very often, so that Mattina did not feel shy with her.