Faustina shook herself and continued:
'I have come to tell you, that soon he will rule absolutely over us all, and then woe to any of us if we resist him. Poverina!'
Teresa was silent. Faustina continued:
'Perhaps he is good to you, but if you could hear complaints, as I do everyday, about his oppression, you would hate him.'
'My dear Faustina,' Teresa at last replied, 'I am 80 glad you came to see me. I am so miserable! I dream continually of the Adriatic sea: it seems to me that I sit on the threshold of our cottage--lucciole fly in the air, Andrea plays the guitar--the song resounds, the wind brings the scent of flowers. I wake up, listen: the wind rustles, but it brings snow, and the strange tongue resounds and the people laugh and their irony wounds and their love humiliates.'
Teresa covered her face with her hands.
'Cara mia,' said Faustina kissing her, 'therefore let us not tease each other but help each other on this thorny path.'
And she put out her hand whispering:
'Be careful of that man, for he is dreadful, and may the Madonna take care of you.'
Teresa rose and accompanied her to the door.