“What are you going to have for dinner, mother?” asked Paul.
“I am sorry, Paul, that I have no warm meat. I have some cold roast beef, some hot potatoes, and an apple pudding.”
“You needn’t apologize, mother. That’s good enough for anybody. It’s as good as Phil gets at his boarding house, I am sure. He has got rather tired of it, and isn’t going to stay.”
“Are you going to leave the padrone?” asked Mrs. Hoffman, with interest.
“Si, signora,” said Phil.
“Will he let you go?”
“I shall run away,” said Phil.
“You see, mother, Phil would be sure of a beating if he went home without his fiddle. Now he doesn’t like to be beaten, and the padrone gives harder beatings than you do, mother.”
“I presume so,” said Mrs. Hoffman, smiling. “I do not think I am very severe.”
“No, you spoil the rod and spare the child.”