Pappina little thought they were talking about her as she stood laughing at the pranks of the people in the water. She was interested in them all—the dark and the fair; the slight and the stout; those coming and those going; all seemingly satisfied with life as they found it in the brilliant season's height at Vietri.
"There's the sweetest sight I've seen in all Italy!" exclaimed one of the bathers. "Let's ask for a song."
Pappina, when she saw one of the gentlemen approaching her, turned to run, half–afraid of the big man in his striped bathing–suit, but hearing a lady's voice calling her, she looked back. She saw that the gentleman was closely followed by some half–dozen ladies, so she smilingly and timidly approached them.
"Will you give us a song?" the gentleman asked her in English.
Pappina shook her head as she said in her own tongue:
"I am Italian and I do not understand what you say."
He struck her tambourine.
"Si, si, signor." Pappina guessed what they wanted. She sang a song. They begged for another, so she gave them the little song in English which Marta had taught her. Her accent amused them, and they laughed heartily as they gave her money.
Amalfi