"Si, signor, I'll be back."
Guiseppe's consent was hardly given before she was off. For some time she watched the boys bringing out the paste, but it made her hungry.
"I'm starved," she said to herself. "I will spend one of my soldi for macaroni."
After she had eaten the macaroni she decided that she had much time to see the town in the hour Guiseppe had allowed her.
She came to St. Andrew's Cathedral.
"Maybe if I pray, Guiseppe will stop being so cross. Maybe I'm cross, too," she said to herself as she ran up the long flight of stairs leading to the entrance.
Children were playing in the church. An American lady gave them soldi to say prayers for her son. There were ladies near Pappina who were speaking in her own tongue. She heard them say they were going to visit St. Andrew's tomb. Pappina followed them.
At the tomb she knelt, and, bowing her head, began to say her prayers. As she prayed her tired eyelids gradually closed; she lost herself. Starting up, she remembered she was in church, praying; so she began again, "Santa Maria." The little head drooped. She opened her eyes. "S–a–n–t–a M–a–r–i–a—" The weary child had knelt, prayed, and fallen asleep, beside the tomb of St. Andrew.
It was late at night that the sexton, going his rounds, was startled to see what appeared to be a bundle of something red lying by the tomb. Throwing the full rays of the lantern upon the object, he discovered that it was a little child. Many times before he had found children sleeping in the church, but never one by this sacred tomb.
"Poverina!" he exclaimed, awakening her as gently as possible. "Poverina, you cannot sleep here. I am sorry, but it is against the rules. You must run home. Come." He took her by the arm, led her to the door and put her out in the darkness.