"Then," he went on, "they feel sorry for me and they say, 'Poor boy! Beautiful boy! We must give him some money!' So they do that!"
He laughed and showed his white teeth. But not she. There was something very serious about her.
Tony had a temper. Angrily, he now stooped and picked her up. She did not resist. In fact, her fluffy tail wagged heartily and she began to lick his face.
She seemed to be saying, "I am forbidden to go with you. But if you take me, what can I do?"
Tony bought meat from a street vender. He put her down and fed her out of his hand. She ate hungrily. Her little ribs showed plainly through the dirty white hair of her body.
When she finished, Tony picked her up again. He should have taken her back to the church steps. She belonged to the Marionette show around the corner. She was a trained dog.
But Tony did not know this. He only knew that he loved the little dog very much, that he could not live another day without her.
| A FAMILY GROUP ON A STREET IN NAPLES |
Determinedly, he tucked her under his arm and started toward home.