'The pay is so wretched, Trifari, and the examinations are all a fraud, too.'
'If they take you to law it will be bad for you.'
'I am ruined if they do. I must have money in hand at any cost this time, do you understand; if not, I am ruined. There is nothing left but to shoot myself, if they take me to law. We must win, Trifari.'
'We will win,' the other affirmed sternly. 'I have a lot of trouble, here and at my home. My father has sold everything; my brother, instead of coming home after his service as a soldier, out of poverty has enlisted in the military police; my sister is not to be married, she has not a farthing of dowry now; she is reduced to making dresses for rich peasants. We had very little, and I have eaten all there was, and there are a number of debts, of calls.... The father of the student whom we forced to sign a promissory note at Don Gennaro Parascandolo's wants to denounce me as a cheat.... We must win, Colaneri; we cannot live another week without winning.... I am more ruined than you are.'
Here the bell rang very gently.
'Perhaps it is him, do you think?' Colaneri asked with a little shake in his voice.
'No, no,' Trifari answered; 'he is to come later, when we are all here....'
'Who took the message to him?'
'Formosa took it.'
'He has no suspicion, then?'