"Remember what I said about to-day!"
"Macchè——"
Maurice closed his fingers tightly on Gaspare's arm.
"Gaspare, you must remember! Afterwards what you like, but not to-day. Andiamo!"
They all got up. The Musica della città was now playing a violent jig, undoubtedly composed by Bellini, who was considered almost as a child of San Felice, having been born close by at Catania.
"Where are the women in the wonderful blue dresses?" Maurice asked, as they stepped into the road; "and the ear-rings? I haven't seen them yet."
"They will come towards evening, signorino," replied Gaspare, "when it gets cool. They do not care to be in the sun dressed like that. It might spoil their things."
Evidently the promenade of these proud beauties was an important function.
"We must not miss them," Maurice said to Maddalena.
She looked conscious.