He shook his head.
"Somebody must have looked on the povera signora with the evil-eye, Signor Dottore."
Giuseppe crossed himself.
"It seems so," the doctor replied, gravely.
He was almost as superstitious as the contadini among whom he labored.
"Ecco, Signor Dottore!"
The doctor looked up. At the arch stood a figure holding a little lamp. Almost immediately, two more figures appeared behind it.
"Il dottore! Ecco il dottore!"
There was a murmur of voices in the dark. As the donkey came up the excited fishermen crowded round, all speaking at once.
"He is dead, Signor Dottore. The povero signore is dead!"