"Who goes into the sea!" he ejaculated. "Why, don't we all know who likes wading, and can always tell the best places for the fish?"
He paused, then as Gaspare said nothing, and the others, who had received a warning sign from him, stood round with deliberately vacant faces, he added, clapping Gaspare on the shoulder, and holding out one end of the net:
"Off with your clothes, compare, and we will soon have a fine frittura for Carmela."
But Gaspare shook his head.
"In summer I don't mind. But this is early in the year, and, besides—"
"Early in the year! Who told me the signore distinto would—"
"And besides, compare, I've got the stomach-ache."
He deftly doubled himself up and writhed, while the lips of the others twitched with suppressed amusement.
"Comparedro, I don't believe it!"
"Haven't I, signorino?" cried Gaspare, undoubling himself, pointing to his middleman, and staring hard at Maurice.