It was not only Donna Elisa, there was also Luca and Pacifica, who would be so glad when he came back as a holy man.
They would all follow him up to the market-place. There, there would be even more flags than in the streets, and Gaetano would speak from the steps of the town hall. And from all the streets and courts people would come streaming.
Then Gaetano would speak, so that they should all fall on their knees and cry: “Bless us, Fra Gaetano, bless us!”
After that he would never leave Diamante again. He would live under the great steps outside Donna Elisa’s shop.
And they would come to him with their sick, and those in trouble would make a pilgrimage to him.
When the syndic of Diamante went by he would kiss Gaetano’s hand.
Donna Elisa would sell Fra Gaetano’s image in her shop.
And Donna Elisa’s god-daughter, Giannita, would bow before Fra Gaetano and never again call him a stupid monk-boy.
And Donna Elisa would be so happy.