The forced smile was gone in a moment. "We had no boy then, Excellency."
"He came to you from Santo Spirito and you got a hundred francs with him at first, and then you built this pergola."
"If your Excellency is from the Foundling, you may tell them again, as I told the priest who came before, that we never took a boy from there, and we had no money from the people who sent him to London."
"You don't remember him, then?"
"Certainly not."
"Nor you?"
The old woman hesitated, and the old man made mouths at her.
"No, Excellency."
David Rossi took a long breath. "Here is the amount of your bill, and something over. Good-bye!"
The timid lad brought round the horses and the riders prepared to mount. Roma was looking at the boy with pitying eyes.