"You'll come again, won't you, Joseph?" said Roma, and the boy's face beamed.
"I suppose this little man means a good deal to his mother, Bruno?"
"Everything! I do believe she'd die, or disappear, or drown herself if anything happened to that boy."
"And Mr. Rossi?"
"He's been a second father to the boy ever since the young monkey was born."
"Well, Joseph must come here sometimes, and let me try and be a second mother to him too.... What is he saying now?"
Joseph had dragged down his father's head to whisper something in his ear.
"He says he's frightened of your big porter downstairs."
"Frightened of him! He is only a man, my precious! Tell him you are a little Roman boy, and he'll have to let you up. Will you remember? You will? That's right! By-bye!"
Before going to sleep that night, Roma switched on the light that hung above her head and read her letter again. She had been hoarding it up for that secret hour, and now she was alone with it, and all the world was still.