"Ah! that will never be," said David Rossi.
"What does he say?" said the old woman with her hand at her ear like a shell.
"He says he won't have any of you," bawled Bruno.
"What an idea! But I've heard men say that before, and they've been married sooner than you could say 'Hail Mary.'"
"It isn't an incident altogether unknown in the history of this planet, is it, mother?" said Bruno.
"A heart to share your sorrows and joys is something, and the man is not wise who wastes the chance of it," said the old woman. "Does he think parliaments will make up for it when he grows old and wants something to comfort him?"
"Hush, mother!" said Elena, but Bruno made mouths at her to let the old woman go on.
"As for me, I'll want somebody of my own about me to close my eyes when the time comes to put the sacred oil on them," said the old woman.
"If a man has dedicated his life to work for humanity," said David Rossi, "he must give up many things—father, mother, wife, child."
The corner of Elena's apron crept up to the corner of her eye, but the old woman, who thought the subject had changed, laughed and said: