'Why,' said Caper, 'they don't keep the baker-shops, and wine-shops, and wood-yards, do they?'
'No,' answered Rita, 'but they speculate in them, and Fra 'Tonelli makes his cousins and so on inspectors; and they regulate the prices to suit themselves, and make oh! such tremen-di-ous fortunes. [Here Rita opened her eyes, and spread her hands, as if beholding the elephant.] Don't I remember, some time ago, how, when the Pope went out riding, he found both sides of the way from the Vatican to San Angelo crowded with people on their knees, groaning and calling to him. Said he to Fra 'Tonelli:
''What are these poor people about?'
''Praying for your blessed holiness,' said he, while his eyes sparkled.
''But,' said the Pope, 'they are moaning and groaning.'
''It's a way the poblaccio have,' answered 'Tonelli, 'when they pray.'
'The Pope knew he was lying, so, when he went home to the Vatican, he sent for one of his faithful servants, and said he:
''Santi, you run out and see what all this shindy is about?'
'So Santi came back and told him 'Tonelli had put up the price of bread, and the people were starving. So the Pope took out a big purse with a little money in it, and said he:
''Here, Santi, you go and buy me ten pounds of bread, and get a bill for it, and have it receipted!'