I was astonished.' But why? He's not a town barber, I know that of course. . but he does all right for me. . You don't have to make use of him again.'
'Oh, Silvio,' she burst forth in anger, 'why won't you understand me? It's not a question of whether he's good at his job — what does that matter?'
'But what's it all about, then?'
'He was disrespectful to me. . and I don't want to see him any more — ever again.'
'He was disrespectful to you? What d'you mean?'
There must have been in my expression and the tone of my voice still something of the thoughtless indifference that possessed me every morning at that time, for she added scornfully: 'But what does it matter to you if Antonio is disrespectful to me? Of course, it means nothing to you.'
I was afraid I had offended her; going up to her, I said, seriously: 'Forgive me. . perhaps I hadn't quite understood. But do please tell me in what way he was lacking in respect.'
'I tell you, he was disrespectful,' she cried with sudden rage, turning towards me a second time, with nostrils quivering and an expression of hardness in her eyes; 'that's quite enough. .. He's a horrible man… send him away, get someone else… I don't want him about the place any more.'
'I don't understand,' I said; 'he's a man who's usually most respectful — serious, in fact… A family man. . '
'Yes,' she repeated, with a sarcastic shrug of the shoulders, 'a family man.'