armella broke the news as gently as she was able, but Nicolo’s mother spent the evening, till well toward midnight, rocking in her chair and moaning.
Like most of her friends in Little Italy, she spoke little or no English, and America was a land of bewilderment. With her only son in the hands of the dreaded police, she was desolate indeed.
“You are a dear girl to be with me this night,” she said to Carmella.
“Let’s go to bed. We must rest,” suggested the latter.
They slept together, fitfully and unrelaxed, as womenfolk have forever slept when their menfolk have brought disgrace upon them. Nicolo, in his cell, slept more soundly than they.
In the morning Mrs. Pieri rose early, declaring that she must visit Nicolo at once.
“We’ll go over and see Mike Laudini,” said Carmella. “He’ll help, because Nick was working for him.”
After a hasty breakfast they stopped at Mike’s, but
[220]
