Carmella Commands
The warmth of her greeting pleased him more than he would or could have told. Carmella was not usually demonstrative in affection.
“Hello, piccola ragazza!” he said, catching her in his arms. “I hope you have behaved well today, ragazzina.”
“But, padre,” protested Carmella, “you shouldn’t call me ragazzina. I’m too big for that.”
“Too big for what, innesta?” he retorted, laughing.
Carmella did not mind being called an imp when Tommaso was in good humor. It was an unusual word for him. Before she could reply, he was calling to his wife.
“Hello, Maria cara! Have all the little ones behaved today?”
Carmella shot a glowering glance at her mother.
“Pretty well,” said the latter, after an instant’s hesitation.
“That’s good! That’s good! I’m tired, and don’t want to have to punish anybody.”
He went to the kitchen, washed, then returned to the living room and sat down in the Morris chair that he had insisted on adding to the installment house’s complete outfit for six rooms. Tommaso especially liked two things about America. He had never seen a Morris chair before, and he found it good. Also he liked the money it was possible to earn here.
“Carmella,” he said, “I wish to talk with you.”
“Si, padre! E lanciari!”
[34]
