Page:The International - Volume 1.djvu/159

stood upon a precipitous rock, as high as the tower of St. Dominick in Taormin, between the azure of the sea and sky, and glowing in the light of innumerable candles. She knew how such a saint should be honored, and so she had cause for offense.

"Better be careful, Venera," she said dryly, trying to suppress her anger. "'Tis but a step to the door of sin. You are too proud. You also think too much of your son. I should not be surprised if you would like him to be addressed ′Don′ Archangelo?"

Full of the pride and vanity of a doting mother, Venera drew herself up, as she exclaimed:

"Archangelo is as good a Christian as anybody else, and his trade is no worse than other trades—and he understands it, too, thank God! Did not one of those Englishmen that come here with their pockets full of money, and sit all day in the ruins of that Greek theatre, have a pair of shoes made by my Archangelo? And did he not say that they were the handsomest shoes he ever had on his feet? Now, see! And who knows but the time may come when he will be addressed as ′Don′ Archangelo! You know, Nunziata, that we have a claim against the town of three hundred and fifty liras. That may prove the beginning of a fine property. Twenty years ago, our syndic, Don Agostino Neri, did not have much more, and the people then did not call him ′Don;′ but he became rich, and others may become rich, too. He was not the first, my good Nunziata, and, blessed be the most holy Virgin, he need not be the last."

"True; but you have not got those three hundred and fifty liras yet," remarked Nunziata, quietly, as prudent and careful as ever.

"But we'll get them, and you know it," screamed Venera, as though Nunziata were trying to take them away from her." The whole world knows that that suit of ours, in regard to the estate beyond the Messina gate, cannot be decided otherwise than in our favor; yes, even though the Pope him self took sides against us."

"I hope it may be so," rejoined Nunziata; "but it has gone on a long time since the death of your husband, and our present syndic is by no means friendly to you."

"Alas, that is true! "sighed Venera. "But who is to blame for that? Nobody but that unhappy Phenicia with those great staring eyes of hers, with which she be witched my son's heart, and with which she will doubtless sometime eat out his very soul. He could have married the syndic's niece, Marie,—it was almost arranged. She, indeed, has smaller eyes, but they say she has a whole chest full of silver."

"And the reputation that the syndic was obliged to marry her off at once," added Nunziata, dryly. "Now he has hung her upon the neck of that lame tailor that lives in the ducal palace of San Stefano. As for the silver, it does not seem that he is troubled as to what he shall do with it."

"Evil reports ring out like bells, but they do not bring people to church," replied Venera. "The one thing certain is that now we have the syndic against us,—a plague upon his soul! "And she hurried home.

Time passed on as rapidly as before this conversation, but the dispute concerning the estate beyond the Messina gate came no nearer to its settlement. But aside from Venera, no one at the palace of Corvejo seemed to be concerned about it. Archangelo had so much to do that he waited as patiently for those three hundred and fifty liras as one waits for a ripening apple. Of a Sunday afternoon, when the weather was pleasant, he would take Phenicia for a walk beyond the Messina gate, and explain to her all about the estate in question. She seemed to listen, but her beautiful eyes wandered away to the sea, beyond which the barren mountains of Calabria were heaped up in transparent mists. Carmenio also listened as to how the dispute arose, and upon hat they based their claims; but his mind, too, seemed to be preoccupied, and both forgot all about it, ere they entered the Gothic arch of the Corvejo palace.

Venera never had a smile for her daughter-in-law, and regarded Carmenio as an in-