"
She clasped her arms convulsively about his neck, but she choked the
first sob that rose in her throat. She did not dare give way. She
instinctively knew that she needed all her strength to carry her
through what she had undertaken. She kissed the startled child with
burning fervor. She drew him into her lap and held him close to her.
Her very lips were white.
"Nino," she said, "can you remember something to say to papa?"
"Oh, yes," he answered. "I am quite old enough for that. Don't you
remember how I repeated",--
_"'Questo domanda del pan;
Questo dise, no ghe n'e;
Questo dise come faremo;
Quell' altro dise; rubaremo;
Il mignolo dise; chi ruba 'mpicca, 'mpicca!_'"
It was a folk rhyme she had taught him to say, telling off his chubby
fingers one by one; and she remembered how proud the boy had been when
he had repeated it to his father. Her mouth twitched convulsively, but
she went on steadily.
"You remembered it beautifully, Nino," she said, "and you are to say to
papa, 'Mamma has gone away to Italy for my sake, and she leaves you her
love.' Say it over, Nino."
"'Mamma has gone away to Italy for my sake,'" repeated the child. "But,
mamma," he broke in, "I don't want you to go."
She embraced him as if in her death struggle the waters of the sea were
closing over her.
"Say it, Nino," she repeated.
Pages:
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376