But giving had always been her pleasure. It was her
pleasure now. And she drew happiness from the obvious and growing
affection of the boy. Perfectly natural at all times, he kept back
little from the kind lady of the island. He told her the smallest
details of his daily life, his simple hopes and fears, his friendships
and quarrels, his relations with the other fishermen of Mergellina,
his intentions in the present, his ambitions for the future. Some day
he hoped to be the Padrone of a boat of his own. That seemed to be the
ultimate aim of his life. Hermione smiled as she heard it, and saw his
eyes shining with the excitement of anticipation. When he spoke the
word "Padrone," his little form seemed to expand with authority and
conscious pride. He squared his shoulders. He looked almost a man. The
pleasures of command dressed all his person, as flags dress a ship on
a festival day. He stood before Hermione a boy exuberant.
And she thought of Maurice bounding down the mountain-side to the
fishing, and rousing the night with his "Ciao, Ciao, Ciao, Morettina
bella--Ciao!"
But Ruffo was sometimes reserved.
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