"It will not hurt the Signora or the Signorina. The /fattura della
morte/--it is to harm Peppina. Has she not done us injury? Has she not
taken my Patrigno from my mamma? Has she not made him mad? Is it not
for her that he has been in prison, and that he has left my mamma
without a soldo in the house? The Signora--she has been good to me and
my mamma. It is she who sent my mamma money--twenty lire! I respect
the Signora as I respect my mamma. Only to-day, only this very day she
came to Mergellina, she came to see my mama. And when she knew that my
Patrigno was let out of prison, when I cried out at the door that he
was coming, the Signora was so glad for us that she looked--she looked
--Madre di Dio! She was all white, she was shaking--she was worse than
my poor mamma. And when I came to her, and when I called out,
'Signora! Signora!' you should have seen! She opened her eyes! She
gave me such a look! And then my Patrigno came in at the door, and the
Signora--she went away. I was going to follow her, but she put out her
hand--so, to make me stay--she wanted me to stay with my mamma.
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