r his. 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. Hermione could not make him speak of
his father. All she knew of him was that he was dead. Sometimes she gave
Ruffo good advice. She divined the dangers of Naples for a lad with
the blood bounding in his veins, and she dwelt upon the pride of man's
strength, and how he should be careful to preserve it, and not dissipate
it before it came to maturity. She did not speak very plainly, but Ruffo
understood, and answered her with the unconscious frankness that is
characteristic of the people of the South. And at the end of his remarks
he added:

"Don Gaspare has talked to me about that. Don Gaspare knows much,
Signora."

He spoke with deep respect. Hermione was surprised by this little
revelation. Was Gaspare secretly watching over the boy? Did he concern
himself seriously with Ruffo's fate? She longed to question Gaspare.
But she knew that to do so would be useless. Even with her Gaspare would
only speak freely of things when he chose. At other times he was calmly
mute. He wrapped himself in a cloud. She wondered whether he had ever
given Ruffo any hints or instructions as to suitable conduct when with
her.

Although Ruffo was so frank and garrulous about most things, she noticed
that if she began to speak of his mother or his Patrigno, his manner
changed, and he became uncommunicative. Was this owing to Gaspar