y-four hours
in the day, and some of the others find that enough. Would not
Brancaccia be exactly the woman to help you to run the albergo and to
look after your parents in their old age?"

He admitted that she had the reputation of being an admirable housekeeper
and that he had never heard anything against her. So I went on and said
all I could think of in favour of matrimony, to which he listened without
attempting to interrupt. I finished by saying that if he did marry
Brancaccia and it turned out unsuccessful he was not to blame me. He
replied with great decision that I need not fear anything of the kind,
for he had made up his mind never to marry any one, and certainly not
Brancaccia.

* * * * *

Soon after the wedding festa I returned to London. Peppino and I
exchanged several postcards, but Brancaccia's name was never mentioned in
any of his. After a year I received a letter from him. {329}

"CASTELLINARIA.

"PREGIATISSIMO E INDIMENTICABILE SIGNORE!

"Sono gia piu di dodeci mesi che non ho il piacere di vedere la sua
grata persona sulla nostra spiaggia.

"Con vero piacere Le faccio sapere che mio caro padre gode buonissima
salute e che desidera grandemente di rivederla.

"Tre mesi fa il mio cuore e stato distrutto, causa la salita al cielo
della mia adorata mamma. Non posso trovare parole per esprimerle il
mio cordoglio. Sarebbe stato meglio che il buon Dio avesse preso
anche me, perche non prendero piu alcun piacere nella vita.

"Vi annuncio che Domenica prossima si celebrera il mio matrimonio.

"Non posso mai dimenticare la sua squisita cortesia ed il gentile
pensiero che nutre a mio riguardo. La prego credere che io sono ora,
e per tutta la mia vita saro, a Lei legato di affezione, divozione e
rispetto.

"PAMPALONE GIUSEPPE."

I replied in a letter of congratulation to the bride and bridegroom,
wishing them every happiness, sending them a wedding present and
promising to come and see them as soon as possible. In due course I
received a box of sugar-plums and a letter signed by Peppino and
Brancaccia asking me to be godfather to their first son when he should he
born--an honour which, of course, I accepted. I trust that at the
christening festa this book may not be thought unworthy to take t