se, you ought to hold the baby at the
baptism, but, as I absolutely cannot permit you to undertake so long
a journey for this purpose, I am sending you a formal document and I
beg you to return it to me at once signed with your name in order
that the ceremony may take place with as little delay as possible.

We are all looking forward to the pleasure of seeing you playing with
your godchild which you will be able to do on your next visit.

The formal document was to the following effect:

WHEREAS I the undersigned have undertaken the duty of acting as
godfather to Enrico the new-born son of Giuseppe and Brancaccia
Pampalone of the Albergo della Madonna (con giardino) Castellinaria
Sicily AND WHEREAS I am detained in London for several weeks and
desire that the baptism of the said infant shall not be delayed on
that account NOW I DO HEREBY APPOINT Luigi Pampalone the father of
the said Giuseppe Pampalone to be my substitute for me and in my name
to hold the said Enrico Pampalone his grandson at the sacred font on
the occasion of his baptism and to do all such other acts and deeds
as may be necessary in the promises as fully and effectually as I
could do the same if I were present in my own person I hereby
agreeing to ratify and confirm all that the said Luigi Pampalone
shall do by virtue of this writing AS WITNESS my hand this day of

I filled up the date, signed the document, and returned it to Peppino,
and he told me all about the ceremony. By virtue of the christening I
became the padrino of Enrico, who became my figlioccio, and I also became
the compare of Peppino and Brancaccia and in some spiritual way a member
of the family. Peppino sent me a post-card every week, and so I learnt
that the baby was the finest ever seen, and weighed more and ate more
than any baby that had ever been born in Castellinaria. Then there came
information about the first tooth and the first intelligent, if
unintelligible, sounds. Soon he was three months old, then six, then a
year, and still I had not seen him.

When at last I returned to Sicily, he was more than a year old, and came
down to the station to meet me. He laughed as soon as he saw me, threw
away his india-rubber ball, and signified that he was to be given to me.
Whatever he wants is always done at once and, as he never wants anything
unreasonable, the method is working out admirably. I took h