But, of course, she would never suspect. And he laughed at himself, and
made the promise about the fair, and, having made it and his resolution
in regard to it, almost violently resolved to take no thought for the
morrow, but to live carelessly and with gayety the days that lay before
him, the few more days of his utter freedom in Sicily.
After all, he was doing no wrong. He had lived and was going to live
innocently. And now that he realized things, realized himself, he would
be reasonable. He would be careless, gay--yes, but not reckless, not
utterly reckless as he felt inclined to be.
"What day of June is the fair?" he asked, looking at Maddalena.
"The 11th of June, signore," said Salvatore. "There will be many donkeys
there--good donkeys."
Gaspare began to look fierce.
"I think of buying a donkey," added Salvatore, carelessly, with his
small, shrewd eyes fixed upon Maurice's face.
Gaspare muttered something unintelligible.
"How much do they cost?" said Maurice.
"For a hundred lire you can get a very good donkey. It would be useful to
Maddalena. She could go to the village sometimes then--she could go to
Marechiaro to gossip with the neighbors."
"Has Maddalena broken her legs--Madonna!" burst forth Gaspare.
"Come along, Gaspare!" said Maurice, hastily.
He bade good-bye to the fisherman and his daughter, and set off with
Gaspare through the trees.
"Be nice to Salvatore," said Maurice, as they went down towards the rocky
wall.
"But he wants to make you give him a donkey, signorino. You do not know
him. When he is with you at the fair he will--"
"Never mind. I say, Gaspare, I want--I want that day at the fair to be a
real festa. Don't let's have any row on that day."
Gaspare looked at him with surprised, inquiring eyes, as if struck by his
serious voice, by the insisting pressure in it.
"Why that day specially, signorino?" he asked, after a pause.
"Oh, well--it will be my last day of--I mean that the signora will be
coming back from Africa by then, and we shall--"
"Si, signore?"
"We sha'n't be able to run quite so wild as we do now, you see. And,
besides, we shall be going to England very soon then."
Gaspare's face lighted up.
"Shall I see London, signorino?"
"Yes," said Maurice.
He felt a sickness at his heart.
"I should like to live in London always," said Gaspare, excitedly.