The Miracles of Antichrist

e, and laid his cloak in the most effective folds. His face shone as he went up the street, and when he distributed

was half street and half staircase; the gutters were always overflowing, and there were always plenty of orange-skins and cabbage-leaves to slip on. Clothes hung on the line, from the g

lmost without windows. It had two enormous flights of steps, and two big doors with heavy locks. And it had walls of black lava, and a "loggia,"

men by the fountain in the square dropped soap and wooden clapper, and began to whisper, and ask, "What is Don Matteo's errand? Why does D

ling of mould and damp. In several places in the floor the stones were loose, and Don Matteo c

p it, and he could not hear a rustle without starting. He was depressed as before some misfortune. Don Matteo thought of the li

s in a stable; the bed was as narrow as a nun's, and over it hung a Madonna that was not worth

nd I, Signorina Palmeri, have met in a strange old house. Are you here to study the old Moorish inscriptions or to look for mosaics in the cellar?" For the old priest was

this haunted house, and from poverty. He praye

that? Did she not know that, although Don Ferrante seemed to be poor as he stood in his shop, he was really the richest man in Diamante? And Don Ferrante was of an old Spanish family

rina's face grew stiff and white. He was almost afr

utter. She quite understood, she said, that Don Ferrante would like to know why she had refused his proposal. She was infinitely touched and grate

his sister, Donna Elisa, are considered the first people in Diamante, although they have lost all the family riches, and have to keep a shop. Don Ferrante knows well enoug

sat pale and despairing, as if wishing to practise saying those terrible words. She said that she did not wis

s if he had met a queen who had been torn from her throne. A burning desire came ove

ather were not soon coming out of priso

ered that he would

her she had thought how her father, who

7

d to move her lips to answer,

She looked more and more fri

ty, and from the burden of dishonor that weighed her down? But then his eyes chanced to f

ent him to save this poor woman. When he spoke again, there was a ne

l marry Don Ferrante for your father's sak

e had ever seen him so before. The signorina trembled, as if

Don Matteo, "and the Madonna promises you through me

Matteo. It was God speaking through him. And she sank down on her

took out his breviary and began to read. And although the wet clothes struck him on the cheek, and the little chil

sure, but when he came out into the sunshine he began to wor

the great God in heaven protect the woman, who had be

ling signorinas on their backs; he walked right into peasants coming home from their work, and he pus

hold was a foot high; the floor was of trampled earth; the door almost always stoo

n one wrinkle; his voice was hoarse with rage. The peasants demanded an immoderate