The Call of the Blood

"In the water?"

"Si, signore. I went down quickly and I found Gaspare, the signore's--"

"I know--I know!"

"Gaspare in a boat with the padrone lying at the bottom, and the signora

standing up to her middle in the sea."

"Z't! z't!" exclaimed the doctor, "the signora in the sea! Is she mad?"

"Signor Dottore, how do I know? I brought the boat to shore. Gaspare was

like one crazed. Then we lifted the signore out upon the stones. Oh, he

is dead, Signor Dottore; dead beyond a doubt. They had found him in the

sea--"

"They?"

"Gaspare--under the rocks between Salvatore's terreno and the main-land.

He had all his clothes on. He must have been there in the dark--"

"Why should he go in the dark?"

"How do I know, Signor Dottore?--and have fallen, and struck his head

against the rocks. For there was a wound and--"

"The body should not have been moved from where it lay till the Pretore

had seen it. Gaspare should have left the body."

"But perhaps the povero signore is not really dead, after all! Madonna!

How--"

"Come! come! we must not delay! One minute! I will get some lint and--"

He disappeared into the house. Almost directly he came out again with a

package under his arm and a long, black cigar lighted in his mouth.

"Take these, Giuseppe! Carry them carefully. Now then!"

He hoisted himself onto the donkey.

"A-ah! A-ah!"

They set off, the fisherman walking on naked feet beside the donkey.

"Then we have to go down to the sea?"

"No, Signor Dottore. There were others on the road, Antonio and--"

"The rest of you going to the boats--I know. Well?"

"And the signora would have him carried up to Monte Amato."

"She could give directions?"

"Si, signore. She ordered everything. When she came out of the sea she

was all wet, the poor signora, but she was calm. I called the others.

When they saw the signore they all cried out. They knew him. Some of them

had been to the fishing with him. Oh, they were sorry! They all began to

speak and to try to--"

"Diavolo! They could only make things worse! If the breath of life was

in the signore's body they would drive it out. Per Dio!"

"But the signora stopped them. She told them to be silent and to carry

the signore up to the Casa del Prete. Signore, she--the povera

signora--she took his head in her hands. She held his head and she never

cried, not a tear!"