At last
his grey eyes twinkled.
"Have you never seen a Christian before?" he inquired in a deep gruff
voice.
He did not seem to be in a good humour. The boys drew back somewhat in
awe, and sat down to rest on the stones by the wall. Still Antonino's
eyes followed them, though he did not move. Sebastiano looked up at him
uneasily from time to time, but Ruggiero gazed steadily at the sea with
the affectation of proud indifference to scrutiny, which is becoming in
a boy of twelve years. At last the old man stirred, turned slowly as on
a pivot and went into the shop.
"Is it not better to speak to him?" asked Sebastiano of his brother in
a whisper.
"No. He is deaf. If he did not understand us he would be angry and would
give us no bread."
Presently Don Antonino came out again. He held half a loaf and a big
slab of goat's-milk cheese between his huge thumb and finger. He paused
exactly on the spot where he had stood so long, and seemed about to
become absorbed in the contemplation of the empty fishing boats lying in
the sun. Sebastiano watched him with hungry eyes, but Ruggiero again
stared at the sea.
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