The Waters of Edera | Page 9

written down in his books from the time we are born; we all have
our hour to go and none of us can alter it."
"I do not believe that," said Adone. "We kill ourselves oftentimes; or
we hasten our end, as drunkards do."
"Did your father hasten his end?" said his mother. "Did not some one
break that olive branch? It was not the tree itself, though the Ruscino
folks would have it cut down because they called it a felon."

"Was it not the devil?" said Adone.
He believed in the devil, of course, as he had been taught to do; and had
he not as a child met the infernal effigy everywhere--in marble, in stone,
in wood, in colour, in the church and outside it, on water-spout and
lamp-iron, and even on the leaves of his primer? But it seemed to him
that the devil had "troppo braccia" given him, was allowed too long a
tether, too free a hand; if indeed he it were that made everything go
wrong, and Adone did not see who else it could be. Here, in the vale of
Edera, all the world believed in Satan as in holy water, or in daily
bread.
Clelia Alba crossed herself hastily, for she was a pious woman.
"We are talking blasphemy, my son," she said gravely. "Of course there
is the good God who orders the number of our days for each of us, and
is over us all."
Adone was silent. To him it seemed doubtful. Did the good God kill the
pretty little children as the butcher in a city killed his lambs? But he
never contradicted or vexed his mother; he loved her with a great and
tender affection. He was less ignorant than she was, and saw many
things she could not see; he was, as it were, on a hilltop and she down
in a valley, but he had a profound respect for her; he obeyed her
implicitly, as if he were still a child, and he thought the world held no
woman equal to her.
When he went back to his house that evening, with his great net on his
shoulder and swinging in one hand some fresh-water fish, he looked at
the stone bench, which was empty of all except some fallen rose-leaves,
and then anxiously, questioningly, in the face of his mother.
So he answered the regard.
"The girl is gone to Gianna's custody," she said rather harshly. "Gianna
will give her her supper, and will let her sleep in the loft. With the
morning we will see what we can do for her, and how she can be sped
upon her way."

Adone kissed her hands.
"You are always good," he said simply.
"I am weak," answered his mother, "I am weak, Adone; when you wish
anything I consent to it against my judgment."
But she was not weak; or at least only weak in the way in which all
generous natures are so.
On the morrow Nerina was not sped on her way. The old woman,
Gianna, thought well of her.
"She is as clean as a stone in the water," she said; "she has
foul-smelling rags, but her flesh is clean. She woke at dawn, and asked
for something to do. She knows nought, but she is willing and
teachable. We can make her of use. She has nowhere to go. She is a
stray little puppy. Her people were miserable, but they seem to have
been pious folks. She has a cross pricked on her shoulder. She says her
mother did it when she was a babe to scare the devil off her. I do not
know what to say; she is a poor, forlorn little wretch; if you like to keep
her, I for my part will see to her. I am old: it is well to do a good work
before one dies."
Gianna was an old woman, half house-servant, half farm-servant,
wholly friend; she had lived at the Terra Vergine all her life; big, gaunt,
and very strong, she could do the work of a man, although she was over
seventy years of age; burnt black by the sun, and with a pile of grey
hair like the hank of flax on her distaff, she was feared by the whole
district for her penetrating glance and her untiring energy. When
Gianna was satisfied the stars had changed their courses, said the
people, so rare was the event; therefore, that this little wanderer
contented her was at once a miracle and a voucher indisputable.
So the child remained there; but her presence troubled Adone's mother,
though Nerina was humble as a homeless dog, was noiseless and
seldom seen, was obedient, agile, and became useful in many manners,
and learned with equal