Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan source:
http://www.archive.org/details/larrabiataandot00heysgoog
1. L'Arrabiata,
2. Count Ernest's Home,
3. Blind,
4. Walter's Little Mother;
5. The Dead Lake and Other Tales:
(a) A Fortnight at the Dead Lake,
(b) Doomed,
(c) Beatrice,
(d) Beginning and End.
The day had scarcely dawned.--Over Vesuvius hung one broadgrey stripeof mist; stretching across as far as Naples, and darkening all thesmall towns along the coast. The sea lay calm. But about the marina ofthe narrow creek, that lies beneath the Sorrento cliffs, fishermen andtheir wives were at work already, with giant cables drawing their boatsto land, and the nets that had been cast the night before. Others wererigging their craft; trimming the sails, and fetching out oars andmasts from the great grated vaults that have been built deep into therocks for shelter to the tackle over night. Nowhere an idle hand; eventhe very aged, who had long given up going to sea, fell into the longchain of those who were hauling in the nets. Here and there, on someflat housetop, an old woman stood and span; or busied herself about hergrandchildren, whom their mother had left to help her husband.
"Do you see, Rachela? yonder is our Padre Curato;" said one, to alittle thing of ten, who brandished a small spindle by her side;"Antonio is to row him over to Capri. Madre Santissima! but thereverend signor's eyes are dull with sleep!" and she waved her hand toa benevolent looking little priest, who was settling himself in theboat, and spreading out upon the bench his carefully tucked-up skirts.
The men upon the quay had dropped their work, to see their pastor off,who bowed and nodded kindly, right and left.
"What for must he go to Capri, granny?" asked the child. "Have thepeople there no priest of their own, that they must borrow ours?"
"Silly thing!" returned the granny. "Priests they have, in plenty--andthe most beautiful of churches, and a hermit too, which is more than wehave. But there lives a great Signora, who once lived here; she was sovery ill!--Many's the time our Padre had to go and take the Most Holyto her, when they thought she could not live the night. But with theBlessed Virgin's help, she did get strong and well--and was able tobathe every day in the sea. When she went away, she left a fine heap of