Note: Translator Pauline Bancroft Flach died in 1966, less than 70 years ago. Therefore, this work is protected by copyright, restricting your legal rights to reproduce it. However, you are welcome to view it on screen, as you do now. Read more about copyright.
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DON fERR ANTE
<55
It seemed to him that, somewhere in the world,
there must be a beautiful, newly built cathedral,
with finished walls, but whose interior yet stood
shivering in nakedness. It awaited Gaetano’s
coming to carve the choir chairs, the altar-rail, the
pulpit, the lectern, and the shrine. His heart ached
with longing for that work which was waiting.
But there was no such cathedral in Sicily, for
there no one ever thought of building a new church;
it must be far away in such lands as Florida or
Argentina, where the earth is not yet overcrowded
with holy buildings.
He felt at the same time trembling and happy,
and had begun to work with redoubled zeal in order
that Donna Elisa should have something to sell
while he was away earning great fortunes for her.
Now he was waiting for but one more sign from
God before he decided on the journey. And this
was that he should have the strength to speak to
Donna Elisa of his longing to go. For he knew that
it would cause her such sorrow that he did not know
how he could bring himself to speak of it.
While he stood and thought Donna Elisa came
into the workshop. Then he said to himself that
this day he could not think of saying it to her, for
to-day Donna Elisa was happy. Her tongue wagged
and her face beamed.
Gaetano asked himself when he had seen her so.
Ever since the famine had come, it had been as if
they had lived without light in one of the caves of
Etna.
Why had Gaetano not been with her in the square
and heard the music? asked Donna Elisa. Why did
• he never come to hear and see her brother, Don
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