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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344 the miracles of antichrist
Assunta from the Cathedral steps, and the poor old
chair-maker, stand there the whole afternoon
without tiring. It is so terrible that Gaetano is going
to die just when they have got him back again.
The blind stand and wait as if they expected him
to give them their sight, and the poor people, both
from Geraci and Corvaja, are waiting to hear how it
will turn out for their young lord, the last Alagona.
He wished them well, and he had great strength
and power. If he could only have lived —
“God has taken his hand from Sicily,” they say.
“He lets all those perish who wish to help the
people.”
All the afternoon and evening, and even till
midnight, the crowd of people are still outside Donna
Elisa’s house. At precisely twelve o’clock Donna
Elisa throws open the shop-door and comes out on
the steps. “ Is he better ? “ they all cry at the sight
of her. —"No, he is not better.”
Then there is silence ; but at last a single
trembling voice asks : “ Is he worse ? “ — “ No, no;
he is not worse. He is the same. The doctor is
with him.”
Donna Elisa has thrown a black shawl over her
head and carries a lantern in her hand. She goes
down the steps to the street, where the people are
sitting and lying, closely packed one beside one
another. She makes her way quietly through them.
“Is Gandolfo here?” she asks. “Yes, Donna
Elisa.” And Gandolfo comes forward to her.
“ You must come with me and open your church
for me.”
Every one who hears Donna Elisa say that,
understands that she wishes to go to the Christchild in
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