I repeat it, you are an ignorant donkey!" "Eh!" cried Nino, perfectly unmoved, "if I am ignorant, it is not for lack of your teaching; and as for being the beast of burden to which you refer, I have heard it said that you were once in love yourself.
Meanwhile, I have told you this, because there will perhaps be trouble, and I did not intend you to be surprised." "Surprised ?" said I."I would not be surprised at anything you might fancy doing now.

No, I would not dream of being surprised!" "So much the better," answered Nino, imperturbably.

He looked sad and weary, though, and as I am a prudent man I put my anger away to cool for a little while, and indulged in a cigar until it should be time to go to the theatre; for of course I went with him, and Mariuccia too, to help him with his dress.

Poor old Mariuccia! she had dressed him when he was a ragged little boy, and she was determined to put the finishing touches to his appearance now that he was about to be a great man, she said.

His dressing-room was a narrow little place, sufficiently ill lighted, and there was barely space to turn round.
Mariuccia, who had brought the cat and had her pocket full of roasted chestnuts, sat outside on a chair until he was ready for her; and I am sure that if she had spent her life in the profession of adorning players she could not have used her fingers more deftly in the arrangement of the collar and sword.