But I did not grudge them to him; for though he is very ridiculous, with his skull-cap and his snuff-box, he is a leal man, as we say, who stands by his friends and snaps his fingers at the devil.
I cannot describe to you the anxiety I felt through all that day.

I could not eat, nor drink, nor write.

I could not smoke, and when I tried to go to sleep that cat--an apoplexy on her!--climbed up on my shoulder and clawed my hair, Mariuccia sat moaning in the kitchen and could not cook at all, so that I was half starved.
At three o'clock De Pretis came back.
"Courage, conte mio!" he cried; and I knew it was all right.

"Courage! Nino is at liberty again, and says he will sing to-night to show them he is not a clay doll, to be broken by a little knocking about.

Ah, what a glorious boy Nino is!" "But where is he!" I asked, when I could find voice to speak, for I was all trembling.
"He is gone for a good walk, to freshen his nerves, poverino.