Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part one - I
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(diff)
(history)
Denna sida har korrekturlästs minst en gång.
(skillnad)
(historik)
white lace hanging on a string were surely not Italian
handiwork. There were bits of pottery exhibited in dusty box-lids
and small bronze figures of a poisonous green, old and new
brass candlesticks and brooches with heaps of stones that looked
far from genuine. Yet he was seized by a senseless wish to go
in and buy something — to inquire, to bargain, and to purchase.
Almost before he knew it, he had entered a small, stuffy shop
filled with all sorts of things. There were church-lamps
hanging from the ceiling, bits of silk with gold flowers on red and
green and white ground, and broken pieces of furniture.
Behind the counter a youth with a dark complexion and a
bluish, unshaven chin was reading. He talked and asked
questions while Helge pointed at various articles, “Quanto?” The
only thing he understood was that the prices were excessive, but
one ought not to buy until one knew the language well enough
to bargain with them.
Several pieces of china were standing on a shelf, rococo
figures and vases with sprays of roses, which looked quite modern.
Helge seized one at random and placed it on the counter:
“Quanto?”
“Sette,” said the youth, and spread out seven fingers.
“Quattro,” said Helge, holding out four fingers in a new
brown glove, and felt quite pleased with himself at this leap
into the foreign language. He did not understand one word of
the man’s arguments, but each time he finished talking Helge
raised his four fingers and repeated his quattro, adding with a
superior air: “Non antica!”
But the shopkeeper protested, “Si, antica.” “Quattro,” said
Helge again — the man had now only five fingers in the air —
and turned towards the door. The man called him back,
accepting, and Helge, feeling highly pleased with himself, went
out with his purchase wrapped up in pink tissue paper.
He perceived the dark mass of the church at the bottom of
the street outlined against the sky, and walked on. He hurried
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