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the bells of san pasquale. 117
burdening deed to remember and believed that San
Pasquale called down punishment for it particularly.
But towards noon, as the bells still continued to
ring, one felt sure that San Pasquale rang down
such calamity over Diamante that one could not
expect less than that all the people should die during
the year.
And the pretty Giannita came weeping to Donna
Micaela and complaining that it was San Pasquale
who rang. O God, if it had only been another than
San Pasquale ! "
" He sees something terrible coming," said
Giannita. " The mist does not hinder him from
see-ing as far as he likes. He sees an enemy’s fleet
approaching on the sea. He sees arising from Etna a
cloud of ashes which will fall upon us and bury us."
But Donna Micaela smiled, thinking that she knew
very well what San Pasquale was thinking of. " He
is ringing a dirge over the beautiful almond flowers
which the rain destroys," she said to Giannita.
She felt no alarm, for she believed that the bells
rang only for her. They lulled her into dreams.
She sat quite still in the music-room, and let joy
hold sway within her. But in the whole world abound
her was fear and uneasiness and anxiety. One
could no longer sit quietly at one’s work. One could
think of nothing but the great disaster which San
Pasquale predicted.
One began to give the beggars more gifts than
they had ever had before ; but the beggars were not
pleased, as they did not believe they would be
permitted to live to see the morrow. And the priests
could in nowise feel glad, although they had so many
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