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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DON MA TTEO’S MISSION
75
Then she was silent. She tried to move her lips
to answer, but could not utter a sound.
Don Matteo talked and talked. She looked more
and more frightened, but she did not yield.
At last he knew not what to do. How could he
save her from that haunted house, from poverty, and
from the burden of dishonor that weighed her down ?
But then his eyes chanced to fall on the little image
of the Madonna over the bed. So the young signo
rina was a believer.
The spirit of inspiration came to Don Matteo.
He felt that God had sent him to save this poor
woman. When he spoke again, there was a new
ring in his voice. He understood that it was not he
alone who spoke.
“My daughter,” he said, and rose, “you will
marry Don Ferrante for your father’s sake! It is
the Madonna’s will, my daughter.”
There was something impressive in Don Matteo’s
manner. No one had ever seen him so before.
The signorina trembled, as if a spirit voice had
spoken to her, and she clasped her hands.
“Be a good and faithful wife to Don Ferrante,”
said Don Matteo, “and the Madonna promises you
through me that your father will have an old age
free of care.”
Then the signorina saw that it was an inspiration
which guided Don Matteo. It was God speaking
through him. And she sank down on her knees,
and bent her head. “ I shall do what you command,”
she said.
• • • • • • • • • t
But when the priest, Don Matteo, came out of the
house of the little Moor and went up the street, he
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