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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THE BELLS OF SAN PASQUALE ’ 105
of the bells clear and ringing there, as if they came
from the sky; and those who fled down into the
cellar heard them as loud and deafening there as if
San Pasquale’s church stood under ground.
Every one in Diamante began to be terrified
except Donna Micaela, whom love protected from
fear.
And now people began to think that it must mean
something, because it was San Pasquale’s bells that
rang. Every one began to ask himself what the saint
foretold. Each had his own dread, and believed that
San Pasquale gave warning to him of what he least
wished. Each had a deed on his conscience to
remember, and now thought that San Pasquale was
ringing down a punishment for him.
Toward noon, when the bells still rang,
everybody was sure that San Pasquale was ringing such
a misfortune upon Diamante that they might all
expect to die within the year.
Pretty Giannita came terrified and weeping to
Donna Micaela, and lamented that it was San
Pasquale who was ringing. “God, God, if it had
been any other than San Pasquale !”
“He sees that something terrible is coming to
us,” said Giannita. “The mist does not prevent
him from seeing as far as he will. He sees that an
enemy’s fleet is approaching in the bay! He sees
that a cloud of ashes is rising out of Etna which
will fall over us and bury us!”
Donna Micaela smiled, and thought that she
knew of what San Pasquale was thinking. “ He is
tolling a passing-bell for the beautiful
almond-blossoms, that are destroyed by the rain,” she said
to Giannita.
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