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 HOME-COMING
345
the church of San Pasquale and pray for Gaetano.
They rise and wish to go with her.
Donna Elisa is much touched by their sympathy.
She opens her heart to them.
“I will tell you something,” she says, and her
voice trembles exceedingly. “ I have had a dream.
I do not know how I could sleep to-night. But
while I was sitting at the bedside, and was most
anxious, I did fall asleep. I had scarcely closed
my eyes before I saw the Christchild before me
in his crown and gold shoes, as he stands out in
San Pasquale. And he spoke in this way to me:
* Make the unhappy woman who is on her knees
praying in my church your son’s wife, then Gaetano
will be well.’ He hardly had time to say it before
I awoke, and when I opened my eyes, I seemed to
see the Christchild disappearing through the wall.
And now I must go out and see if any one is there.
“ But now you all hear that I vow that if there is
any woman out in the church of San Pasquale, I
shall do what the image commanded me. Even if
it is the poorest girl from the street, I shall take
charge of her and make her my son’s wife.”
When Donna Elisa has spoken, she and all those
who have waited in the street go out to San
Pasquale. The poor people are filled with shuddering
expectation. They can scarcely contain themselves
from rushing by Donna Elisa, in order to see if
there is any one in the church.
Fancy if it is a gypsy girl who has sought shelter
there for the night! Who can be in the church at
night except some poor, homeless wanderer? Donna
Elisa has made a terrible vow.
At last they come to Porta Etnea, and from there
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