The Jew smiled. "I see," he said, "that madam has money. She has taken
the advice I gave you the other day. Now I know that you can pay me,
and if you do not within two days, Gregorio Livadas, you will repent the
insults you have heaped on my head this night."
He walked quietly to the corner of the room, where Xantippe sat nursing
the boy, touched the child gently on the forehead with his lips, and
then went out.
For some minutes neither Xantippe nor Gregorio spoke, but the man rubbed
the infant's forehead with his finger as if to wipe out the stain of the
Jew's kiss.
VII--XANTIPPE SPEAKS OUT
At last the silence, roused only by the strident buzzing of the
mosquitos, became unendurable. Gregorio gave a preparatory cough and
opened his lips to speak, but the words refused to be born. He was
unnerved. The odious visitor, the wearying day, the memory of Xantippe's
face at the window, combined to make him fearful. He watched, under his
half-closed lids, his wife crouching on the far side of the boy. Once or
twice, as he was rubbing the youngster's forehead, his fingers touched
those of his wife as she waved off the mosquitos; but at each contact
with them he shivered and his fears increased.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211