The woman was mortified, and stammered an excuse:—
“I had no idea of offending you. It is only caramels.”
But Derossi said “no,” again, and shook his head. Then she timidly lifted from her basket a bunch of radishes, and said:—
“Accept these at least,—they are fresh,—and carry them to your mamma.”
Derossi smiled, and said:—
“No, thanks: I don’t want anything; I shall always do all that I can for Crossi, but I cannot accept anything. I thank you all the same.”
“But you are not at all offended?” asked the woman, anxiously.
Derossi said “No, no!” smiled, and went off, while she exclaimed, in great delight:—
“Oh, what a good boy! I have never seen so fine and handsome a boy as he!”
And that appeared to be the end of it. But in the afternoon, at four o’clock, instead of Crossi’s mother
