" I never say
to her: "Will you do me a favour?" without her replying: "Two, sir."
Yes, and she heaps presents upon me; she and Filomena bring me, now a
bundle of firewood, now a glass of good wine, now macaroni, etc. All the
Danes who come here are astonished, and say: "You have got deucedly good
people to look after you."
Maria's greatest pleasure is talking. She has no time for it in the day.
In the evening, however, she tidies my room slowly, entertaining me all
the time. When she has quite finished, at the time of day when others
are drowsy or go to bed, she still likes to have just a little more
conversation, and she knows that when I see she has put the last thing
into its place, her task for the day is ended, and I shall dismiss her
with a gracious _Buona sera, bon riposo!_ To put off this moment as
long as possible, she will continue to hold some object in her hand,
and, standing in the favourite position of the Romans, with her arms
akimbo, and some toilet article under her arm, will hold a long
discourse. She sometimes looks so indescribably comic that I almost
choke with suppressed laughter as we talk.
To-day is the first day of the Carnival. So even Filomena has been out
this evening in tri-coloured trousers.
... I am interrupted by the inmates of all the floors returning from the
Carnival, all talking at once, and coming straight in to me to show me
their dress.
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