Page:De Amicis - Heart, translation Hapgood, 1922.djvu/142

 intelligence and good will, who will accomplish great things; a noble lad, who has gained the friendship and esteem of all. You may feel proud of him, I assure you.”

The blacksmith, who had stood there with open mouth listening to him, stared at the superintendent and the principal, and then at his son, who was standing before him with downcast eyes and trembling; and as though he had remembered and comprehended then, for the first time, all that he had made the little fellow suffer, and all the goodness, the heroic constancy, with which the latter had borne it, his face took on a certain stupid wonder, then a sullen remorse, and finally a sad, fierce tenderness; and with a quick movement he caught the boy round the head and strained him to his breast.

We went out ahead of them. I invited him to come to the house on Thursday, with Garrone and Crossi; others bowed to him; one gave him a friendly pat, another touched his medal, all said something to him; and his father stared at us in amazement, as he still held his son's head pressed to his breast, while the boy sobbed.

Sunday, 5th.

The medal given to Precossi has awakened a regret in me. I have never earned one yet! For some time past I have not been studying, and I am discontented with myself; and the teacher, and my father