Page:De Amicis - Heart, translation Hapgood, 1922.djvu/177

 little clown went through still another trick: erect upon a galloping horse, he appeared in four characters—as a pilgrim, a sailor, a soldier, and an acrobat; and every time that he passed near me, he looked at me. When he dismounted, he began to make the tour of the circus, with his clown's cap in hand, and everybody threw soldi or sugar-plums into it. I had two soldi ready; but when he got in front of me, instead of offering his cap, he drew it back, gave me a look and passed on. I was ill at ease. Why had he offered me that slight?

The performance came to an end; the proprietor thanked the audience; and all the people rose also, and thronged the doors. I was confused by the crowd, and was on the point of going out, when I feh a touch on my hand. I turned round. It was the little clown, with his tiny, brown face and his black curls, who was smiling at me. He had his hands full of sugar-plums. Then I understood.

“Will you accept these sugar-plums from the little clown?” he said, in his dialect.

I nodded, and took three or four.

“Then,” he added, “please accept a kiss also.”

“Give me two,” I answered; and held up my face to him. He rubbed off his floury face with his hand, put his arm round my neck, and planted two kisses on my cheek, saying:—

“There! take one of them to your father.”