Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 3).djvu/70

 she had made her swear on her Maddonnina.

Laden with the flasks of wine and oil and the little sack of flour, she took her way to the quay; and as she went almost ran against an old lean man with a pipe in his mouth.

'Eh, la Velia!' stammered Andreino in sad fright.

'Is it you?' said Musa with contempt in her voice. 'Did they not tear you to pieces amongst them, squabbling for the money in the pitcher?'

'Aye, aye, almost they did, the greedy souls,' said Andreio quaking. 'And where have you been all this while? You know I always loved you. I did hear that you were in service somewhere upon the mountains; but I said to them, so handsome a wench, and so handy with a boat, have the coaster lads no eyes'

'I have found a home and work yonder,' said Musa, cutting short his compliments, with a sign of her head as she spoke towards the westward. 'As for you, I do not forget that you used to lend me your boat when I was a child. But you were weak and miserable when those women raged'