This Was A Trifle In Comparison With What Happened
When The Traveller, Desirous Of Making Some Return For Much
Kindness, Entertained Certain Of His Acquaintances At Dinner, The
Meal, Naturally, As Good A One As His Hotel Could Provide.
The
festival went off joyously, but, to Lenormant's surprise, nothing
was charged for it in his bill.
On making inquiry he learnt that the
cost of the entertainment had already been discharged by one of his
guests! Well, that took place years ago, long before a railway had
been thought of in the valley of the Corace; such heroic virtues ill
consist with the life of to-day. Nevertheless, Don Pasquale (Signor
Cricelli's name when greeted by his fellow-citizens) several times
reminded me, without knowing it, of what I had read. For instance,
we entered a shop which he thought might interest me; the salesman
during our talk unobtrusively made up a little parcel of goods, and
asked, at length, whether I would take this with me or have it sent
to the hotel. That point I easily decided, but by no persistence
could I succeed in paying for the things. Smiling behind his
counter, the shopkeeper declined to name a price; Don Pasquale
declared that a payment under such circumstances was a thing unknown
in Catanzaro, and I saw that to say anything more would be to run
the risk of offending him. The same day he invited me to dinner, and
explained that we must needs dine at the hotel where I was staying,
this being the best place of entertainment in the town. I found that
my friend had a second reason for the choice; he wished to ascertain
whether I was comfortably lodged, and as a result of his friendly
offices, various little changes came about. Once more I make my
grateful acknowledgements to the excellent Don Pasquale.
Speaking of shops, I must describe in detail the wonderful pharmacy.
Signor Cricelli held it among the sights of Catanzaro; this
chemist's in the main street was one of the first places to which he
guided me. And, indeed, the interior came as a surprise. Imagine a
spacious shop, well proportioned, perfectly contrived, and
throughout fitted with woodwork copies from the best examples of old
Italian carving. Seeking pill or potion, one finds oneself in a
museum of art, where it would be easy to spend an hour in studying
the counter, the shelves, the ceiling. The chemists (two brothers,
if I remember rightly) pointed out to me with legitimate pride all
that they had done for the beautifying of their place of business; I
shall not easily forget the glowing countenance, the moved voice,
which betrayed their feelings as they led me hither and thither; for
them and their enterprise I felt a hearty respect. When we had
surveyed everything within doors I was asked to look at the mostra
- the sign that hung over the entrance; a sort of griffin in
wrought iron, this, too, copied from an old masterpiece, and
reminding one of the fine ironwork which adorns the streets of
Siena.
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