And the staircase has an iron railing, and so narrows the lane that a broad shouldered man can just go by to the cabbage garden beyond without turning sideways.

On the landing at the top, outside the closed door and waiting for visitors, sits the pig--a pig larger, better fed and by one shade of filthiness cleaner than other pigs.

Don Pietro Casale has been seen to sweep his pig with a broken willow broom, after it has rained.
"Do you take him for a Christian ?" asked his neighbour, in amazement, on the occasion.
"No," answered Don Pietro gravely.

"He is certainly not a Christian.

But why should he spoil the tablecloth with his muddy hog's back when my guests are at their meals?
He is always running under the table for the scraps." "And what are women for, except to wash tablecloths ?" inquired the neighbour contemptuously.
But he got no answer.