But Bastianello felt that he was on his honour, for he never doubted that the little maid was the cause of Ruggiero's disease of the heart and indeed of all that his brother evidently suffered, and he was too modest by nature to think that Teresina could prefer him to Ruggiero, who had always been the object of his own unbounded devotion and admiration.

Presently, when there was nothing more to offer her, and the party at the table were lighting their cigarettes over their coffee, he went away and going up to Ruggiero drew him a little further aside from the group of sailors.
"I want to tell you something," he began.

"You must not be as you are, a man like you." "How may that be ?" asked Ruggiero, still looking towards the table, and not pleased at being dragged from his former post of observation.
"I will tell you.

I have been serving her with food.

You could have done that instead if you had wished.