"Things are never so bad as they seem." "Oh, that monster, that monster!" groaned the fat lady.

"He would make an angel lose his patience! Imagine, my dear, he insists that you shall be married in a fortnight, and he has left me money to go and buy things for your outfit! Oh dear! What are we to do?
I shall go mad, my dear, and you will all have to take me to Santo Spirito! Oh dear! Oh dear! This scirocco!" "I think papa will go mad first," said Lucia.

"I never heard of such an insane proposition in my life.

All in a moment too--I think I am to marry Tista--papa gets into a rage and--_patatunfate!_ a new husband--like a conjuror's trick, such a comedy! I expected to see the door open at every minute, Pulcinella walk in and beat everybody with a blown bladder! But Uncle Paolo did quite as well." "Oh, my head!" complained the Signora Pandolfi.

"I have not slept a wink!" "And then it was shameful to see the way papa grew quiet and submissive when Uncle Paolo gave him the order for the crucifix! If it had been anybody but papa, I should have said that a miracle had been performed.
But poor papa! No--the miracle of the soldi--that is the truth.