and not knowing what retort to make,
because he was in the wrong, said to him vehemently, "Your father is a
tattered beggar!" Betti reddened up to his very hair, and said nothing,
but the tears came to his eyes; and when he returned home, he repeated
the words to his father; so the charcoal-dealer, a little man, who was
black all over, made his appearance at the afternoon session, leading
his boy by the hand, in order to complain to the master. While he was
making his complaint, and every one was silent, the father of Nobis, who
was taking off his son's coat at the entrance, as usual, entered on
hearing his name pronounced, and demanded an explanation.

"This workman has come," said the master, "to complain that your son
Carlo said to his boy, 'Your father is a tattered beggar.'"

Nobis's father frowned and reddened slightly. Then he asked his son,
"Did you say that?"

His son, who was standing in the middle of the school, with his head
hanging, in front of little Betti, made no reply.

Then his father grasped him by one arm and pushed him forward, facing
Betti, so that they nearly touched, and said to him, "Beg his pardon."

The charcoal-man tried to interpose, saying, "No, no!" but the gentleman
paid no heed to him, and repeated to his son, "Beg his pardon. Repeat my
words. 'I beg your pardon for the insulting, foolish, and ignoble words
which I uttered against your father, whose hand my father would feel
himself honored to press.'"

The charcoal-man made a resolute gesture, as though to say, "I will not
allow it." The gentleman did not second him, and his son said slowly, in
a very thread of a voice, without raising his eyes from the ground, "I
beg your pardon--for the insulting--foolish--ignoble--words which I
uttered against your father, whose hand my father--would feel himself
honored--to press."

Then the gentleman offered his hand to the charcoal-man, who shook it
vigorously, and then, with a sudden push, he thrust his son into the
arms of Carlo Nobis.

"Do me the favor to place them next each other," said the gentleman to
the master. The master put Betti on Nobis's bench. When they were
seated, the father of Nobis bowed and went away.

The charcoal-man remained standing there in thought for several moments,
gazing at the two boys side by side; then he approached the bench, and
fixed upon Nobis a look expressive of affection and regret, as though he
were desirous of saying something to him, but he did