ttle stalls and wagons, crowd of townspeople moving about,
talking, laughing, buying. Group of children playing a game in a
ring. Supper time.]

CHILDREN. One, two, three,
The dough is in the oven!
One, two, three,
The bread is on the board!
One, two, three.
The dough is in the oven!
One, two, three,
The bread is on the board!
One, two, three,
All follow me!

EUGENIA. Good-even, Giovanitta. Those are beautiful
Onions you have there.

GIO. Ay, it has been a good year
For onions.

EUG. I am taking seven.

GIO. Each year,
You buy another onion!

EUG. Faith, each year
I have another mouth to thrust it in!
Beautiful carrots, too, you have.

GIO. Ay, carrots
Are well enough. One cannot complain. 'Tis a good year
For carrots.

CLARA. 'Tis a good year for many things.
Prices are low,--but not too low for profit.

GIULIANA. And there are fewer taxes than there once were
On things one cannot live without.

ANNA. 'Tis a good Queen
We have, it must be granted.

GIO. Ay, and a wise one.

GILDA. And pretty, too.

GIULIANA. Ho, ho! When did you see her?

GILDA. This morning, mother. I was at the edge of the wood
With Beppo, when they rode by to the hunt,
Talking together, and laughing.

BEPPO. [Calling from across the stage.] And the horses
With feet like this!
[Arching his hands and feet to represent a horse stepping delicately.]

GILDA. And glittering in the sunshine
In a thousand places, mother! I wanted to tell you
When we returned, but you had gone to the brook
With the linen. They were so near us we could hear them
Talking.

BEPPO. [Coming up.] And hear the horses breathe!

ANNA. What said they?

GILDA. Well, one of them said--what was the name?

BEPPO. Anselmo.

GILDA. Oh, ay. She said, "Anselmo, am I getting thinner
Do you think? If I be not thinner than I was at starting,
I shall descend at once! I like not this;
It chatters my teeth."

BEPPO. And then she said--

GILDA. What said she?
Oh, ay,--about the boat.

BEPPO. She said, "Next time
I shall go fishing instead of hunting. A boat
Hath a more mannerly gait!"

GILDA. There was one horse, mother,
That was all white! There was not one hair upon him
That was not white!

GIULIANA. And who was riding that horse?

BEPPO. A man. And riding well.

GILDA. He was dressed in green,
And had