'Did you ever hear of Sor Cassandro?'
'No, never.'
'Do you know where Panìco is?'
'I know the Via di Panìco [299] which leads down to Ponte S. Angelo.'
'Very well; at the end of Panìco [300] there is a frying-shop,
[301] which, many years ago, was kept by an old man with a comely
daughter. Both were well known all over the Rione.
'One day there came an old gentleman, with a wig and tights, and a
comical old-fashioned dress altogether, and said to the shopkeeper--
'"I've observed that daughter of yours many days as I have passed by,
and should like to make her my wife."
'"It's a great honour for me, Sor Cassandro, that you should talk
of such a thing," answered the old man; and he said "Sor Cassandro"
like that because everybody knew old Sor Cassandro with his wig,
and his gold-knobbed stick, and his tights, and his old-fashioned
gait. "But," he added, as a knowing way of getting out of it,
"you see it wouldn't do for a friggitora to marry a gentleman;
a friggitora must marry a friggitore."
'"I don't know that that need be a bar," replied Sor Cassandro.
'"You don't understand me, Sor Cassandro," pursued the man.
'"Yes, I understand perfectly," answered the other. "You mean that
if she must marry a friggitore, I must become a friggitore."
'"You a friggitore, Sor Cassandro! That would never do. How could
you so demean yourself?"
'"Love makes all sweet," responded Sor Cassandro. "You've only to
show me what to do and I'll do it as well as anyone."
'The friggitore was something of a wag, and the idea of the prim little
Sor Cassandro turned into a journeyman friggitore tickled his fancy,
and he let him follow his bent.
'The next morning Sor Cassandro was at Panìco as soon as the shop
was open. They gave him a white jacket and a large white apron,
and put a white cap on his head, with a carnation stuck in it. And
the whole neighbourhood gathered round the shop to see Sor Cassandro
turned into a friggitore. The work of the shop was increased tenfold,
and it was well there was an extra hand to help at it.
'Sor Cassandro was very patient, and adapted himself to his work
surprisingly well, and though the master fryer took a pleasure in
ordering him about, he submitted to all with good grace, and not
only did he make him do the frying and serving out to perfection,
but he even taught him to clip his words and leave off using any
expression that seemed inappropriate to his new station. [302]
'There was no denying that Sor Cassandro had become a perfect
friggitore, and no exception could be taken to him on that score. As
soon as he felt himself perfect he did not fail to renew his suit.
'The father was puzzled what objection to make next. He knew, however,
that Sor Cassandro was very miserly, so he said, "You've made yourself
a friggitore to please me, now you must do something to please the
girl. Suppose you bring her some trinkets, if you can spare the price
of them."
'"Oh, anything for love!" answered Sor Cassandro; and the next day
he brought a pair of earrings.
'"How did she like my earrings?" he whispered next night to her father.
'"Oh, pretty well!" replied the father. "You might try something more
in that style."
'The next day he brought her a necklace, the next day a shawl, and
after that he brought fifty scudi to buy clothes such as a girl should
have when she's going to be married.
'After all this he asked for the girl herself.
'"You must take her," said the father, and Sor Cassandro went to take
her. But she was a sprightly, impulsive girl, and the moment he came
near her she screamed out--
'"Get away, horrid old man!" [303] and wouldn't let him approach her.
'"Leave her alone to-night, and try to-morrow. I'll try to bring her
round in the meantime."
'Sor Cassandro came next day; but the girl was more violent than ever,
and would say nothing but "Get away, horrid old man!"
'Finding this went on day after day without amendment, Sor Cassandro
indignantly asked for his presents back.
'"You shall have them!" cried the girl, and the clothes she tore up
to rags, and the trinkets she broke to atoms and threw them all at him.
'But for the rest of his life, wherever he went, the boys cried after
him, "Sor Cassandro, la friggitora! Sor Cassandro, la friggitora!"'