[1] Speranza, in the Italian language, means “hope.”--Translator.
TWO MEN AND A WOMAN
BY GRAZIA DELEDDA
[Illustration]
_Grazia Deledda was born at Nuoro, Sardinia, in 1872. Until
her marriage in 1900 she lived in her native province. At
scarcely twenty years of age she published a volume of
Sardinian tales, and in 1900 obtained her first great success
with “Elias Portolù,” which gave her fame throughout Europe.
Besides these two volumes, her works consist so far of two
collections of short stories, eight romances, and an exquisite
drama. Her chief characteristics as a writer are spontaneity
of inspiration, truth of observation, and a simplicity of
style most refreshing after the labored subtleties of the
psychologists. Her characters, all drawn from the surroundings
of her early youth, are generally simple souls, living next to
nature and full of violent passions._
[Illustration]
TWO MEN AND A WOMAN
A STORY OF ITALIAN PRISON LIFE