"I said to my mamma, Signora, 'Mamma, this is Don Gaspare of the island.' Signora, my mamma looked at Don Gaspare for a minute. Her face was quite funny. She looked white, Signora, my mamma looked white, almost like the man at the circus who comes in with the dog to make us laugh. And Don Gaspare, too, he looked"--Ruffo paused, then used a word beloved of Sicilians who wish to be impressive--"he looked mysterious, Signora. Don Gaspare looked mysterious." "Mysterious? Gaspare?" "Si, ...