II + 

That evening Gian-Luca told Maddalena that he could not go back to the Doric. She accepted his decision quite quietly, uttering no word of complaint. + 

“You are good to me, Maddalena,” he said. “You do not reproach me for what I have done.” + 

“Why should I reproach you?” said Maddalena. “All I want is that you should be happy.” + 

He gave her the money that Millo had refused, and together they went into accounts, while he tried to explain their simple finances in a way that she could understand. All this he did with great care and patience, making her answer questions like a schoolgirl, making her add up long rows of figures, then pointing out her mistakes. + 

“You will soon understand about it,” he told her, “for you have the sound money-sense of our peasants. I shall never buy that restaurant now, Maddalena, so my savings had better be invested.” + 

At the back of his mind an idea had been forming, but as yet it was nebulous and vague; it had come to him first that day in the train when he had tried to console Maddalena. And because of this vague and nebulous idea he was thinking now of her future. + 

“Are you listening, piccina?” he said almost sharply when he thought her attention was straying. + 

“But why should I know all about these things?” she asked him. “It is you who decide such matters.” + 

“One can never be certain, Maddalena,” he answered. “I prefer you to understand.” + 

So to please him she tried to be more attentive, frowning and biting her pencil. + 

He stared at her thoughtfully; she was not looking well, and her eyes had grown dull and weary, and all this he knew was because of his burdens⁠—too heavy for her to bear. He pictured her back on the wide Campagna in the sunshine among her own people. + 

He muttered: “Where the sheep all wear little bells⁠—” + 

And half hearing, she looked up and smiled. Then he said: “if you go home again, Maddalena, it is you who must help the poor beasts, for the peasants do not look upon you as a stranger, they will listen to you who are one of themselves⁠—you will try to help, Maddalena?” + 

She put down her pencil and looked at him closely: “Why do you speak so, Gian-Luca?” + 

“I was thinking of your Campagna,” he told her, “that is where you seem to belong.” + 

“I belong to you,” she said gently but firmly, “wherever you are is home.” + 

But he shook his head: “I belong nowhere, piccina⁠—” + 

“You belong in my heart,” said Maddalena. + 

After that they were silent for quite a long time, while she went on doing her sums; and all the while he was staring at her thoughtfully, thinking of the wide Campagna. Presently he made her put away the books, and they drew their chairs close to the fire. + 

“I must get work,” he told her. + 

And she asked him what work, but he seemed at a loss how to answer. + 

Then he said: “I have such a strange feeling lately⁠—as though something were calling me away, as though something were waiting for me to find it, something very splendid, Maddalena.” + 

She did not understand, and her eyes looked frightened. “Calling you, Gian-Luca?” she said slowly. + 

He nodded: “It is something that is waiting to be found⁠—” Then because he could see that her eyes were frightened he tried to reassure her: “It is nothing, cara mia, it is only my fancy⁠—Now come, go to bed, it must be getting late.” And he kissed her and patted her arm. But as she turned away his heart ached with pity. “Do not be afraid,” he comforted. + 