Monday, 7th.  
Garrone would certainly never have uttered the words which Carlo Nobis spoke¹ yesterday morning to Betti. Carlo Nobis is proud, because his father is a great gentleman; a tall gentleman, with a black beard, and very serious, who accompanies his son to school nearly every day. Yesterday morning Nobis quarrelled with Betti, one of the smallest boys, and the son of a charcoal-man, and not knowing what retort to make, because he was in the wrong, said to him vehemently², “Your father is a tattered³ beggar!” Betti reddened up to his very hair, and said nothing, but the tears came to his eyes; and when he returned home, he repeated the words to his father; so the charcoal-dealer, a little man, who was black all over, made his appearance at the afternoon session, leading his boy by the hand, in order to complain to the master. While he was making his complaint, and every one was silent, the father of Nobis, who was taking off his son’s coat at the entrance, as usual, entered on hearing his name pronounced, and demanded an explanation.
 
“This workman has come,” said the master, “to complain that your son Carlo said to his boy, ‘Your father is a tattered beggar.’”
 
Nobis’s father frowned and reddened slightly. Then he asked his son, “Did you say that?”
 
His son, who was standing⁴ in the middle of the school, with his head hanging, in front of little Betti, made no reply.
 
Then his father grasped him by one arm and pushed him forward, facing Betti, so that they nearly touched, and said to him, “Beg his pardon.[27]”
 
The charcoal-man tried to interpose, saying, “No, no!” but the gentleman paid no heed⁵ to him, and repeated to his son, “Beg his pardon. Repeat my words. ‘I beg your pardon for the insultin............