The House by the Medlar-Tree by Giovanni Verga

After midnight the wind began to howl as if all the cats in the place had been on the roof, and to shake the shutters. The sea roared round the Fariglione as if all the bulls of the Fair of Saint Alfio had been there, and the day opened as black as the soul of Judas. In short, an ugly September Sunday dawned -- a Sunday in false September which lets loose a tempest on one between the cup and the lip, like a shot from behind a prickly-pear. The village boats were all drawn up on the beach, and well fastened to the great stones under the washing-tank; so the boys amused themselves by hissing and howling whenever there passed by some lonely sail far out at sea, tossed amid mist and foam, dancing up and down as if chased by the devil; the women, instead, made the sign of the cross, as if they could see with their eyes the poor fellows who were on board.

Maruzza la Longa was silent, as behooved her; but she could not stand still a minute, and went up and down and in and out without stopping, like a hen that is going to lay an egg. The men were at the tavern, or in Pizzuti's shop, or under the butcher's shed, watching the rain, sniffing the air with their heads up. On the shore there was only Padron 'Ntoni, looking out for that load of lupins and his son Bastianazzo and the _Provvidenza_, all out at sea there; and there was La Locca's son too, who had nothing to lose, only his brother Menico was out at sea with Bastianazzo in the _Provvidenza_, with the lupins. Padron Fortunato Cipolla, getting shaved in Pizzuti's shop, said that he wouldn't give two baiocchi for Bastianazzo and La Locca's Menico with the Provvidenza and the load of lupins.