The House by the Medlar-Tree by Giovanni Verga

Mena did not know that there was an idea of marrying her to Padron Cipolla's Brasi "to make the mother forget her grief," and the first person to tell it her was Alfio Mosca, who, a few days later, came to the garden gate, on his way back from Aci Castello, with his donkey-cart. Mena replied, "It isn't true, it isn't true! " but she was confused, and as he went on telling her all about how he had heard it from La Vespa in the house of Uncle Crucifix, all of a sudden she turned red all over. Cousin Alfio, too, lost countenance seeing the girl like that, with her black kerchief over her head. He began to play with the buttons of his coat, stood first on one leg, then on the other, and would have given anything to get away. "Listen; it isn't my fault; I heard it in old Dumb-bell's court while I was chopping up the locust-tree that was blown down in the storm at the Santa Clara, you remember.

Now, Uncle Crucifix gets me to do chores for him, because he won't hear of La Locca's son ever since his brother played him that trick with the cargo of lupins. " Mena had the string of the gate in her hand, but couldn't make up her mind to open it. "And then if it isn't true, why do you blush? " She didn't know, that was the truth, and she turned the latch-string round and round. That person she knew only by sight, and hardly that. Alfio went on telling her the whole litany of Brasi Cipolla's riches; after Uncle Naso, the butcher, he was the best match in the place, and all the girls were ready to eat him up with their eyes. Mena listened with all hers, and all of a sudden she made him a low courtesy, and went off up the garden path to the house.