Question

Why does the narrator address the two boys as gentlemen?

Answer 1

because they sell strawberries outskirts of the city And yeah at this small age they have responsibility of their sister Lucia but instead of doing bad things like robberies or anything they do good things to earn money.

Answer 2

The two young boys Nicola and Jacopo worked very hard in order to pay the medical expenses for her sister. They sold newspaper and fruits, polished shoes and did such jobs to earn money. They had a lot of patience, self-respect, love, care, and devotion of their family. These qualities of the boys made the narrator refer them as 'gentlemen.'