What is the main conflict in Italian Stories = Novelle Italiane by Robert A. Hall?

Bistino is a retired servant in his sixties. He was born into his service as a peasant and gradually rose up through the ranks until he was the Marquis' constant companion and helper in nearly everything. He traveled extensively with the Marquis and would help him woo women; generally, when the Marquis would seduce a woman, Bistino would, almost automatically, make love to her servant. The Marquis often treated Bistino harshly and yelled all kinds of insults at him when he thought he was doing something slowly. Sometimes he would even throw objects, like shoes, at him. Bistino, however, did not mind his master's severity. In fact, he read into it a kind of affection and cherished those moments; it is not clear, however, whether the affection e