Among the Brigands Page 16

  CHAPTER XV.

  _In the Robber's Hold.--The Brigand's Bride.--Sudden, amazing,overwhelming, bewildering, tremendous, astounding, overpowering,and crushing Discovery.--The Situation.--Everybody confounded.--TheCrowd at Sorrento.--The Landlord's Prayers.--The Virago calls forVengeance._

  The brigand put his gun down upon the sofa, and motioned to Davidto take a seat. He then left the room, and David heard his voicecalling,--

  "Laura! Laura!"

  A light footstep sounded in the next room, and the brigand returned,followed by a woman.

  This woman's appearance astonished David. She was a lady. She wasyoung, beautiful, bright as a vision, dressed simply, but in themodern fashion altogether. She had a very sweet face, and a bewitchingsmile, and as she entered she looked at David in some surprise.

  Then this great, big, bluff, bearded, broad-shouldered, beetle-browed,brusque bully of a brigand; this fierce, ferocious, bloodthirsty,relentless, ruthless ruffian; this hard-hearted, implacable,inexorable villain; this cruel, vengeful, vindictive, griping,grasping, scowling fiend; this demoniac miscreant, without pity,and without remorse, opened his month.

  And this is what he said, in first-rate ENGLISH!--"See here, Laura;I've picked up a poor wretch of a Bohemian--can't speak a word ofany language, and had to explain by signs. Well, you know I'm greaton gestures; so I worked his story out of him. It seems he came toNaples with his father, mother, and two sisters, and they all wenton horseback up Vesuvius. Well, somehow they were captured bybrigands, and were carried off; but the father, who, I believe, isa medical man, managed to drug the food of the scoundrels, andcarried off his family. Well, they got to the shore, found a boat,and set out for Naples. After sailing a little distance, a squallstruck the boat, and it upset. All were drowned except this poorlad, who managed to cling to the boat, and drifted, or was blown,ashore here on the cove, just down there, last night. He wassenseless all night, and only came to himself a little while ago,and I picked him up just as he was reviving. He says he is alonein the world, and has appealed to me to help him. Poor lad! myheart fairly aches for him. He says he hasn't got a penny of money,and implores me to help him. Of course I've tried to comfort him;for I've told him that he may make my house his home, and I'vepromised to give him whatever money he wants, and move heaven andearth to get him back to his friends, if he has any."

  During this astounding speech the lady had stolen over to David,and sitting by his side, she placed a soft hand tenderly on hishead. As the story was being told, her eyes filled with tears, andleaning forward, she kissed the poor boy's pale brow. When it endedshe murmured in English, that was even better than that of the"brigand,"--"Poor boy! poor boy! O, Walter, dearest, how I do wishI could speak Bohemian, so as to tell him how sorry I feel!"

  And what of David?

  What did David think--feel--say?

  Nothing. Not a word!

  David was paralyzed. He was stunned. He gasped for breath.

  And so this was his brigand--the brutal, the beetle-browed, thecruel, the bloody-minded, the inexorable, the demoniac, and allthe rest of it! He gasped for breath, as I think I have alreadyremarked; and as the ex-brigand went on with his narrative, Davidlistened in a dazed way, and began to understand that the languageof gestures has its little uncertainties. But when the lady kissedhim, and when her sweet voice spoke those tender words of pity, hecould stand it no longer. His voice came to him. He burst forth,--

  "O, how I thank you! O, how good you are! O, what a fool I am!"

  And he could say no more.

  Not a word more, on my honor.

  It was now the turn of the others to be surprised.

  The lady started back in wonder, and looked at David, and then ather husband. The ex-brigand started back also, and stared at Davidin utter bewilderment.

  "What!" he roared, in a deep, thunderous bass voice. "Say thatagain."

  "O, I'm an American--and I'm such a fool!" said David. "Why didn'tI tell you so?"

  "An American!" roared the ex-brigand. "An American!"

  Upon this he burst into a perfect thunder-peal of laughter. Thelaughter came forth, peal after peal, in long and deafeningexplosions, till the house vibrated with the sound, and till atlast the ex-brigand sank exhausted into the Glastonbury chair.

  "An American!" he cried; "and think of me--ha, ha, ha!--askingyou if you spoke every language in the world--ha, ha, ha!--but theright one--ha, ha, ha!--and speaking every language--ha, ha,ha!--but my own--ha, ha, ha! And to think of us two Americans--ha,ha, ha!--after trying Italian--ha, ha, ha I--and French, and Spanish,and German--ha, ha, ha!--rushing into gestures!--ha, ha,ha!--gestures!--only think, Laura--ha, ha, ha! He and I--ha, ha,ha!--spending an hour in making signs to each other--ha, ha, ha!--but'pon my life it's too bad in me to be howling out in this fashion,my poor lad, when you're in the midst of such deep affliction. Iswear I'm sorry. I forget myself."

  "But I'm not in any affliction at all," said David.

  "What! What's that?" cried the ex-brigand. "Didn't you lose yourfather?"

  "No."

  "But your father, and mother, and the rest of them--"

  "No," said David. "You didn't quite understand what I wanted tosay." And he then proceeded to tell his story in plain English. Hewas listened to with deep attention; but as his story turned outto be so different from the first report of the ex-brigand, thelady stole an arch look at her husband, and her eyes fairly dancedwith fun and merriment. But the ex-brigand bore it admirably; andas David ended, and showed himself to be in no such deep afflictionas had been supposed, he once more burst forth in a fresh peal ofriotous laughter.

  Upon this David ventured to hint at his own late fears, and onbeing questioned by the lady he confessed frankly what had beenthe interpretation that he put upon the signs of the ex-brigand.

  "Well," said that worthy, "I'm not a brigand at all. I'm an artist."

  "I'm sure I don't wonder, Walter," said the lady. "You dress yourselfup in such an absurd fashion--and I've always told you that thisroom looks like a bandit's den."

  "No, no, Laura; say an artist's studio. How could I get alongwithout my furniture. As for my dress, it's quite in keeping withthe place and the people. It's picturesque, and that's all an artistis bound to consider."

  Further explanations followed, in the course of which it appearedthat this ex-brigand was Mr. Walter Ludlow, an American artist,who, for the time being, was living here with his bride. They hadbeen married three months. The island was Capri. They were enjoyinglove in a cottage, which cottage was furnished in an artistic,rather than a fashionable way. They lived here quite free fromrestraint, and the artist occupied the time partly with his art,and partly with general enjoyment. Neither of them felt at allinclined to leave Capri for some time to come, but thought it thepleasantest place in the world.

  Ludlow happened that day to be cleaning his gun, with the intentionof going on a shooting excursion. The noise which had been made inthe wood by David had startled him, and he had gone to see what itwas, with the idea that some cattle had strayed along the shore,and were coming into the fields and gardens.

  When Ludlow explained his gestures to David, and the latter confessedwhat interpretation he had put on them, further laughter was elicitedfrom the fun-loving artist, in which his wife joined, and Davidalso. Ludlow, as soon as he was in a condition to speak, proceededto explain what he really meant. His gestures were all intended byhim to express the following ideas:--

  1. I'm an American. 2. I don't live here--I only lodge. 3. I'm an artist. 4. I'm very sorry for you, and I'll take care of you. 5. I'm going out shooting soon. 6. Don't fret. I'll take care of you, and the boat too, as long as you like. 7. I live in that house up there, and you can stay there till you hear from your friends.

  But Mrs. Ludlow now retreated, and before long she had a table setfor their young guest, at which David took his seat, and ate withan appetite that had been sharpened by his long fast. While atthe table Ludlow questioned him m
ore particularly about his friends,and where he had left them.

  "Well, David, my lad," said the artist, at length, "I should likevery much to have you stay with us for a time; and if you could,I feel confident that I could show you what would well repay you.Are you aware that on this island is one of the wonders of theworld--the famous grotto? I should like to take you there--but Isee how it is. As you say, your uncle will be wild with anxietyabout you, and will have no peace till he hears from you. So Isuppose the best thing I can do for you, is to restore you to himfirst of all, and then arrange for a visit from you all on somefuture occasion."

  David thanked him very earnestly, and dwelt strongly upon theanxiety of Uncle Moses under the circumstances.

  "Well, my lad," said Ludlow, "I think you'd best go off at once,and I mean to go with you. Unfortunately there is a head wind,just now, so that we cannot go to Castellamare without taking toolong a time. The best way will be to go over to Sorrento from thisplace, and take a carriage, or horses, to Castellamare."

  This proposal pleased David, greatly, and as Ludlow was ready tostart, he rose to go. Mrs. Ludlow bade him good by, and pressedhim affectionately to come back with his friends.

  In a short time they were in the boat and afloat. Ludlow was agood sailor, and the wind was favorable for a passage to Sorrento.The distance was traversed quickly and pleasantly; and then, leavingthe boat, they walked up into the town towards the hotel, to seeabout getting a conveyance to Castellamare.

  As they approached the hotel they became aware of a great andunusual crowd in front of it. The crowd reminded David veryforcibly of that one which had been raging there a few daysbefore, and excited some trepidation in his breast. Involuntarilyhe hung back.

  "What's the matter?" asked Ludlow.

  "The mob," said David; "do--do you think it's safe to venture amongthem?"

  "Safe? Pooh! why not?"

  "They appear to be excited. Hark! how they shout."

  "O, nonsense! These Italians are always shouting."

  But David still hesitated, and finally told Ludlow about the troublewith the tassel, and the old woman, and the mob, and their escape.

  At this story Ludlow laughed heartily, and then proceeded to reassureDavid.

  "Don't be alarmed," said he; "they won't remember you. If they did,I've got something that'll make them keep at a respectful distance;"and he touched his breast significantly. "A six-shooter, David, myboy, is a very convenient thing to carry about one in this country,and it is surprising how the native mind respects it. So comealong, and we--that is, I and my six-shooter'll--take care of you.Don't be uneasy. They've got something else on their minds now."

  With these words Ludlow walked on, and David followed, full offear.

  The crowd in front of the hotel was in a great state of rage andexcitement. Some were banging at the door, others pounding againstthe window shutters, which had been closed by the terrifiedlandlord; others were standing at a distance, and trying to findstones to throw. Fortunately there were no loose stones of anysize, few being larger than a pebble, and therefore, as yet, novery great damage had been done. But the crowd was evidentlycapable of any amount of mischief. Every one was howling, andyelling; and in the midst of them was an old woman, whose shoutsand shrill cries made her conspicuous in the scene. She wasencouraging and stimulating a number of men who were carrying abeam to the house, which they evidently purposed to use as abattering-ram, so as to burst open the door.

  The moment that David caught sight of this woman he shuddered, andfalling behind Ludlow, caught at his hand, and tried to pull himback. Ludlow turned in surprise.

  "It's the same woman," said David, in an agitated voice, "whochased me."

  "Is it?" said Ludlow, with a smile. "O, well, you've got me withyou now. So be a man.--cheer up, my boy. It's all right."

  Saying this, Ludlow again walked forward, this time keeping hisleft hand on David's arm. David felt that it was not "all right,"but he had to follow Ludlow, and so he followed him into the midstof the crowd. Working their way on through the people, they at lastcame near to the door, and found themselves close by the men whowere carrying the beam. They had laid it on the ground, and werehesitating for a moment. Overhead Ludlow heard the voice of thelandlord pleading with them in piteous tones.

  "O, good citizens! O, dear citizens! Don't destroy my furniture!Don't ruin me! There is a mistake. On my honor, the strangers areinnocent."

  At this the old virago howled out some insane maledictions, andurged the crowd on. Some on the outskirts yelled, and the old hag,whirling around in the midst of her tirade, found herself face toface with David. The terrified lad shrank back, and tried to hidehimself; but the old woman recognized him at once, and with a howlsprang at him.

  Ludlow saw the movement.

  He put himself in front of David, and, seizing the old woman's armin a grasp like a vice, held her back, and asked her sternly, inItalian,--

  "Accursed one! what do you mean?"

  "O, citizens of Sorrento!" shrieked the hag. "O, pious citizens!Help! This is the accursed boy! This is the sacrilegious one! theblasphemer! the insulter of the Bambino! the--"

  "Silence!" roared Ludlow, in a voice of thunder. "Men of Sorrento,is this the way you treat strangers? Does this mad thing governthe city?"

  "The boy, the boy! the blasphemer! the sacrilegious! the accursed!"shrieked the hag. And at her yells some of the mob seemed inclinedto respond. They were already ripe for mischief, and when the hagdiverted their attention to David, they felt quite ready to takehim in hand. So now a ring of dark faces was formed around Ludlow,and the yells of the hag directed them to seize David.

  Ludlow pushed the hag from him, drew his revolver from his breast,and took two strides towards the house, which was close by, draggingDavid after him. Then he put his back against the wall, and holdingthe revolver in an apparently careless manner, with its muzzleturned towards the crowd, he once more opened his mouth.

  "Men of Sorrento!" said he, "what foolery is this? The woman ismad. I have just come from Capri, with this boy. Many of you knowme, for I am often here; and now, when I come, am I to be insultedby a madwoman? Are you--"

  "Seize him! seize the boy! the boy! the blasphemer!" yelled the hag.

  Ludlow placed his hand on David's head, and looked with a smile onthe crowd nearest.

  "Does her madness usually take this form, gentlemen?" he added;"does she usually show this animosity to little boys and children?"

  At this question, which was asked in an easy and natural manner,the crowd looked abashed.

  They began to think that the woman was crazy. Those to whom Ludlowhad spoken were the very men who had brought the beam but a fewminutes before. They now edged slowly away, and began to think thatthey had done a very silly thing.

  "What's the trouble, signori?" asked Ludlow, in the same easy tone,of those who were nearest.

  "Well, they say there are some people inside that desecrated thechurch--some boys--"

  "What--boys?" said Ludlow, with a smile. "Who says so?"

  The men shrugged their shoulders.

  "She says so."

  Ludlow thereupon shrugged his shoulders.

  "Seize him! seize him! seize him!" yelled the hag, who all thistime had kept up her insane outcry.

  "Somebody had better seize _her_," said Ludlow, with a laugh. "Why,gentlemen, she will give your town a very bad name."

  The crowd nearest had already undergone a revulsion of feeling.The assault of the old woman on two harmless strangers seemed toowanton to be tolerated. Ludlow's easy manner and calm languagerestored them fully to their senses, and the sight of his revolvereffectually overawed the more excitable or reckless. They were alsojealous of the good name of the town, and now began to be enragedwith the old woman. A murmur passed through them. Curses were freelylavished upon her, and the threats which but a short time ago hadbeen directed against the landlord and his guests, were now hurledat her. The hag, however, in her fury, was quite unconscious ofall this,
and continued to yell as before, endeavoring to houndthem on against David. But the crowd was now disgusted with herand her yells.

  "Stop your diabolical yells!" cried an angry voice. "Go home, andstay home, or you'll have a strait jacket put on you."

  The hag stopped short, as though thunderstruck, and looked aroundwith staring eyes. It was a young man who thus addressed her: hewas grasping her arm and looking savagely at her. Evidently hewas some relative, of whom she stood in awe, for with somethinglike a gasp she seemed to shrink into herself, and then, gatheringher clothes about her, slunk away through the crowd.

  Ludlow had often been at Sorrento before, and saw some familiarfaces among the people. These he accosted, and soon found out whatthe trouble was. Although some of these very men had been howlinglike maniacs a short time before, yet they now were as quiet, andgentle, and amiable as lambs. They sneered at the old hag, deplored.the excitement, and assured him that no harm had been done.

  Soon the crowd dispersed, and the landlord, who had been watchingthe scene in deep anxiety, came down, opened the doors, and gaveLudlow and David a most eager, exuberant, and enthusiastic welcome.