Well, then I must know that there was no food - -
I pointed to my store of provisions from Castrovillari. His eye wandered
lovingly over the pile and reposed, finally, upon sundry odd bottles and
a capacious demijohn, holding twelve litres.
"Wine of family," I urged. "None of your eating-house stuff."
He thought he could manage it, after all. Yes; the trip could be
undertaken, with a little sacrifice. And he had a second mule, a
lady-mule, which it struck him I might like to ride now and then; a
pleasant beast and a companion, so to speak, for the other one. Two
mules and two Christians - that seemed appropriate. . . . And only four
francs a day more.
Done! It was really cheap. So cheap, that I straightway grew suspicious
of the "lady-mule."
We sealed the bargain in a glass of the local mixture, and I thereupon
demanded a caparra - a monetary security that he would keep his word,
i.e. be round at my door with the animals at two in the morning, so as
to reach the uplands before the heat became oppressive.
His face clouded - a good omen, indicating that he was beginning to
respect me. Then he pulled out his purse, and reluctantly laid two
francs on the table.
The evening was spent in final preparations; I retired early to bed, and
tried to sleep. One o'clock came, and two o'clock, and three o'clock - no
mules! At four I went to the man's house, and woke him out of ambrosial
slumbers.
