Not Far Distant From The Inn They Came To Where There Was A Body Of
Soldiers On The Beach, Encircling And Guarding A Number Of Galley
Slaves, Who Were Permitted To Refresh Themselves In The Evening Breeze,
And To Sport And Roll Upon The Sand.
"It was difficult," the Frenchman observed, "to conceive a more
frightful mass of crime than was here collected.
The parricide, the
fratricide, the infanticide, who had first fled from justice and turned
mountain bandit, and then, by betraying his brother desperadoes, had
bought a commutation of punishment, and the privilege of wallowing on
the shore for an hour a day, with this wretched crew of miscreants!"
The remark of the Frenchman had a strong effect upon the company,
particularly upon the Venetian lady, who shuddered as she cast a timid
look at this horde of wretches at their evening relaxation. "They
seemed," she said, "like so many serpents, wreathing and twisting
together."
The Frenchman now adverted to the stories they had been listening to at
the inn, adding, that if they had any further curiosity on the subject,
he could recount an adventure which happened to himself among the
robbers and which might give them some idea of the habits and manners
of those beings. There was an air of modesty and frankness about the
Frenchman which had gained the good-will of the whole party, not even
excepting the Englishman. They all gladly accepted his proposition; and
as they strolled slowly up and down the seashore, he related the
following adventure.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 276 of 433
Words from 73628 to 73884
of 115667
