United States or Japan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
'Captain, said he, 'just now Carlini would not drink your health when I proposed it to him; propose mine to him, and let us see if he will be more condescending to you than to me. Every one expected an explosion on Carlini's part; but to their great surprise, he took a glass in one hand and a flask in the other, and filling it, 'Your health, Diavolaccio, said he calmly, and he drank it off, without his hand trembling in the least.
I enquired whether he had left any instructions for me, but all in vain, no one could give me any information. And there I was, alone in a large city, without a friend, with eight carlini in my pocket, and not knowing what to do! But never mind; fate calls me to Martorano, and to Martorano I must go. The distance, after all, is only two hundred miles.
Our conversation went from one subject to another, but no allusion was made to the mercury, though I could see that the Greek had something on his mind. At supper he told me, jestingly, that I ought to stop in Portici the next day to make forty-five carlini out of the three other flagons of mercury.
When their parents are sufficiently rich to pay a ransom, a messenger is sent to negotiate; the prisoner is hostage for the security of the messenger; should the ransom be refused, the prisoner is irrevocably lost. The young girl's lover was in Cucumetto's troop; his name was Carlini.
To BUONARROTO DI LODOVICO DI BUONARROTA, in Florence. From ROME, the 17th of October, 1509. "BUONARROTO,—I got the bread: it is good, but it is not good enough to make a trade of, for there would be little gain. I gave the knave five carlini, and he would hardly hand it over. I learn by your last how Lorenzo will pass this way, and how I am to give him a good reception.
I enquired whether he had left any instructions for me, but all in vain, no one could give me any information. And there I was, alone in a large city, without a friend, with eight carlini in my pocket, and not knowing what to do! But never mind; fate calls me to Martorano, and to Martorano I must go. The distance, after all, is only two hundred miles.
But the chief, without taking the money, made a sign to him to follow. The old man obeyed. They both advanced beneath the trees, through whose branches streamed the moonlight. Cucumetto stopped at last, and pointed to two persons grouped at the foot of a tree. "'There, said he, 'demand thy child of Carlini; he will tell thee what has become of her; and he returned to his companions.
Then sitting down by the fire, 'My supper, said he; 'my expedition has given me an appetite. 'Well done, Carlini! cried the brigands; 'that is acting like a good fellow; and they all formed a circle round the fire, while Diavolaccio disappeared. Carlini ate and drank as if nothing had happened. The bandits looked on with astonishment at this singular conduct until they heard footsteps.
'At nine o'clock to-morrow Rita's father will be here with the money. 'It is well; in the meantime, we will have a merry night; this young girl is charming, and does credit to your taste. Now, as I am not egotistical, we will return to our comrades and draw lots for her. 'You have determined, then, to abandon her to the common law? said Carlini. "'Why should an exception be made in her favor?
My merry laugh kept company with his astonishment, and calling one of the servants of the inn I sent him to the druggist to sell the mercury that was left. He returned in a few minutes and handed me fifteen carlini. The Greek, whose surprise was complete, asked me to give him back his own flagon, which was there quite full, and worth sixty carlini.
Word Of The Day