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Updated: June 17, 2025
"You artists are sad rogues, what chances your profession must give you!" remarked my companion, as he cast an admiring glance on Valeria, and rode discreetly on. "There is nothing to be afraid of, lovely Valeria," I said in a low tone, as I lingered behind; "be sure I will never betray either you or your rascally hem! I mean your excellent Croppo.
"I am known too well now to risk another meeting. I shall be in hiding with Croppo, where it will be impossible for you to find me, nor while he lives could I ever dare to think of leaving him; but I shall never forget you" and she pressed my hands to her lips "though I shall no longer have the picture of the donkey to remember you by."
"How on earth am I to let you escape, dear Valeria?" I whispered, giving her a sort of affectionate nudge; the position of our arms prevented my squeezing hers as I could have wished, and the two troopers kept behind us, watching us, I thought, suspiciously. "It is quite impossible now don't attempt it," she answered; "perhaps there may be an opportunity later." "Was that Croppo who got away?"
If you wish to get anything out of him you must be excessively civil. What does he care about my ears?" And I laughed with such scornful contempt that Croppo this time felt that he had made a fool of himself, and I observed the lovely girl behind, while the corners of her mouth twitched with suppressed laughter, make a sign of caution. "Per Dio!" he exclaimed, jumping up with fury.
There was a heap of onions running to seed, the fagots of fire-wood which Valeria had brought that afternoon, and an old cask or two. "Won't you give him some kind of a bed?" she asked Croppo. "Bah! he can sleep on the onions," responded that worthy. "If he had been more civil and intelligent he should have had something to eat.
"Come, amico mio, you will have to give us the names of some of your friends." "I am tolerably intimate with his Holiness the Pope, and I have a bowing acquaintance with the King of Naples, whom may God speedily restore to his own," I replied in a light and airy fashion, which seemed exceedingly to exasperate the man called Croppo.
I was about to recognise her with an exclamation, when I saw a hurried motion of her finger to her lip, which looked a natural gesture to the casual observer, but which I construed into a sign of prudence. "Where did you pick him up, Croppo?" she asked carelessly. "He ought to be worth something." "Just twelve bajocchi," he answered with a sneering laugh.
"Per Dio!" he exclaimed, jumping up with fury, "understand, Signor Inglese, that Croppo is not to be trifled with. I have a summary way of treating disrespect," and he drew a long and exceedingly sharp-looking two-edged knife. "So you would kill the goose" and I certainly am a goose, I reflected "that may lay a golden egg."
But my allusion was lost upon him, and I saw my charmer touch her forehead significantly, as though to imply to Croppo that I was weak in the upper storey. "An imbecile without friends and twelve bajocchi in his pocket," he muttered savagely. "Perhaps the night without food will restore his senses. Come, fool!" and he roughly pushed me into a dark little chamber adjoining.
Addio, caro Inglese; mind you wait till you hear me snoring." Then she lingered, and I heard a sigh. "What is it, sweet Valeria?" and I covered her hand with kisses. "I wish Croppo had blue eyes like you." This was murmured so softly that I may have been mistaken, but I'm nearly sure that was what she said; then she drew softly away, and two minutes afterward I heard her snoring.
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