Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 22, 2025
When Garofoli came to beautiful Lucca last year he brought me back with him. Oh, it was hard to leave my little sister.... Signor Garofoli has a lot of boys here, some of them are chimney sweeps, others rag pickers, and those who are not strong enough to work, sing in the streets or beg.
Those who were not musicians, but simply exhibitors of trained animals, put their mice and guinea pigs into a cage. Then a heavy step sounded on the stairs and a little man wearing a gray overcoat came into the room. It was Garofoli. The moment he entered he fixed his eyes on me with a look that scared me. Mattia quickly and politely gave him Vitalis' message.
I could see that he would not tell me anything unless I let him know that I knew all about Garofoli. "You don't mean to say he is still in prison?" I exclaimed. "Why, I thought he'd got out long ago." "No, he's got another three months yet." Garofoli three more months in prison! Mattia could breathe. I left the horrible yard as quickly as possible and hurried off to the Hotel du Cantal.
"You are sure he will not be back for two hours?" asked Vitalis. "Quite sure, Signor. That will be dinner time, and no one ever serves dinner but Signor Garofoli." "Well, if he comes in before, tell him that Vitalis will be back in two hours." "Very well, Signor." I was about to follow Vitalis, when he stopped me. "Stay here," he said; "you can rest.
"Garofoli will be here shortly," he said; "we mustn't talk any more." Wearily he went round the table, placing the plates and spoons. I counted twenty plates. So Garofoli had twenty boys. As I only saw twelve beds, they evidently slept, some of them, two in a bed.
"I don't know; go up and see for yourself," he growled; "the door's at the top of the stairs; it faces you." "Garofoli is the padrone, Remi, I told you about," said Vitalis; "this is where he lives." The street, the house, the staircase was not in the nature to reassure me. What would this new master be like?
I thought Garofoli was going to show mercy, but it was not so. "You know how much it hurts me to hear you cry," said Garofoli, gently, addressing the victim. "You know that if the whip tears your skin, your cries pierce my heart. So then I warn you that for each cry you will receive another slash, and it will be your own fault. If you have any affection or gratitude you will keep silent.
"There's a boy with a heart," he said, pointing to me; "he is not like you other rogues; you laugh when you see your comrades suffer. Take this little comrade for an example." I trembled from head to foot. Their comrade! At the second blow the victim uttered a wail, at the third a piercing shriek. Garofoli lifted his hand; Ricardo stopped with raised whip.
Before going to the Hotel du Cantal I went to Garofoli's place to see if I could find out something about him so that I could take back some news to poor Mattia. When I reached the yard I saw, as on my first visit, the same old man hanging up dirty rags outside the door. "Has Garofoli returned?" I asked. The old man looked at me without replying, then began to cough.
The commissioner had quickly gleaned from me all about Garofoli. "There is nothing to do but to take him to this chap, Garofoli," he said to one of his men. "Once in the street he mentions, he will soon recognize the house. You can go up with him and question the man." The three of us started. As the officer had said, we found the street and the house. We went up to the fourth floor.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking