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Updated: May 15, 2025
Since I had taken Mattia into my "company" I had made up my mind to do so, for it seemed to me that it could easily be arranged. I would send him ahead and he could find out if she were alone, and then tell her that I was not far off, and was only waiting to know if it were safe for me to come and see her.
"Shells frequently fell near them, many soared over their heads with weird moanings. He was getting so familiar with the sound of shells that he could tell the kind of shell that was passing by the noise made by it. "Along toward the middle of the night the machine gunners reached their destination. Mattia did not show himself until the soldiers began preparing an emplacement for their gun.
We only wanted four francs more to be able to buy the Prince's cow. "Forward! March! Children!" With baggage strapped on our back we set forth on the road, with Capi barking and rolling in the dust for joy. Mattia suggested that we get a little more money before buying the cow; the more money we had, the better the cow, and the better the cow, the more pleased Mother Barberin would be.
I had laid out Etiennette's needle case and also a little box in which I had placed Lise's rose. Mattia wanted to open this box, but I would not let him. I put it back in my bag without even lifting the lid. "If you want to please me," I said, "you will never touch this box ... it's a present." "I promise never to touch it," he said solemnly.
By a little trick, practiced by the cattle dealer, the animal was made to look as though she had plenty of milk. Mattia said that as far as the false tail went we had nothing to fear, for he would hang onto the tail of every cow with all his might, before we entered into any discussion with the seller.
Mattia did as I told him, and my grandfather, upon hearing one of us speak English, seemed to feel more amiable. "What does he say?" "He says that your father has gone out for the day and that your mother is asleep, and that if we like we may go out." "Did he only say that?" I asked, finding this translation very short. Mattia seemed confused. "I don't know if I understood the rest," he said.
As Mattia and I had nothing to do with selling the goods, we went to see the race-course, which was at some distance from the town. Outside the English race-courses there is usually a fair going on. Mountebanks of all descriptions, musicians, and stall holders gather there two or three days in advance.
I had never thought of that; it struck me now like a blow in the face. "But we earn our food," I stammered, trying to defend ourselves. "That's true, but we're living with thieves," replied Mattia, speaking more frankly than he had ever done before, "and then if we're sent to prison, we can't look for your family. And I'm anxious to see Mrs. Milligan to warn her against that James Milligan.
The noise of the key being turned in the door of our caravan the next morning woke me. Thinking that it was my father who had come to tell us that it was time to get up, I closed my eyes so as not to see him. "It was your brother," said Mattia; "he has unlocked the door and he's gone now." We dressed. Mattia did not ask me if I had slept well, neither did I put the question to him.
When at last we were steaming up the Thames I begged him to get up and see the wonderful sights, but he implored me to let him alone. At last the engine stopped and the ropes were thrown to the ground, and we landed in London. I knew very little English, but Mattia had picked up quite a great deal from an Englishman who had worked with him at the Gassot Circus.
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