That much was
plain. And it was no less plain that I must submit, and leave my beast to
him, or else perhaps suffer a worse alternative.
Had those four honest peasants still been there, he would not have dared to
have so borne himself. But as it was, without witnesses to say how the
thing had truly happened, if he raised the village against me how should
they believe a man who confessed that he had eaten a dinner for which he
could not pay? It must go very ill with me.
If I tried conclusions with him, I could break him in two notwithstanding
his staff. But there would remain the girl to give the alarm, and when to
dishonesty I should have added violence, my case would be that of any
common bandit.
"Very well," I said. "You are a dirty, thieving rascal, and a vile one to
take advantage of one in my position. I shall return for the mule another
day. Meanwhile consider it in pledge for what I owe you. But see that you
are ready for the reckoning when I present it."
With that, I swung on my heel, strode past the bigÂeyed girl, out of that
foul kennel into God's sweet air, followed by the ordures of speech which
that knave flung after me.
I turned up the street, setting my face towards the mountains, and trudged
amain.
Soon I was out of the village and ascending the steep road towards the Pass
of Cisa that leads over the Apennines to Pontremoli.
Pages:
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260