Part 7 (2/2)
At her approach Bob involuntarily shrank back a step or two The old hag fixed her small, watery eyes on him, mumbled with her toothless jaws, and after a few efforts croaked out soestures with her hands, which Bob understood to convey a general assurance of safety For this he was prepared, since his mind was now fixed upon the idea that he would be kept for a ransom Then the old woman came nearer, and put one of her thin, bony, shrivelled hands on his shoulder The touch was like the touch of a skeleton, and suggested horrible thoughts to poor Bob A thrill of disgust and terror shot through hiust, for fear of offending his hideous co before hi time in silence Bob looked back at her, and it seemed to him that he had never seen in all his life, such a hideous face The wrinkles were now , the cheeks were sunken, the cheek-bones projecting, the eyes, small and weak, showed tears that slowly trickled down
Suddenly the old hag gave a low groan, which Bob attributed to some pain or other, and turned away He noticed that she was tree He was puzzled by these ood After a few ain, and beckoned to hi the door Bob hesitated, and stood without looking in He saw a large apart all the lower story of the oldladder led up to the upper story
The old woman beckoned for him to come in, and Bob did not like to refuse So he went in She then brought forth some cold mutton and black bread, which she offered hiry; but at that moment an idea came to him--a suspicion that was created by the very sinister aspect and very singular behavior of the old crone The suspicion was, that it was drugged or poisoned This suspicion was not at all in accordance with the idea that they were keeping hih hungry, he did not dare to eat So he shook his head Upon this the old hag took the things away, and Bob went out again
The dirty children had been playing with the donkey all this time, and still kept up their sport but in the h to keep their eyes froe boy who had colances of their wicked black eyes had so uncanny in them, which made Bob feel more uncomfortable than ever He took a seat upon a stone in front of the house, on one side of the door-way, and looked all around
The ently in an easy acclivity, and then sweeping up with a greater incline Their sides, and even their summits, were here all covered with forests On the left he could see the bridge over which the road passed--the road that led to safety Could he but escape for a few ht be saved And why not? Touards as these? One rush, one leap, and he would be free Willingly would he walk all the way to Salerno Anything would be welcome after such a captivity as this
But Bob was doomed to disappointment; for just as he hadall around to see if the coast was clear, he saw, to his deep distress, the two brigands approaching fro which, on nearer approach, turned out to be a sheep, which they had just killed Of course all thoughts of flight now departed, and Bob could only deplore his own stupidity in allowing that one chance of escape to pass away
After this they began to boil portions of the sheep in a pot; and soon the savory odor of a stew filled the roo, the delicious odor excited the utan to feel rather satisfied that he had not fled He felt that a flight after dinner would be far better In due tietables, cooked deliciously,--and Bob's hunger was so great that if it had been worse cooked it would have been a banquet He had no fears of poison, no suspicions of drugging, for the whole faands, the old hag, the slatternly woman, and the dirty children
The steas poured out into a huge wooden platter; they used no plates, but dipped with their fingers The sight awakened a little disgust in Bob, but he was too hungry to be squea out various morsels which had not been touched by the dirty hands of his co the repast Bob noticed that they all kept looking, frolances met his eyes whenever he turned thereedy, hungry sort of gaze, that was very horrible It was an ogrish look, and Bob's appetite was somewhat checked by the horror that he found in her eyes, and he was unable to have that free play with the repast which he ht otherwise have had
After the repast Bob oncenow to have the opportunity which he had missed before The dirty children went outside too The two brigands followed, and occupied thes as these was iands mounted the ass, and rode away down the road by which he had come This circumstance seeht that perhaps he had gone to Salerno to get the ransom
After this, darkness came on so suddenly that he was aht in Italy was very much less than that to which he had been accustomed at home, but had never been so impressed by it as now There seeht, and then in a wonderfully short time it became dark
Upon this they all entered the house Bob had to go with the rest
The room was feebly illuminated by a small oil lae chain The fastening of that door was o of that chain smote him to the heart, and echoed drearily within his soul It seemed to him now like real imprisonment, shut in here with chains and bars, within this stone prison
Soon they all prepared to retire; and the brigand who had firstthe lamp, climbed the ladder to the upper story Bob followed hihteen feet above the lower one On reaching it, Bob saw that it was all one apart, or furniture of any description whatever Sheep-skins hung froetables In one corner was a pile of straw To this the brigand pointed, and Bob went over there He understood that he was to pass the night on this pile of straw Once more Bob looked all around as he stood there by the straw He saw the farther end of the roo from the rafters He noticed, also, that there were ts, one in front and the other in the rear In these s there were no sashes They were open to the night air One glance sufficed to show hi which Bob supposed to lish The brigand grinned, and then descended the ladder, taking the lamp with him
On his departure, Bob's first act was to take off his boots He then felt his way along the wall to the front , for it was so intensely dark inside and outside, that not a thing was visible
Reaching the , he put his head out and looked down He could see nothing All was the very blackness of darkness He looked up to the sky All there was blackness also and darkness Then he looked down again If he had only so down, he could venture the descent; but he had nothing There were no sheets here for hiether; he could not ht To juht of, for he knew very well that at least twenty feet separated hiround
He turned away fro his way back to his rude bed, he sat upon the straw, and gave hihts
CHAPTER VIII
_The worn-out Captive--Light Slu--The stealthy Step--The over Horror--The lone Boy confronted by his Enehtmare?--The supreme Moment_