Part 16 (1/2)
”O, how I thank you! O, how good you are! O, what a fool I am!”
And he could say no more
Not a word more, on my honor
It was now the turn of the others to be surprised
The lady started back in wonder, and looked at David, and then at her husband The ex-brigand started back also, and stared at David in utter bewilderment
”What!” he roared, in a deep, thunderous bass voice ”Say that again”
”O, I'm an American--and I'm such a fool!” said David ”Why didn't I tell you so?”
”An Aand ”An American!”
Upon this he burst into a perfect thunder-peal of laughter The laughter ca explosions, till the house vibrated with the sound, and till at last the ex-brigand sank exhausted into the Glasobry chair
”An A you if you spoke every language in the world--ha, ha, ha!--but the right one--ha, ha, ha!--and speaking every language--ha, ha, ha!--but my own--ha, ha, ha! And to think of us two A Italian--ha, ha, ha I--and French, and Spanish, and Gerestures!--only think, Laura--ha, ha, ha! He and I--ha, ha, ha!--spending an hour in ns to each other--ha, ha, ha!--but 'ponout in this fashi+on, my poor lad, when you're in the et myself”
”But I'm not in any affliction at all,” said David
”What! What's that?” cried the ex-brigand ”Didn't you lose your father?”
”No”
”But your father, and mother, and the rest of them--”
”No,” said David ”You didn't quite understand what I wanted to say” And he then proceeded to tell his story in plain English He was listened to with deep attention; but as his story turned out to be so different froand, the lady stole an arch look at her husband, and her eyes fairly danced with fun and and bore it admirably; and as David ended, and showed himself to be in no such deep affliction as had been supposed, he once hter
Upon this David ventured to hint at his own late fears, and on being questioned by the lady he confessed frankly what had been the interpretation that he put upon the signs of the ex-brigand
”Well,” said that worthy, ”I'and at all I'm an artist”
”I'm sure I don't wonder, Walter,” said the lady ”You dress yourself up in such an absurd fashi+on--and I've always told you that this room looks like a bandit's den”
”No, no, Laura; say an artist's studio How could I get along withoutwith the place and the people It's picturesque, and that's all an artist is bound to consider”
Further explanations followed, in the course of which it appeared that this ex-brigand was Mr Walter Ludlow, an A here with his bride They had beenlove in a cottage, which cottage was furnished in an artistic, rather than a fashi+onable way They lived here quite free from restraint, and the artist occupied the tieneral enjoyment Neither of them felt at all inclined to leave Capri for soht it the pleasantest place in the world
Ludlow happened that day to be cleaning his gun, with the intention of going on a shooting excursion The noise which had been one to see what it ith the idea that so into the fields and gardens
When Ludlow explained his gestures to David, and the latter confessed what interpretation he had put on the artist, in which his wife joined, and David also Ludlow, as soon as he was in a condition to speak, proceeded to explain what he really estures were all intended by hi ideas:--
1 I'e
3 I'm an artist
4 I'm very sorry for you, and I'll take care of you
5 I' soon