Part 17 (1/2)
”O, good citizens! O, dear citizens! Don't destroy my furniture!
Don't ruin ers are innocent”
At this the old virago howled out soed the crowd on So around in the midst of her tirade, found herself face to face with David The terrified lad shrank back, and tried to hide hinized hi at him
Ludlo thethe old worasp like a vice, held her back, and asked her sternly, in Italian,--
”Accursed one! what do you”O, pious citizens!
Help! This is the accursed boy! This is the sacrilegious one! the blasphemer! the insulter of the Bambino! the--”
”Silence!” roared Ludlow, in a voice of thunder ”Men of Sorrento, is this the way you treat strangers? Does this overn the city?”
”The boy, the boy! the blasphe And at her yells some of the mob seemed inclined to respond They were already ripe fordiverted their attention to David, they felt quite ready to take hi of dark faces was for directed the from him, drew his revolver from his breast, and took two strides towards the house, which was close by, dragging David after hi the revolver in an apparently careless manner, with its muzzle turned towards the crowd, he once more opened his mouth
”Men of Sorrento!” said he, ”what foolery is this? The woman is mad I have just come from Capri, with this boy Many of you know me, for I am often here; and nohen I come, am I to be insulted by a madwoman? Are you--”
”Seize hi
Ludlow placed his hand on David's head, and looked with a smile on the crowd nearest
”Does her entlemen?” he added; ”does she usually show this animosity to little boys and children?”
At this question, which was asked in an easy and natural an to think that the woman was crazy Those to whoht the beaed sloay, and began to think that they had done a very silly thing
”What's the trouble, signori?” asked Ludlow, in the same easy tone, of those ere nearest
”Well, they say there are some people inside that desecrated the church--some boys--”
”What--boys?” said Ludloith a sed their shoulders
”She says so”
Ludlow thereupon shrugged his shoulders
”Seize hi, who all this time had kept up her insane outcry
”Soh ”Why, gentleive your town a very bad naone a revulsion of feeling
The assault of the old woers seemed too wanton to be tolerated Ludlow's easy e restored theht of his revolver effectually overawed the ood naed with the old woh them Curses were freely lavished upon her, and the threats which but a short tiuests, were now hurled at her The hag, however, in her fury, was quite unconscious of all this, and continued to yell as before, endeavoring to hound theusted with her and her yells