He had taken a maggot into his brain at one time to hunt after the Ancient cities of the Pelasgi which are said to exist to this day among the mountains of the Abruzzi; but the condition of which is strangely unknown to the antiquaries. It is said that he had made a great many valuable notes and memorandums on the subject, which he always carried about with him, either for the purpose of frequent reference, or because he feared the precious documents might fall into the hands of brother antiquaries. He had therefore a large pocket behind, in which he carried them, banging against his rear as he walked.
Be this as it may; happening to pass a few days at Terracina, in the course of his researches, he one day mounted the rocky cliffs which overhang the town, to visit the castle of Theodoric. He was groping about these ruins, towards the hour of sunset, buried in his reflections,—his wits no doubt wool-gathering among the Goths and Romans, when he heard footsteps behind him.
He turned and beheld9 five or six young fellows, of rough, saucy10 demeanor11, clad in a singular manner, half peasant, half huntsman, with fusils in their hands. Their whole appearance and carriage left him in no doubt into what company he had fallen.
The doctor was a feeble little man poor, in look and poorer in purse. He had but little money in his pocket; but he had certain valuables, such as an old silver watch, thick as a turnip12, with figures on it large enough for a clock, and a set of seals at the end of a steel chain, that dangled13 half down to his knees; all which were of precious esteem14, being family reliques. He had also a seal ring, a veritable antique intaglio15, that covered half his knuckles16; but what he most valued was, the precious treatise17 on the Pelasgian cities, which, he would gladly have given all the money in his pocket to have had safe at the bottom of his trunk in Terracina.
However, he plucked up a stout18 heart; at least as stout a heart as he could, seeing that he was but a puny19 little man at the hest of times. So he wished the hunters a “buon giorno.” They returned his salutation, giving the old gentleman a sociable20 slap on the back that made his heart leap into his throat.
They fell into conversation, and walked for some time together among The heights, the doctor wishing them all the while at the bottom of the crater21 of Vesuvius. At length they came to a small osteria on the mountain, where they proposed to enter and have a cup of wine together. The doctor consented; though he would as soon have been invited to drink hemlock22.
One of the gang remained sentinel at the door; the others swaggered into the house; stood their fusils in a corner of the room; and each drawing a pistol or stiletto out of his belt, laid it, with some emphasis, on the table. They now called lustily for wine; drew benches round the table, and hailing the doctor as though he had been a boon23 companion of long standing24, insisted upon his sitting down and making merry. He complied with forced grimace26, but with fear and trembling; sitting on the edge of his bench; supping down heartburn with every drop of liquor; eyeing ruefully the black muzzled27 pistols, and cold, naked stilettos. They pushed the bottle bravely, and plied25 him vigorously; sang, laughed, told excellent stories of robberies and combats, and the little doctor was fain to laugh at these cut-throat pleasantries, though his heart was dying away at the very bottom of his bosom28.
By their own account they were young men from the villages, who had Recently taken up this line of life in the mere29 wild caprice of youth. They talked of their exploits as a sportsman talks of his amusements. To shoot down a traveller seemed of little more consequence to them than to shoot a hare. They spoke30 with rapture6 of the glorious roving life they led; free as birds; here to-day, gone to-morrow; ranging the forests, climbing the rocks, scouring31 the valleys; the world their own wherever they could lay hold of it; full purses, merry companions; pretty women.—The little antiquary got fuddled with their talk and their wine, for they did not spare bumpers32. He half forgot his fears, his seal ring, and his family watch; even the treatise on the Pelasgian cities which was warming under him, for a time faded from his memory, in the glowing picture which they drew. He declares that he no longer wonders at the prevalence of this robber mania33 among the mountains; for he felt at the time, that had he been a young man and a strong man, and had there been no danger of the galleys34 in the background, he should have been half tempted35 himself to turn bandit.
At length the fearful hour of separating arrived. The doctor was suddenly called to himself and his fears, by seeing the robbers resume their weapons. He now quaked for his valuables, and above all for his antiquarian treatise. He endeavored, however, to look cool and unconcerned; and drew from out of his deep pocket a long, lank36, leathern purse, far gone in consumption, at the bottom of which a few coin chinked with the trembling of his hand.
The chief of the party observed this movement; and laying his hand upon the antiquary’s shoulder—“Harkee! Signor Dottore!” said he, “we have drank together as friends and comrades, let us part as such. We understand you; we know who and what you are; for we know who every body is that sleeps at Terracina, or that puts foot upon the road. You are a rich man, but you carry all your wealth in your head. We can’t get at it, and we should not know what to do with it, if we could. I see you are uneasy about your ring; but don’t worry your mind; it is not worth taking; you think it an antique, but it’s a counterfeit37—a mere sham38.”
Here the doctor would have put in a word, for his antiquarian pride was touched.
“Nay, nay,” continued the other, “we’ve no time to dispute about it. Value it as you please. Come, you are a brave little old signor—one more cup of wine and we’ll pay the reckoning. No compliments—I insist on it. So—now make the best of your way back to Terracina; it’s growing late—buono viaggio!—and harkee, take care how you wander among these mountains.”
They shouldered their fusils, sprang gaily39 up the rocks, and the little doctor hobbled back to Terracina, rejoicing that the robbers had let his seal ring, his watch, and his treatise escape unmolested, though rather nettled42 that they should have pronounced his veritable intaglio a counterfeit.
The improvvisatore had shown many symptoms of impatience43 during this recital44. He saw his theme in danger of being taken out of his hands by a rival story-teller, which to an able talker is always a serious grievance45; it was also in danger of being taken away by a Neapolitan, and that was still more vexatious; as the members of the different Italian states have an incessant46 jealousy47 of each other in all things, great and small. He took advantage of the first pause of the Neapolitan to catch hold again of the thread of the conversation.
“As I was saying,” resumed he, “the prevalence of these banditti is so extensive; their power so combined and interwoven with other ranks of society—”
“For that matter,” said the Neapolitan, “I have heard that your government has had some understanding with these gentry48, or at least winked49 at them.”
“My government?” said the Roman, impatiently.
“Hush!” said the Roman, holding up his finger, and rolling his large eyes about the room.
“Nay-I only repeat what I heard commonly rumored51 in Rome,” replied the other, sturdily. “It was whispered that the Cardinal had been up to the mountain, and had an interview with some of the chiefs. And I have been told that when honest people have been kicking their heels in the Cardinal’s anti-chamber, waiting by the hour for admittance, one of these stiletto-looking fellows has elbowed his way through the crowd, and entered without ceremony into the Cardinal’s presence.
“I know,” replied the Roman, “that there have been such reports; and it is not impossible that government may have made use of these men at particular periods, such as at the time of your abortive52 revolution, when your carbonari were so busy with their machinations all over the country. The information that men like these could collect, who were familiar, not merely with all the recesses53 and secret places of the mountains, but also with all the dark and dangerous recesses of society, and knew all that was plotting in the world of mischief54; the utility of such instruments in the hands of government was too obvious to be overlooked, and Cardinal Gonsalvi as a politic55 statesman, may, perhaps, have made use of them; for it is well known the robbers, with all their atrocities56, are respectful towards the church, and devout57 in their religion.”
“Religion!—religion?” echoed the Englishman.
“Yes—religion!” repeated the improvvisatore. “Scarce one of them but will cross himself and say his prayers when he hears in his mountain fastness the matin or the ave maria bells sounding from the valleys. They will often confess themselves to the village priests, to obtain absolution; and occasionally visit the village churches to pray at some favorite shrine58. I recollect59 an instance in point: I was one evening in the village of Frescati, which lies below the mountains of Abruzzi. The people, as usual in fine evenings in our Italian towns and villages, were standing about in groups in the public square, conversing60 and amusing themselves. I observed a tall, muscular fellow, wrapped in a great mantle61, passing across the square, but skulking62 along in the dark, as if avoiding notice. The people, too, seemed to draw back as he passed. It was whispered to me that he was a notorious bandit.”
“But why was he not immediately seized?” said the Englishman.
“Because it was nobody’s business; because nobody wished to incur63 the vengeance64 of his comrades; because there were not sufficient gens d’armes near to insure security against the numbers of desperadoes he might have at hand; because the gens d’armes might not have received particular instructions with respect to him, and might not feel disposed to engage in the hazardous65 conflict without compulsion. In short, I might give you a thousand reasons, rising out of the state of our government and manners, not one of which after all might appear satisfactory.”
“I have been told,” added the Roman, rather quickly, “that even in your metropolis68 of London, notorious thieves, well known to the police as such, walk the streets at noon-day, in search of their prey69, and are not molested40 unless caught in the very act of robbery.”
“Well, sir, I fixed70 my eye on this daring wolf thus prowling through the fold, and saw him enter a church. I was curious to witness his devotions. You know our spacious71, magnificent churches. The one in which he entered was vast and shrouded72 in the dusk of evening. At the extremity73 of the long aisles74 a couple of tapers75 feebly glimmered76 on the grand altar. In one of the side chapels77 was a votive candle placed before the image of a saint. Before this image the robber had prostrated78 himself. His mantle partly falling off from his shoulders as he knelt, revealed a form of Herculean strength; a stiletto and pistol glittered in his belt, and the light falling on his countenance79 showed features not unhandsome, but strongly and fiercely charactered. As he prayed he became vehemently80 agitated81; his lips quivered; sighs and murmurs82, almost groans83 burst from him; he beat his breast with violence, then clasped his hands and wrung84 them convulsively as he extended them towards the image. Never had I seen such a terrific picture of remorse85. I felt fearful of being discovered by him, and withdrew. Shortly after I saw him issue from the church wrapped in his mantle; he recrossed the square, and no doubt returned to his mountain with disburthened conscience, ready to incur a fresh arrear86 of crime.”
The conversation was here taken up by two other travellers, recently arrived, Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Dobbs, a linen-draper and a green-grocer, just returning from a tour in Greece and the Holy Land: and who were full of the story of Alderman Popkins. They were astonished that the robbers should dare to molest41 a man of his importance on ‘change; he being an eminent87 dry-salter of Throgmorton street, and a magistrate88 to boot.
In fact, the story of the Popkins family was but too true; it was attested89 by too many present to be for a moment doubted; and from the contradictory90 and concordant testimony91 of half a score, all eager to relate it, the company were enabled to make out all the particulars.
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1
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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relished
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| v.欣赏( relish的过去式和过去分词 )；从…获得乐趣；渴望 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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raptures
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| 极度欢喜( rapture的名词复数 ) | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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10
saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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turnip
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| n.萝卜，芜菁 | |
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13
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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intaglio
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| n.凹版雕刻；v.凹雕 | |
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knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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treatise
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| n.专著；(专题)论文 | |
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puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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sociable
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| adj.好交际的，友好的，合群的 | |
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crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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hemlock
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| n.毒胡萝卜，铁杉 | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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muzzled
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| 给（狗等）戴口套( muzzle的过去式和过去分词 )； 使缄默，钳制…言论 | |
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28
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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scouring
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| 擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤 | |
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bumpers
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| （汽车上的）保险杠，缓冲器( bumper的名词复数 ) | |
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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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lank
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| adj.瘦削的；稀疏的 | |
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counterfeit
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| vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的 | |
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sham
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| n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的) | |
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gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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molested
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| v.骚扰( molest的过去式和过去分词 )；干扰；调戏；猥亵 | |
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molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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42
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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43
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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44
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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47
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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gentry
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| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
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49
winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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50
cardinal
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| n.(天主教的)红衣主教；adj.首要的，基本的 | |
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51
rumored
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| adj.传说的，谣传的v.传闻( rumor的过去式和过去分词 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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52
abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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53
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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54
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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atrocities
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| n.邪恶，暴行( atrocity的名词复数 )；滔天大罪 | |
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devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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59
recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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61
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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62
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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63
incur
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| vt.招致，蒙受，遭遇 | |
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64
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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65
hazardous
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| adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的 | |
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66
shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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69
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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70
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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71
spacious
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| adj.广阔的，宽敞的 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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73
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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74
aisles
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| n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊 | |
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75
tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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76
glimmered
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| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chapels
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| n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式 | |
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78
prostrated
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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79
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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80
vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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81
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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82
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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83
groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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84
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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85
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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86
arrear
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| n.欠款 | |
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87
eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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88
magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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89
attested
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| adj.经检验证明无病的，经检验证明无菌的v.证明( attest的过去式和过去分词 )；证实；声称…属实；使宣誓 | |
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90
contradictory
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| adj.反驳的，反对的，抗辩的；n.正反对，矛盾对立 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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