Here at Salerno they had a slight misunderstanding with their
driver. He insisted on getting more pay. As they had already made
a full contract with him, this demand seemed like an imposition,
and was rejected by the whole of them. The driver grew furiously
excited, gesticulated vehemently, stamped, his feet, rolled his
eyes, struck his fists together, and uttered language which sounded
like Italian oaths, though they could not make it out. Uncle Moses
seemed a little appalled at his vehement, and was inclined to
yield to his demands for the sake of peace; but the boys would
not listen to this for a moment. After watching the raging
Italian till they were tired, Frank at length started to his
feet, and in a peremptory tone ordered him out of the room. The
Italian was so unprepared for this decisive conduct on the part
of one who appeared to be but a boy, that he stopped short in
the midst of a most eloquent tirade against them, in which he
was threatening to denounce them to the authorities for sacrilege;
and having stopped, he stared at Frank, and seemed unable to go
on once more. Frank now repeated his orders, accompanying them
with a threat that he would call in the police. At this the
driver's brow lowered into a sullen scowl, and muttering some
expressions of rage and vengeance, he left the room.
The boys chatted a little about the mutiny of the driver, as they
called it, but soon dismissed the thought from their minds.
After passing the night at Salerno, they prepared, on the following
morning, to continue their journey. Early in the day, the driver
made his appearance. He was quiet, and not communicative, and much
changed from his former self. Frank addressed a few remarks to
him, but perceiving that he was sulky, he gave up all attempts to
appease his wrath. In fact, he began to think that it might, perhaps,
have been as well to comply with his request, for the request for
more money had been based upon his recent rescue of them from the
hands of the mob at Sorrento. Had the driver made his request a
little more meekly, and not presented it with such an assertion of
right, there is no doubt that they would have cheerfully given what
he asked. But his tone excited their resentment; and afterwards,
when the driver chose to lose his temper and scold them, they were
more determined than ever to refuse. Had he appeared at this time
with his former good-natured expression, and had he shown any signs
of compunction for his insolent behavior, there is no doubt that
they would have brought up the subject of their own accord, and
promised him as handsome a sum as his exploit deserved. But his
continued sulks prevented them from introducing the subject, and
so they concluded to defer it to some other time, when he might be
restored to himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account