Again David shook his head, wondering why the brigand should for
one moment imagine it possible that he could be a Russian or a
Turk.
"_Greco?_" asked the brigand, in a tone of voice which seemed as
though he was about to give it up as a hopeless conundrum.
When David shook his head at this, the brigand turned away in
disgust, and stood for a few moments meditating. David felt his
fate to be hanging in the balance, and stood in deep suspense,
watching with anxious eyes the face of his captor. But the heavy
beard and mustache, and the slouched felt hat, concealed all
expression; nor could David see anything there which could at all
lessen his anxiety. He thought, however, that if he could only
communicate in some way his mournful story, and let his captor see
that he had come here unintentionally, and only wanted to get back
to his friends, he might excite his compassion, if indeed there
was any compassion in the stern soul of this awful being. It was
David's only chance, however; and so, putting his hand timidly on
the brigand's arm, he pointed towards the shore, and waved his arm
towards Naples.
At this the brigand stared; but seeing that David persistently
pointed in that direction, he walked off through the grove for a
few paces, till he reached the top of the bank, where the beach
appeared before him, and the boat drawn up on it. David followed
him, and as they came in sight of the boat he pointed towards it,
and then touched his breast, meaning by that to show that the boat
was his. This the brigand at once understood, and after once more
staring hard at David, as though anxious to ascertain whether he
was speaking the truth or not, he bounded down the bank, and strode
towards the boat, which he examined narrowly, inside and out. Daring
this time he paid no attention to David; but to the poor lost lad
this indifference gave no hope. He knew that there was no escape
for him. He felt that on this island the brigand was supreme, and
any effort to fly would only be worse than useless. So, instead of
trying to fly, he followed the brigand, and came up to where he
was standing beside the boat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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