Adventure and adventurers -- Fiction; France -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction; Grandfathers -- Fiction; Orphans -- Fiction
Amongst the wagons, but at some little distance from the Gates, stood an
odd looking cart, a sort of caravan. Over a light frame work which was
erected on four wheels was stretched a heavy canvas; this was fastened
to the light roof which covered the wagon. Once upon a time the canvas
might have been blue, but it was so faded, so dirty and worn, that one
could only guess what its original color had been. Neither was it
possible to make out the inscriptions which were painted on the four
sides. Most of the words were effaced. On one side there was a Greek
word, the next side bore part of a German word, on the third side were
the letters F I A, which was evidently Italian, and on the last a newly
painted French word stood out boldly. This was _PHOTOGRAPHIE_, and was
evidently the translation of all the others, indicating the different
countries through which the miserable wagon had come before it had
entered France and finally arrived at the Gates of Paris.
Was it possible that the donkey that was harnessed to it had brought the
cart all this distance? At first glance it seemed impossible, but
although the animal was tired out, one could see upon a closer view that
it was very robust and much bigger than the donkeys that one sees in
Europe. Its coat was a beautiful dark grey, the beauty of which could be
seen despite the dust which covered it. Its slender legs were marked
with jet black lines, and worn out though the poor beast was, it still
held its head high. The harness, worthy of the caravan, was fastened
together with various colored strings, short pieces, long pieces, just
what was at hand at the moment; the strings had been carefully hidden
under the flowers and branches which had been gathered along the roads
and used to protect the animal from the sun and the flies.
Close by, seated on the edge of the curb, watching the donkey, was a
little girl of about thirteen years of age. Her type was very unusual,
but it was quite apparent that there was a mixture of race. The pale
blond of her hair contrasted strangely with the deep, rich coloring of
her cheeks, and the sweet expression of her face was accentuated by the
dark, serious eyes. Her mouth also was very serious. Her figure, slim
and full of grace, was garbed in an old, faded check dress, but the
shabby old frock could not take away the child's distinguished air.
As the donkey had stopped just behind a large cart of straw, it would
not have required much watching, but every now and again he pulled out
the straw, in a cautious manner, like a very intelligent animal that
knows quite well that it is doing wrong.
"Palikare! stop that!" said the girl for the third time.
The donkey again dropped his head in a guilty fashion, but as soon as he
had eaten his wisps of straw he began to blink his eyes and agitate his
ears, then again discreetly, but eagerly, tugged at what was ahead of
him; this in a manner that testified to the poor beast's hunger.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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