Historical fiction; Italy -- History -- Revolution of 1848 -- Fiction; War stories
'What right have you to be leaning your head there?' she said, and
threatened to make his proceedings known. Beppo had no jewel to give,
little money to spare. He had just heard Herr Johannes welcomed among
the officers by a name that half paralyzed him. 'You shall have anything
you ask of me if you will find me out in a couple of hours,' he said.
Katchen nodded truce for that period, and saw her home in the Oberinnthal
still nearer--twelve mountain goats and a cow her undisputed property.
She found him out, though he had strayed through the court of the inn,
and down a hanging garden to the borders of a torrent that drenched the
air and sounded awfully in the dark ravine below. He embraced her very
mildly. 'One scream and you go,' he said; she felt the saving hold of
her feet plucked from her, with all the sinking horror, and bit her under
lip, as if keeping in the scream with bare stitches. When he released
her she was perfectly mastered. 'You do play tricks,' she said, and
quaked.
'I play no tricks. Tell me at what hour these soldiers march.'
'At two in the morning.'
'Don't be afraid, silly child: you're safe if you obey me. At what time
has our carriage been ordered?'
'At four.'
'Now swear to do this:--rouse my mistress at a quarter past two: bring
her down to me.'
'Yes, yes,' said Kitchen, eagerly: 'give me your handkerchief, and she
will follow me. I do swear; that I do; by big St. Christopher! who's
painted on the walls of our house at home.'
Beppo handed her sweet silver, which played a lively tune for her
temporarily--vanished cow and goats. Peering at her features in the
starlight, he let her take the handkerchief from his pocket.
'Oh! what have you got in there?' she said.
He laid his finger across her mouth, bidding her return to the house.
'Dear heaven!' Katchen went in murmuring; 'would I have gone out to that
soft-looking young man if I had known he was a devil.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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