The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 76: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

70 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. killing and shooting? Notabit. I’ve got several prisoners confined here now, and if their friends do not ransom them shortly, why, I shall chop their heads off, and get rid of them that way. I am king of these mountains, and defy the devil to take or dethrone me !” After showing Frank into many places, Basil re- turned to a large chamber which was fitted up like a supper-room. It was decorated on all sides with damask and velvet. Chandeliers of sparkling beauty hung suspended from the walls. All wore an air of comfort and elegance. ‘This doesn’t look much like a bandit’s cave,” said Frank, with a smile. But as he smiled a faintness came over his heart he could not explain. There was an air of mystery about the place that filled him with apprehension. Basil’s very politeness and kind attentions alarmed him, For there was a hidden devil in the chief’s eye which spoke of dark designs and infernal mischief. “What means all this parade?” asked Frank. ‘Surely this table is not laid for me and my companions, bold Basil.” ‘That is ‘just what it is prepared for,’ said the Italian, with a wicked smile. “What, entertain strangers in such a mysterious way as this?” “Oh, yes, we often give sulphur to our dear friends,”’ said Basil, coolly ; ‘‘sometimes we call it the death supper.”’ At the same moment he touched a bell twice. From behind a screen that hid some other gpart- ment he had not seen, a girl appeared, looking pale, timid, and beautiful, “‘ My handmaiden, young Englishman,” said Basil, with a demonical grin; “the daughter of a captain T once had. Oh! you need not look surprised and sad, my young friend,” said the bandit chief, curl- ing his moustache as he obseryed Frank’s sorrowful glance at the pretty girl. ‘ You need not feel sorry for her, she is perfectly happy, ain’t you, Annette ?” * Quite happy, padrone,” said the girl, trembling the while. “I told you so. Tell this young Englishman whether you are happy or not, Annette ?” “Quite happy, signor,’’ said she, casting a furtive glance at Frank, and looking paler still, “ Quite happy, signor,”’ ‘I told you so, Quite happy ; how could she be otherwise with such good company as mine? I Basil, Bandit Chief and King of the Mountains, ha, ha! Iam going to make her my wife one of these days, when my old deyil dies, She won’t live long —I told her so long ago, She must die soon, or I’ll make her. Ha, ha!” ‘‘ Your commands, good padrone ?” ‘said Annette, bowing before the black-looking rascal, but trembling in every limb, “Tell my wife to serve up supper immediately.” ‘Tor whom, good padrone ?” ‘hs ‘For whom? Why, for myself and this young man’s friends, Begone, and do it quickly. When next you come in, let me see some colour in your cheeks, and no trembling lips, mind,” So speaking, Basil, on some pretence or other, went out of the apartment, and left Frank alone. He had not been so for more than a minute when the curtains rustled and a second girl appeared—a beautiful creature about sixteen years of age, dressed in picturesque mountain costume, _ She peeped through the tapestry curtains for a moment, and then whispered to Frank as she hurriedly approached him, ‘‘ My father means you no good. He must not see me thus warning you ; Ido so at the risk of my life, Annette, the captive, told me all,’ “What mean you, fair one?” “ You are going to sup.” Well 2?” “Hat and drink to your heart’s content; but, mark me, touch nothing that comes out of a bottle with a green seal; it contains poison, and will be served last.” “ How can I avoid it, sweet maid ?” ‘‘ Leave that to me, bold youth. If there is any wisdom left in me I will save you. I must away.” With these few words, Agnese, the bandit’s daughter, flitted from the room like a shadow, On that instant her father re-entered. “Who was that that rustled the curtains just now ?” he said. ““I did not observe it, worthy Basil,’ said Frank. ‘‘But J did. Has any one spoken to you?” * How should they ?” “°Twes well they have not.” : With a surly look he rang the bell, and supper was soon served. Frank and all his boy companions seated them- selves round the table, and the meal began. Basil was the gayest of the gay, ' “If the Austrians come upon us to-night, they will not have to fight men with empty stomachs.” He touched the bell, during the repast, and Annette appeared. ‘Tell Agneseto bring me my favorite bottle,” said he; which expression seemed so very funny to many of his followers, who were also at supper there, that they laughed out loudly, Agnese, looking pale as death, appeared with a single bottle, having a green seal, which she placed at her father’s elbow, | With a look full of meaning at Frank, she said, ‘‘ Father, the rest of the band are also at supper, in their own cavern, and are noisy for more wine.” “Then why ask me, slut? Let them have their fill. Show one of them to a cask, and let them draw as much as they like; if we want men to fight well, we must feed them well, and prime them well with good old wine. Eh! my young Englishmen ?” “Worthy Basil, quite right. John Bull is a gveat one for feeding well first, and fighting well afterwards,”’ This remark seemed greatly to tickle Basil, who played with the bottle haying a green seal yery fondly, but poured none out as yet, = Frank, in secret, warned all his followers to beware of drinking anything the bandit chief gave them ; and they did so. | The supper was over, and the cloth soon remoyed ; but it struck Frank as a very singular thing that every one except himself and his followers seemed to be fast getting tipsy. Why this was he knew not. He watched Annette and Agnese very closely as they brought in bottle after bottle of wine, and uncorked them, and still the thing remained a mystery to him, During some noisy toast, in which Basil and his a AOL a GComichooks;com