-to the
parents who had sold him like a beast. The poor lad was lacerated and
weak. He had been assigned to the second-class cabin. Every one stared
at him; some questioned him, but he made no reply, and seemed to hate
and despise every one, to such an extent had privation and affliction
saddened and irritated him. Nevertheless, three travellers, by dint of
persisting in their questions, succeeded in making him unloose his
tongue; and in a few rough words, a mixture of Venetian, French, and
Spanish, he related his story. These three travellers were not Italians,
but they understood him; and partly out of compassion, partly because
they were excited with wine, they gave him soldi, jesting with him and
urging him on to tell them other things; and as several ladies entered
the saloon at the moment, they gave him some more money for the purpose
of making a show, and cried: 'Take this! Take this, too!' as they made
the money rattle on the table.

"The boy pocketed it all, thanking them in a low voice, with his surly
mien, but with a look that was for the first time smiling and
affectionate. Then he climbed into his berth, drew the curtain, and lay
quiet, thinking over his affairs. With this money he would be able to
purchase some good food on board, after having suffered for lack of
bread for two years; he could buy a jacket as soon as he landed in
Genoa, after having gone about clad in rags for two years; and he could
also, by carrying it home, insure for himself from his father and mother
a more humane reception than would have fallen to his lot if he had
arrived with empty pockets. This money was a little fortune for him; and
he was taking comfort out of this thought behind the curtain of his
berth, while the three travellers chatted away, as they sat round the
dining-table in the second-class saloon. They were drinking and
discussing their travels and the countries which they had seen; and from
one topic to another they began to discuss Italy. One of them began to
complain of the inns, another of the railways, and then, growing warmer,
they all began to speak evil of everything. One would have preferred a
trip in Lapland; another declared that he had found nothing but
swindlers and brigands in Italy; the third said that Italian officials
do not know how to read.

"'It's an ignorant nation,' repeated the first. 'A filthy nation,' added
the second. 'Ro--' exclaimed the third, meaning to say 'robbers'; but
he was not allo