_More Troubles for poor David.--Onset of four Women.--Seized by an
old Crone and three Peasant Girls.--Fresh Horror of David.--A new
Uproar in the Yard of the Inn.--Uncle Moses bent double._
Ludlow began to talk to the landlord about a conveyance to
Castellamare, and David walked through the house into the yard.
David's only desire now was to hurry on and join his friends as
soon as possible. He had not the remotest idea that they were in
Sorrento, and that the trouble had arisen about them, but fancied
that they were in Castellamare, full of anxiety about him.
Sympathizing with their anxiety, he longed to go to them, so as to
put an end to it; and seeing a carriage in the yard, he naturally
walked in that direction. Reaching, the yard he noticed that the
horses were in it, and that it was a barouche, like the one in
which his party had been travelling. Not for one moment did he
suppose that it was the same one, nor did he notice it very closely;
but giving it a careless glance, he looked around to see those to
whom it belonged.
As David went out into the yard, the driver had just gone into the
barn to tell Uncle Moses and the boys that the trouble was over
and the crowd was dispersing. Their joy may be imagined. They were
just hastening from the barn to return to the hotel, and had just
reached the barn door when David approached.
David was walking along towards the barn, looking around to see
where the people were, when suddenly he heard a wild cry, and saw
a figure rush straight towards him. It was a woman's figure, and
she appeared quite old. Like lightning, the thought flashed through
him that this was his old tormentor, the hag; and with a gasp he
started back, and was about to run. But the other was too quick
for him, and David felt himself seized by his dreaded enemy. This
dreaded enemy then behaved in a frantic way, hugging him and uttering
inarticulate words. David struggled to get free from her, and
throwing a frightened glance at her face, which was but partly
visible, beneath a very shabby bonnet, he saw that she was quite
old, and that tears were streaming down from her eyes. This frightened
David all the more, for now he was sure that she was insane.
But now, to David's horror, he found himself surrounded by three
more women, in coarse dresses and horribly shabby bonnets. They
all made a simultaneous rush at him, seizing his hands and arms,
and seemed about to tear him to pieces. In vain he struggled. He
was helpless. A cold shudder passed through him, and a thrill of
horror tingled every nerve.
All this had been the work of an instant. So sudden had been the
onset, and so overwhelmed was David with utter horror, that he
could not even scream for help. But at last he got his month open,
and was just about to give one piercing yell for help, when the
words were taken out of his mouth, and his voice stopped, and a
new and greater surprise created within him.
"David! David! My boy! my boy!" moaned the first old woman.
"Dave! You rascal! What do you mean by this?" cried woman
Number Two.
"Dave! Old boy! What in the world is the meaning of this?" cried
woman Number Three.
"Dave! How did you find us?" cried woman Number Four.
"Where have you been?" "Where did you come from?" "When did you
get here?" "What made you go off?" "Did they seize you?" "Was it
the old woman that did it?" These questions, and scores of others,
came pouring forth into his astonished ears. As for David, he could
not utter one single word. At length the yearning affection of
Uncle Moses seemed to be satiated, and the boisterous greetings of
the boys exhausted, and one by one they released their grasp, and
allowed David to extricate himself.
Thereupon David stood off at a little distance, and gazed at them
in mute amazement. The sight which they presented to his astonished
eyes was one which might have excited strong emotions in the breast
of any beholder.
There stood Uncle Moses, his figure concealed under a tattered
gown, and his venerable head enfolded in a battered bonnet of
primeval style.
There stood Frank, looking like a strapping peasant woman, with a
bonnet that was stuck on the top of his head like a man's hat.
There stood Clive, looking like a pretty peasant girl, quite Italian
in his style, with a dress that was a trifle neater than the others.
And there was Bob, an utter and unmitigated absurdity,--with s
dress that was tangled about his legs, and a bonnet that had no
crown. The four of them looked more like escaped lunatics than
anything else, and no sooner had David taken in the whole scene,
than he burst forth into a perfect convulsion of laughter.
Thus far the disguise had possessed nothing but a serious character
in the minds of the wearers. By means of this disguise they had
hoped to escape, and the costumes, being thus a help to safety,
had been dignified in their eyes. But now, when the danger was
over, and safety assured, there was nothing to hide from their eyes
the unutterable absurdity, the inconceivable ludicrousness of their
appearance. As David's laugh burst forth, each turned his eyes upon
the other, and saw how it was.
Then they all burst forth! It was a cataclysm of laughter. The boys
swayed backward and forward, and danced up and down, and shouted,
and yelled with laughter. Uncle Moses stood with his eyes shut and
his figure bent double. Frank stared at each one in succession,
and then at himself, giving a scream at each figure. Clive laughed
till he sank down; and Bob, flinging himself upon the ground in a
perfect paroxysm, rolled over and over, and kicked, and yelled,
and fairly howled in one prolonged and uproarious cachinnation.
The uproar aroused the house.
The driver hurried out of the barn and joined in the roar.
The hostler followed him.
The servants came from the hotel, and lent their voices.
The landlord came out, and was at once seized with a convulsion.
After the landlord came Ludlow. He didn't altogether understand
it; but he saw David, and he saw the four figures; and from what
the landlord had been telling him, he knew who they were. The
sight overwhelmed him. He opened his mouth. He burst forth. It was
tremendous. It was Olympian. It was the laughter of Homer's immortals.
It was a thunder-peal. It was too much. He could not keep his feet,
but sank down on the stone steps, and burying his face in his hands,
gave way utterly.
Thus it Was, then, that David, the most solemn of boys, returned
to his distracted and anxious friends.
At length the laughter ceased, and the costumes were set aside,
and they all sat in the dining-room, asking and giving explanations.
David had to tell the story of his adventures. The boys had to tell
about their search after him, and Ludlow had to tell the story of
his meeting with David at Capri. These mutual explanations had
nothing in them but what was pleasant, so that there was nothing
to detract from the joy of the occasion.
And now Ludlow, finding the friends so happily reunited, pressed
them all to come over to Capri at once, and stay as long as they
felt inclined to. David's eyes sparkled at this, and the other
boys, who had fallen in love with Ludlow at first sight, were more
eager to go than they could tell. But Uncle Moses demurred. He felt
afraid of giving trouble, and thought they had better get back to
Naples. Ludlow, however, pooh-poohed his scruples, answered every
objection, and would not take any refusal whatever; so that the
result was, the final departure of the party for Capri.
But before they went, several things had to be attended to. First
of all, they had to dismiss the driver. With the exception of his
sulk at Paestum, he had behaved admirably, and had been of immense
service to them in more than one hour of need. The consequence was,
that Uncle Moses gave him a reward so liberal that it elicited an
outburst of benedictions, thanks, and prayers for the future welfare
of the whole party.
The other business was to see about the return of the boat which
David had taken. This, however, was arranged without difficulty.
Ludlow knew an honest fisherman who could be intrusted with the
task of returning the boat, and making explanations to the owner.
By this man they sent a sufficient sum to repay the owner for the
use of it.
They engaged another boat to take them to Capri. A gentle breeze
wafted them over the intervening water, and they soon stood before
the artist's picturesque abode. Mrs. Ludlow received them all with
her brightest smile and warmest cordiality, and the boys soon began
to feel towards the artist and his wife as though they were near
and dear relations. They found the artist's cottage a perfect
storehouse of curiosities, and a museum of antiquities; they found
also that it was of large dimensions, and contained sufficient
accommodations for the party; and thus they were able to feel that
they were not a burden in any way on their warm-hearted friends.
Ludlow took them all over the island, and showed them all that was
to be seen. He was not only an enthusiastic artist, but also an
antiquarian of no mean attainments; and while he could point out
to them the most beautiful spots on that lovely isle, he could also
talk learnedly about the ancient Capraea, and raise out of ancient
ruins theories about the pleasure-grounds of Tiberius.
But the most wonderful thing which they found there was the famous
grotto, so familiar to all from the accounts of tourists, and from
the well-known description in Hans Andersen's Improvisatore. After
that glowing, poetic, and enthusiastic narrative, no other need be
attempted. Here they passed three or four days, and when at length
they bade adieu to the artist and his wife, it was with many sincere
regrets on both sides, and many earnest wishes that they might meet
again.
After which they all went back to Naples.