For several days Henry Harding was kept confined in his cell, without
seeing a face, except that of the brigand who brought him his food--
always the same individual.
This man was a morose wretch, and as uncommunicative as if he had been
an automaton. Twice a day he would bring in the bowl of _pasta_--a sort
of macaroni porridge boiled in bacon fat, and seasoned with salt and
pepper. He would place the vessel upon the floor, take away the empty
one that had contained the previous meal, and then leave the captive to
himself, without saying a word to him.
The repeated attempts of the young Englishman to bring him to a parley
were met either by complete inattention or rude repulse. Seeing this,
they were abandoned; and the captive ate his _pasta_, and drank his cold
water in silence.
Only at night was there quiet in his cell. All day long, through the
slender-slit window, came noise enough. Just in front of it seemed to
be the favourite loitering place of the brigands, where they passed most
of their time. This was spent almost exclusively in gambling, except
during intervals when quarrelling took the place of playing. Those
intervals were not rare. Scarce an hour elapsed without some dispute,
ending either in a fight between two individuals, or a general row, in
which more than half the band appeared to take part. Then would be
heard the voice of the _capo_, thundering in authoritative tones, as he
delivered curses and cudgel blows right and left among the quarrellers.
Once there was a report of a pistol, followed by groans. The young
Englishman believed that a summary punishment had been inflicted on some
offender: for after the groans there was an interval of solemn
stillness, such as might be observed in the presence of death. If such
were the dread impression upon the scoundrels it did not last long: for
soon after they were heard resuming play, and the cries, "_Cinque y
cinque o capo_," and "_Vinti y vinti croce_!" the game being that common
among the Italian peasantry called, "_Croce o capo_" and which differs
but little from the English "Heads or tails."
By standing on tiptoe, the prisoner could see them playing at it. The
gaming-table was simply a level spot of turf in front of his cell, and
nearly opposite the window. The brigands knelt or squatted in a ring:
one held an old hat from which the lining had been torn out. In this
were placed a number of coins, odd--usually three. These were first
rattled about the hat, and then thrown down upon the turf; the hat, as a
dice-box, still covering them. The bets were then made upon _capo_ or
_croce_ (head or cross), and the raising of the hat determined who were
winners or losers.
It is in this game that the bandits find their chief source of
distraction, from a life that would otherwise be unendurable, even to
such ruffians as they. _Capo o croce_, with an occasional quarrel over
it; plenty of _pasta, confetti_, fat mutton, cheeses, _roccate_, and
_rosolio_; a _festa_ when wine and provisions are plenty; songs usually
of the most vulgar kind; now and then a dance, accompanied by some
coarse flirting with the half-dozen women who usually keep company with
a _banda_--these, and long hours of listless basking in the sun, compose
the joys of the Italian brigand's domestic life.
When on a foray to the peopled plains, he finds excitement of an
altogether different character. The surprise, the capture, the escape
from pursuing soldiers, perhaps an occasional skirmish while retreating
to his hill fortress--these are the incidents that occur to him on a
plundering expedition: and they are sufficiently stirring to keep his
spirit from suffering _ennui_.
This last only steals upon him when the divided plunder, which is
generally in the shape of _denaro di riscatta_ (ransom money), has by
the inexorable chances of the _capo o croce_ become consolidated in a
few hands--the universal result of the game.
Then does the bandit become dissatisfied with listless idleness, and
commences to plan new surprises; the sack of some rich villa, or what is
much more to his mind, the capture of some _galantuomo_, or gentleman,
by whose ransom his purse may be again replenished, again to be staked
upon "Heads or tails."
Unseen himself, the young Englishman had an excellent opportunity of
studying the life of these lawless men.
Between them and their chief there appeared to be but slight
distinction. As a general rule the spoils were shared alike, as also
the chances of the game; for Corvino could at any time be seen in the
ring, along with the rest, staking his _piastres_ on the _capo_ or
_croce_.
His authority was only absolute in the administration of punishment.
His kick and cudgel were never disputed; for, if they had been, it was
well understood these modes of castigation would be instantly changed
for a stab of his stiletto, or a shot from his pistol.
His chieftainship may have been derived from his being the originator of
the band, but it was kept up and sustained by his being its bully. A
chief of low courage, or less cruelty, would soon have been
dispossessed, as not unfrequently happens among the _banditi_.
One thing caused Henry Harding much wonder, as, standing on tiptoe, he
looked out of the little window--the women, the _bandite_.
In the band there was nearly a score of these ladies. He had at first
taken them for boys--beardless members of the gang! There was but
little in their dress to distinguish them from the men. They wore the
same polka jacket, vest, and pantaloons, only with a greater profusion
of ornaments around their necks, and a larger number of rings upon their
fingers.
Some of them were absolutely loaded with jewels of all kinds--pearls,
topazes, rubies, turquoise-stones, even diamonds sparkling among the
rest--the spoils drawn from the delicate fingers of many a rich
_signorina_.
The hair of all was close cropped, like that of the men; while several
carried poignards or pistols, so that only by a certain rotundity of
form could they be distinguished from their male companions, and not all
of them by this. They were not allowed to take part in the gaming, as
they never got share of the _riscatta_. For all that, most of them
shared in the perils of every enterprise, accompanying the men on their
expeditions.
At home they laid aside the carbine to take up the needle; though they
were seldom called upon to wet their fingers in the washing-tub. That
is regarded as an occupation beneath the dignity of a _bandita_; and is
left to the wives of those peasants in communication with the band, and
who are termed _manutangoli_, or "helpers." These are well paid for the
labour of the laundry--a clean shirt costing the bandit almost the price
of a new one! It was not often that any of Corvino's band cared to
incur the expense; only its _damerini_ or dandies, and they only upon
the occasion of a _festa_.
Most of these observations were made by the English captive, during the
first few days of his captivity. He saw many strange scenes through the
little window of his cell. He might have seen more, had the window been
lower in the wall; but, high up as it was, he was obliged to stand on
tiptoe, and this becoming tiresome after a time, he only assumed the
irksome attitude when some scene more exciting than common summoned him
from his lair of dried fern-leaves.