Page:De Amicis - Heart, translation Hapgood, 1922.djvu/36

 a pitiable condition, he had fled from his slave-master and had betaken himself for protection to the Italian consul, who, moved with compassion, had placed him on board of this steamer, and had given him a letter to the guardsman of Genoa, who was to send the boy back to his parents to the parents who had sold him like a beast. The poor lad was weak and ragged. He had been put in 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 suffering borne him down and saddened him. Nevertheless, three travelers, persisting in their questioning, succeeded in making him unloosen his tongue; and in a few rough words, a mixture of Venetian, French, and Spanish, he related his story. These three travelers were not Italian, but they understood him; and partly out of compassion, partly because they were excited with wine, they gave him a few coins, jesting with him and urging him on to tell them other things; and as several ladies entered the salon 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, and with his sad face, 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