Page:De Amicis - Heart, translation Hapgood, 1922.djvu/66

 rounded by ash-trees, in front of which stood a solitary boy, about twelve years old, who was removing the bark from a small branch with a knife, in order to make himself a stick. From one window of the little house floated a large tri-colored flag. There was no one inside: the peasants had fled, after hanging out the flag, for fear of the Austrians. As soon as the lad saw the cavalry, he flung aside his stick and raised his cap. He was a handsome boy, with a bold face, large blue eyes and long, golden hair. He was in his shirt-sleeves and his breast was bare.

'“What are you doing here?” the officer asked him, reining in his horse. “Why did you not flee with your family? ” “I have no family,” replied the boy. “I am a foundling. I do a little work for everybody. I stayed here to see the war.”

“Have you seen any Austrians pass?”

“No; not for these three days.”

The officer paused a while in thought; then he leaped from his horse, leaving his soldiers there, with their faces turned towards the foe, he entered the house and mounted to the roof. The house was low; from the roof only a small tract of country was visible.“ It will be necessary to climb the trees,” said the officer, and descended. Just in front of the garden plot rose a very lofty and slender ash-tree, which was rocking its crest in the sky. The officer stood thinking a moment, gazing now at the tree, and again at the soldiers; then, all of a sudden, he asked the lad:—

“Is your sight good, you monkey?”