CHAPTER XXVIII. THE FOREST
After walking for about two hours through the forest, where to Silvia'sand Clelia's inexperienced eyes there appeared to be no path evertrodden by man, Orazio stopped at a clearing, and they beheld a smallpleasant-looking glade. Jack, the sailor, had proved of great use inremoving fallen branches strewn across the way, which would else havegreatly impeded the progress of the ladies. The weather had cleared up,and although the wind still moved the crowns of the trees it fanned butgently the cheeks of the fugitives.
"Signora, sit down here with your daughter," said their guide, pointingto a large flat stone, "and take some rest, of which I see you are inneed. Jack and I will go in search of some food; but, before we do so,I will spread my cloak upon your hard bench, that you may repose ingreater comfort."
Orazio was repaid with a graceful bow, and starting into the wood at arapid pace, accompanied by the sailor-boy, was soon hidden from theirview.
Silvia was really fatigued, but Clelia, being of a more elasticconstitution, and refreshed by her sound sleep during the past night,was not so much fatigued; nevertheless, she found it very welcome torest in that agreeable place, where no human being save themselves wasvisible.
Yielding presently, however, to the vivacity of her age, the younggirl sprang up, and began to gather some pretty wild flowers she hadobserved, and forming them into a bouquet, presented them with a smileto her mother, and re-seated herself at her side. Just then, the reportof a musket re-echoed through the wood. Silvia was greatly startledby the sudden echo in that lonely, silent retreat, which had in itsomething solemn.
Clelia, perceiving the effect upon her mother, embraced her, and inreassuring tones said, "That is only a shot from our friend, _mia madre_;he will soon return with some game."
Silvia's color came back again, and very soon afterwards Orazio and Jackrejoined the ladies, carrying between them a young boar, struck down bya ball from the carbine of the Roman.
At Orazio's request, Clelia, who had some knowledge of the Englishlanguage, bade Jack gather some sticks and light a fire, which he didwillingly, and in a little time the cheerful pile was blazing beforethem.
Animal food may be necessary to man--in part a carnivorous animal--stillthe trade of a butcher is a horrid one, while the continual dabbling inthe blood of dumb creatures, and cutting up their slaughtered carcasseshas something very repulsive in it. For our own part we would gladlygive up eating animal food, and as years pass on, we become more andmore averse to the destruction of these creatures, and can not evenendure to see a bird wounded, though formerly we delighted in the chase.
However, habit had made slaying and preparing the boar natural and easyto Orazio, who, compelled to live in the forest, had, indeed, no choicein the matter, being obliged either to kill game or starve. He laid theboar upon the grass, and with his hunting-knife skinned a portion, andcutting some substantial slices, fastened them on a skewer, cut by Jackout of a piece of green wood, and laid them over the fire. When fairlycooked, he presented them to the famished travellers. It was a roastwell fitted to appease the cravings of a moderate appetite, and the wilddinner was heartily relished by all the parly. The meal was, indeed, acheerful one, much merriment being caused by the absurdities uttered byJack, whom Clelia was laughingly endeavoring to teach Italian.
The sailor is always a light-hearted fellow on land, and moreparticularly after he has been a long time at sea. Jack, forgetting hisnarrow escape, was now the gayest of the four, and, in the company ofthe gentle and beautiful Clelia, did not envy his late shipmates, whowere tossing on the tempestuous ocean. For Orazio, his preserver, andthe Italian ladies, his gratitude knew no bounds, although he had but avague idea of their position and purposes.
When the repast was ended the party continued their journey, restingoccasionally by the way, and in this manner arrived, late in theafternoon, in sight of one of those ancient edifices along the Ostianshore which appear to have escaped the destroying touch of Time. Itstood away from the sea, on the edge of the forest, and at the entranceto a vast plain; several fine oaks, many centuries old, were growingabout it, planted apparently by the original possessors, with someattempt at regularity.
Orazio, begging the ladies to recline upon a mossy bank, stepped aside,and drawing a small horn from his pouch, blew a blast, shrill and long.The signal was answered by a similar sound from the ancient building,and an individual, dressed much in Orazio's style, issued from it, who,approaching the brigand with an air of respect, cordially saluted him.
Orazio took the new-comer's hand in a friendly manner, and, pointing tohis party, held a short conversation with him in an undertone. The manthen retired, and Orazio, returning to the ladies, begged them to rise,and permit him to conduct them to this secure place of refuge.