Tony Butler Part 88

"Why so, sir? for what reason do you suppose so?"

"The man who reminds another of the small necessity there is to press him to take something--be it meat or drink--must be a c.o.c.kney."

"I am neither a c.o.c.kney, nor accustomed to listen to impertinence."

"Hand me your flask and I 'll give you my opinion of it, and that will be better than this digression."

The impudence seemed superhuman, and in this way overcame all power of resistance; and Skeffy actually sat there looking on while M'Caskey cut the cords of the little provision-basket, and arranged the contents on the front seat of the carriage, a.s.suring him, as he ate, that he "had tasted worse."

For some time the Major continued to eat and drink, and was so completely immersed in this occupation as to seem quite oblivious of his companion. He then lighted his cigar and smoked on till they reached Caserta, where the carriage halted to change horses.

"The fellow is asking for something for the ostler," said M'Caskey, nudging Skeffy with his elbow as he spoke.

"My servant, sir, looks to these details," said Skefify, haughtily.

"Take these, old boy," said M'Caskey, pitching out to him the basket with the fragments of his late meal, and the silver forks and cup it contained; and the horses whirled the carriage along at full speed as he did so.

"You are perfectly munificent, sir," cried Skefif, angrily, "with what does not belong to you. The proprietor of the Hotel d'Universo will probably look to you for payment for hi s property."

"If your friend of the Universo has a salt spoon of his own this time to-morrow, he 'll be a lucky dog."

"How so? What do you mean?"

"I mean, sir, that as the troops withdraw, pillage will begin. There is but one force in Naples that could control a mob."

"And that is?"

"The Camorra! and but one man could command the Camorra, and he is here!"

"Indeed!" said Skeff, with the very faintest possible sarcasm.

"As I tell you, sir. Colonel M'Caskey might have saved that city; and, instead of it, he is rumbling along over a paved road, going heaven knows where, with heaven knows whom, for heaven knows what!"

"You are either rude or forgetful, sir. I have already told you my name and quality."

"So you have, Skeff; but as a man rises in the service, he forgets the name of the uncommissioned officers. You are attache, or what is it?"

"I am Charge d'Affaires of Great Britain."

"And devilish few will be the affairs you 'll have in your charge this day week."

"How do you make out that?"

"First of all, if we are to pa.s.s through our lines to reach Garibaldi, all our fellows will fire a parting salute after us as we go,--ay, and with ball. Secondly, as we approach the rebels, they 'll pay us the same attention."

"Not with our flag of truce flying."

"Your flag of truce, Skeffy, will only show them that we come unarmed, and make their aim all the steadier in consequence."

"And why was I told that your presence would be protection?"

"Because, sir, if it should fail to be, it is that no other man's in Europe could be such."

"I 'll not turn back, if you mean that," said Skeff, boldly; and for the first time on the journey M'Caskey turned round and took a leisurely survey of his companion.

"You are, I hope, satisfied with my personal appearance," said Skeff, insolently.

"Washy, washy," said M'Caskey, dryly; "but I have met two or three of the same stamp who had pluck."

"The freedom of your tongue, sir, inclines me very considerably to doubt _yours_."

M'Caskey made a bound on his seat, and threw his cigar through the window, while he shouted to the postilion to stop.

"Why should he stop?" asked Skeff.

"Let us settle this at once; we 'll take each of us one of the carriage lamps and fire at the word three. One--two--three! Stop, I say."

"No, sir; I shall hold myself at your orders, time and place fitting, but I 'll neither shoot nor be shot at like a brigand."

"I have travelled with many men, but in my long and varied experience, I never saw a fellow so full of objections. You oppose everything. Now I mean to go asleep; have you anything against _that_, and what is it?"

"Nothing,--nothing whatever!" muttered Skeff, who for the first time heard words of comfort from his companion's lips.

Poor Skeff! is it too much to say that, if you had ever imagined the possibility of such a fellow-traveller, you would have thought twice ere you went on this errand of friendship? Perhaps it might be unfair to allege so much; but unquestionably, if his ardor were not damped, his devotion to his friend was considerably disturbed by thoughts of himself and his own safety.

Where could this monster have come from? What land could have given him birth? What life had he led? How could a fellow of such insolent pretensions have escaped being flayed alive ere he reached the age he looked to be?

Last of all, was it in malice and out of malevolence that Filangieri had given him this man as his guide, well knowing what their companionship must end in? This last suspicion, rea.s.suring so far, as it suggested dreams of personal importance, rallied him a little, and at last he fell asleep.

The hours of the night rolled over thus; and just as the dawn was breaking the _caleche_ rattled into the ruinous old piazza of Nocera.

Early as it was, the market-place was full of people, amongst whom were many soldiers, with or without arms, but, evidently, under no restraint of discipline, and, to all seeming, doubtful and uncertain what to do.

Aroused from his sleep by the sudden stoppage of the carriage, M'Caskey rubbed his eyes and looked out. "What is all this?" cried he. "Who are these fellows I see here in uniform? What are they?"

"Part of Cardarelli's brigade, your Excellency," said a cafe-keeper who had come to the carriage to induce the travellers to alight. "General Cardarelli has surrendered Soveria to Garibaldi, and his men have dispersed."

"And is there no officer in command here to order these fellows into arrest?" cried M'Caskey, as he sprang out of the carriage into the midst of them. "Fall in!" shouted he, in a voice of thunder; "fall in, and be silent: the fellow who utters a word I 'll put a bullet through."

If the first sight of the little fellow thus insolently issuing his orders might have inspired laughter, his fierce look, his flashing eye, his revolver in hand, and his coat blazing with orders, speedily overcame such a sentiment, and the disorderly rabble seemed actually stunned into deference before him.

"What!" cried he, "are you deserters? Is it with an enemy in front that I find you here? Is it thus that you show these civilians what stuff soldiers are made of?" There was not a degrading epithet, not a word of infamous reproach, he did not hurl at them. They were Vili! Birbanti!

Ladri! Malandrini! Codardi! They had dishonored their fathers and mothers, and wives and sweethearts. They had degraded the honor of the soldier, and the Virgin herself was ashamed of them. "Who laughs there?

Let him come out to the front and laugh here!" cried he. And now, though a low murmur little indicative of mirth ran through the crowd, strange to say, the men began to slink away, at first one by one, then in groups and parties, so that in very few minutes the piazza was deserted, save by a few of the townsfolk, who stood there half terrified, half fascinated, by the daring insolence of this diminutive hero.

Though his pa.s.sion seemed almost choking him, he went on with a wonderful fluency to abuse the whole nation. They were brigands for three centuries, and brigands they would be for thirty more, if Providence would not send an earthquake to swallow them up, and rid the world of such rascals. He scoffed at them, he jeered them; he told them that the few Sicilians that followed Garibaldi would make slaves of the whole kingdom, taking from the degenerate cowards of Calabria wives, daughters, home, and households; and it was only when the last straggler shuffled slowly away, and he stood alone in the square, that he would consent to re-enter the carriage and pursue his journey.

"I 'll know every face amongst them if I meet them again," said he to Skeffy, "and it will be an evil day for the scoundrels when that time comes." His wrath continued during the entire stage, and never flagged in its violence till they reached a cl.u.s.ter of poor cabins, around which a guard of soldiers was stationed. Here they were refused a further pa.s.sage, since at Mauro, three miles further on, Melani, with a force of three thousand men and some guns, held the pa.s.s against the Garibaldians. M'Caskey was not long in explaining who he was, nor, indeed, very modest in proclaiming his personal importance; and the subaltern, with every show of deference to such greatness, detached a corporal of his guard to accompany them to the General's quarters. The General was asleep when they reached Mauro; he had been, they said, "up all night," but they did not add it was in the celebration of an orgie, in which the festivities were more cla.s.sic than correct. M'Caskey, however, learned that at about five miles in front, Garibaldi's advanced guard was posted, and that Garibaldi himself had ridden up and reconnoitred their position on the evening before.