The Podestà turned a look of mingled wonder and pity on the man who could show such palpable weakness in official life; but he evidently felt he could not risk his dignity by concurrence in such a line of conduct.
“If your Excellency,” said he, “tells me it is in this wise prisoners are treated in your country, I have no more to say.”
“Well, well; let him be brought up,” said L'Estrange, hastily, and more than ever anxious to get free of this Austrian Dogberry.
Nothing more was said on either side while the brigadier went down to bring up the prisoner. The half darkened room, the stillness, the mournful ticking of a clock that made the silence more significant, all impressed L'Estrange with a mingled feeling of weariness and depression; and that strange melancholy that steals over men at times, when all the events of human life seem sad-colored and dreary, now crept over him, when the shuffling sounds of feet, and the clanging of a heavy sabre, apprised him that the escort was approaching.
“We have no treaty with any of the Italian Governments,” said the Podestà, “for extradition; and if the man be a galley-slave, as we suspect, we throw all the responsibility of his case on you.” As he spoke, the door opened, and a young man with a blue flannel shirt and linen trousers entered, freeing himself from the hands of the gendarmes with a loose shake, as though to say, “In presence of my countrymen in authority, I owe no submission to these.” He leaned on the massive rail that formed a sort of barrier in the room, and with one hand pushed back the long hair that fell heavily over his face.
“What account do you give of yourself, my man?” said L'Estrange, in a tone half-commanding, half-encouraging.
“I have come here to ask my consul to send me on to England, or to some seaport where I may find a British vessel,” said the man, and his voice was husky and weak, like that of one just out of illness.
“How did you come to these parts?” asked L'Estrange.
“I was picked up at sea by a Greek trabaccolo, and landed at Antivari; the rest of the way I came on foot.”
“Were you cast away? or how came it that you were picked up?”