Moreover, he wished to
remain in the hut nearly up to the time of the Jew's return, as he
was determined to wait in the forest, and revenge himself for the
suffering he had caused him, and for the torture to which he
intended to put him.
The evening before the day on which he decided to make the attempt,
the charcoal burner and the Jew were in earnest conversation. The
word signifying brigand was frequently repeated, and, although he
could not understand much more than this, he concluded, from the
peasant's talk and gestures, that he had either come across some of
these men in the forest, or had gathered from signs he had
observed, perhaps from their fires, that they were there.
The Jew shrugged his shoulders when the narration was finished. The
presence of brigands was a matter of indifference to him. The next
day, the charcoal burner went off at noon.
"Where does he go to?" Charlie asked his guard.
"He has got some charcoal fires alight, and is obliged to go and
see to them. They have to be kept covered up with wet leaves and
earth, so that the wood shall only smoulder," the man said, as he
lounged out of the hut to his usual seat.
Charlie waited a short time, then went to the pile of logs, and
picked out a straight stick about a yard long and two inches in
diameter.
Pages:
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256