Military life in Italy : sketches - Societa italiana di storia militare

404 MILITAR Y LIFE.
toward them turned quickly around, all took a step backward
and whispered something in each other's ears.
" Here they
are," some one would say aloud. And another :
" Take
" care !
The soldiers passed, and the group formed again. Many, on
seeing them coming in the distance toward them, would turn
a street corner. Others, in meeting them, stood aside, and
then stopped to look at them when they had passed with a
curiosity mixed with horror and fear. In the quarters of
the poor people, many closed their doors at their appearance,
and went to the windows ; others half-opened the blinds
and peeped through the cracks ;
the women called in a loud
voice to the children who were playing in the middle of
the street, or caught them by the arms and carried them
hastily into the house ;
the children rushed here and there,
turning back to make faces ;
and as the soldiers went on, the
doors and windows were reopened, and the people appeared,
once more looking suspicious, interrogating and reassuring each
other in turns by signs. Not infrequently the soldiers heard
shouts and words from within which they could not understand,
but which, judging by angry and mocking tones, seemed
undoubtedly intended for them ;
and raising their eyes to the
windows they saw a face slowly appear, which, however, was
withdrawn as soon as perceived, or perhaps only a hand put
outside the sill and shaken in a menacing way. At other times,
in passing, they heard an open insult or a curse muttered at
their backs, or some incomprehensible word ; they turned and
saw a face raised, looking at the clouds in an abstracted manner.
To call them to account for any insult would be to gather the
people and provoke a perfect tumult, so they kept silence and
went on. Sometimes instead of a word, they whirled a stone