When safe arrived, the alderman made a terrible blustering at the inn;
threatened to complain to the ambassador at Naples, and was ready to
shake his cane at the whole country. The dandy had many stories to tell
of his scuffles with the brigands, who overpowered him merely by
numbers. As to the Misses Popkins, they were quite delighted with the
adventure, and were occupied the whole evening in writing it in their
journals. They declared the captain of the band to be a most
romantic-looking man; they dared to say some unfortunate lover, or
exiled nobleman: and several of the band to be very handsome young
men--"quite picturesque!"
"In verity," said mine host of Terracina, "they say the captain of the
band is _un galant uomo_."
"A gallant man!" said the Englishman. "I'd have your gallant man hang'd
like a dog!"
"To dare to meddle with Englishmen!" said Mr. Hobbs.
"And such a family as the Popkinses!" said Mr. Dobbs.
"They ought to come upon the country for damages!" said Mr. Hobbs.
"Our ambassador should make a complaint to the government of Naples,"
said Mr. Dobbs.
"They should be requested to drive these rascals out of the country,"
said Hobbs.
"If they did not, we should declare war against them!" said Dobbs.
The Englishman was a little wearied by this story, and by the ultra
zeal of his countrymen, and was glad when a summons to their supper
relieved him from a crowd of travellers.
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