Calmly, as though it were an every-day excursion, Ruggiero lighted a
torch and held it out when the boat was alongside of the rocks, showing
the dark green crabs that lay by dozens motionless as though paralysed
by the strong red glare. And Bastianello picked them off and tossed them
into the kettle at his feet, as fast as he could put out his hands to
take them. Teresina tried, too, but one almost bit her tender fingers
and she contented herself with looking on, while San Miniato and
Beatrice silently watched the proceedings from their place in the stern.
Little by little Ruggiero made the boat follow the base of the
precipice, till she was under the natural arch.
"Pardon, Excellency," he said quietly, "but the foreigners think this is
a sight with the torches. If you will go ashore on the ledge, I will
show it you."
The proposal seemed very natural under the circumstances, and as the
operation of picking crabs off the rocks and dropping them into a
caldron loses its interest when repeated many times, Beatrice
immediately assented.
The larger boat was slowly following and the tinkle of the mandolin,
playing waltz music, rang out through the stillness.
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