Page:Best Russian Short Stories.djvu/511

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THE GENTLEMAN FROM SAN FRANCISCO
227

and humankind has remembered him for all time; and those who, in their collusion, just as incomprehensively and, in substance, just as cruellv as he, reign at present in power over this world, gather from all over the earth to gaze upon the ruins of that stone villa where he had dwelt on one of the steepest ascents of the island. On this marvellous morning all those who had come to Capri for just this purpose were still sleeping in the hotels, although, toward the entrances, were already being led little mouse-gray burros with red saddles, upon which, after awaking and sating themselves with food, Americans and Germans, men and women, young and old, would again ponderously clamber up the steep paths this day, and after whom would again run the old Caprian beggar women, with sticks in their gnarled hands,—would run over stony paths, and always up-hill, up to the very summit of Mount Tiberio. Comforted by the knowledge that the dead old man from San Francisco, who had likewise been planning to. go with them but instead of that had only frightened them with a reminder of. death, had already been shipped off to Naples, the travellers slept on heavily, and the quiet of the island, was still undisturbed, the shops in the town were still shut. The market place in the little square alone was carrying on traffic,—in fish and greens; and the people there were all simple folk, among whom, without anything to do, as always, was standing Lorenzo the boatman, famous all over Italy,—a tall old man, a care-free rake and a handsome fellow, Who had served more than once as a model to many artists; he had brought, and had already sold for a trifle, two lobsters that he had caught that night