The appearance of this well-known and celebrated brute
caused another stir in the throng, many pressing upon the guards to get a
nearer view, and a few casting fragments of food from their wallets, as
tokens of gratitude and regard. In the midst of this little by-play of
good feeling, a dark shaggy animal leaped upon the scaffolding, and very
coolly commenced, with an activity that denoted the influence of the keen
mountain air on his appetite, picking up the different particles of meat
that had, as yet, escaped the eye of Uberto. The intruder was received
much in the manner that an unpopular or an offending actor is made to
undergo the hostilities of pit and galleries, to revenge some slight or
neglect for which he has forgotten or refused to atone. In other words, he
was incontinently and mercilessly pelted with such missiles as first
presented themselves. The unknown animal, which the reader, however, will
not be slow in recognizing to be the water-dog of Il Maledetto, received
these unusual visitations with some surprise, and rather awkwardly; for,
in his proper sphere, Nettuno had been quite as much accustomed to meet
with demonstrations of friendship from the race he so faithfully served,
as any of the far-famed and petted mastiffs of the convent.
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