Manchurian Books

At first, the poor fellow was so frightened
that he stood like a column, gazing with a fixed look at the pieces,
and then began to cry most bitterly. The passers-by stopped, it is
true, to look at the unfortunate child, but did not evince the least
compassion; they laughed, and went on. In any other place, they
would have raised a little subscription, or at least pitied and
consoled him, but certainly would not have seen anything to laugh
at. The circumstance is of itself a mere trifle, but it is exactly
by such trifles that we are often enabled to form a true estimate of
people's real characters.
Another adventure, also, but of quite a different and most horrible
kind, happened during my stay in Valparaiso.
As I have already remarked, it is the custom here, as well as in
many countries of Europe, to sentence criminals to hard labour on
public works. One of the convicts endeavoured to bribe his gaoler
to let him escape, and so far succeeded that the latter promised on
his paying an ounce (17 Spanish dollars--3 pounds 8s.


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