The earth rocked at times under his feet.
IX
With movements of mechanical care and an air of abstraction old General
Santierra lighted a long and thick cigar.
"It was a good many hours before we could send a party back to the
ravine," he said to his guests. "We had found one-third of the town laid
low, the rest shaken up; and the inhabitants, rich and poor, reduced to
the same state of distraction by the universal disaster. The affected
cheerfulness of some contrasted with the despair of others. In the
general confusion a number of reckless thieves, without fear of God or
man, became a danger to those who from the downfall of their homes had
managed to save some valuables. Crying 'Misericordia' louder than any at
every tremor, and beating their breast with one hand, these scoundrels
robbed the poor victims with the other, not even stopping short of
murder.
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