Giustino soon acquired the
jargon; he passed his examination in fifteen articles, in secrecy,
swiftness of foot and nimbleness of hand. The latter was taught on a
clothed wooden figure out of whose pockets the students were obliged to
extract handkerchiefs, gold watches and jewelry with such dexterity
that not one of the little bells, which dangled from its hat, gave
forth the slightest sound; that stage passed, the art was practised on
the person of the Director himself who, walking through the streets as
an ordinary citizen, was supposed to have his pockets picked in the
approved professional manner. Those who failed to come up to the
standard were thrashed savagely three or four times; if they still
failed, they were sent back to their parents with a polite
recommendation that they should be taught some other trade. Giustino
was seldom punished. On the contrary, the Director was so enamoured of
his progress and blue eyes that he entered him as a fox long before the
regular three years' course was up, and offered to tattoo the symbol of
proficiency, a cross, on the back of his right hand.
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