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diff --git a/44418-0.txt b/44418-0.txt index 0208e33..88813a3 100644 --- a/44418-0.txt +++ b/44418-0.txt @@ -1,38 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Italian Days and Ways, by Anne Hollingsworth -Wharton - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Italian Days and Ways - - -Author: Anne Hollingsworth Wharton - - - -Release Date: December 13, 2013 [eBook #44418] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS*** - - -E-text prepared by Ann Jury, Melissa McDaniel, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44418 *** Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. @@ -6725,362 +6691,4 @@ Transcriber's note: The text uses the spelling/punctuation Sant' Angelo, Lung' Arno, and bell 'alma, which have been retained. - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS*** - - -******* This file should be named 44418-0.txt or 44418-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/4/1/44418 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm -concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared -with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project -Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. -unless a copyright notice is included. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Italian Days and Ways - - -Author: Anne Hollingsworth Wharton - - - -Release Date: December 13, 2013 [eBook #44418] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS*** - - -E-text prepared by Ann Jury, Melissa McDaniel, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 44418-h.htm or 44418-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44418/44418-h/44418-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44418/44418-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/italiandaysways00wharuoft - - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - - - - -ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS - -[THIRD EDITION] - - - * * * * * * - -_By Anne Hollingsworth Wharton_ - - - Italian Days and Ways. Decorated title and 8 illustrations. - Crown, 8vo. Cloth, extra, $1.50 _net_. - - Social Life in the Early Republic. Profusely illustrated. - 8vo. Buckram, gilt top, uncut edges, $3.00 _net_; half levant, - $6.00 _net_. - - Salons, Colonial and Republican. Profusely illustrated. 8vo. - Buckram, $3.00; three-quarters levant, $6.00. - - Heirlooms in Miniatures. Profusely illustrated. 8vo. Buckram, - $3.00; three-quarters levant, $6.00. - - Through Colonial Doorways. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, $1.25. - - Colonial Days and Dames. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, $1.25. - - A Last Century Maid. Illustrated. 4to. Cloth, $1.25. - - * * * * * * - - - [Illustration: Castello Sant' Angelo] - - - - -ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS - -by - -ANNE HOLLINGSWORTH WHARTON - -With Illustrations - - -[Illustration: Church of S. Damian, Assisi] - - - - - - - -Philadelphia and London -J. B. Lippincott Company -MCMVII - -Copyright, 1906 By J. B. Lippincott Company - -Published, November, 1906 - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - I LA SUPERBA IN THE CLOUDS 9 - - II ALONG THE RIVIERA 27 - - III CAPTURED BY A CABMAN 39 - - IV AN EXCITING DRIVE 53 - - V BELLA ROMA 76 - - VI A POET'S CORNER 93 - - VII ANTIQUITIES AND ORANGE-BLOSSOMS 102 - - VIII VIA APPIA 116 - - IX TU ES PETRUS 129 - - X VALE ROMA 145 - - XI SHORT JOURNEYS 158 - - XII AN UMBRIAN IDYL 173 - - XIII A SUNDAY IN ASSISI 192 - - XIV THE CITY OF FLOWERS 211 - - XV AN EARTHLY PARADISE 232 - - XVI FIESOLE 253 - - XVII HAPS AND HAPPENINGS 272 - - XVIII ANGELA'S LETTER 295 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - CASTELLO SANT' ANGELO _Frontispiece_ - THE BAY OF NAPLES. _Photographed by Dr. Bertha Lewis_ 41 - ON THE ROAD TO PAESTUM. _Photographed by Dr. Bertha Lewis_ 59 - AN AMAZONIAN TRIBUTE, CAPRI. _Photographed by Dr. Bertha Lewis_ 71 - CYPRESS WALK, HADRIAN'S VILLA 87 - A STREET IN FLORENCE 212 - THE MICHAEL ANGELO WELL AT THE CERTOSA, FLORENCE 269 - PALAZZO REZZONICO 277 - - - - -ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS - - - - -I - -LA SUPERBA IN THE CLOUDS - - - GENOA, February 19th. - -Your most interesting letter, Sir Philosopher, reached me at Gibraltar, -and served to give me a homelike feeling in that alien land of Spain. -Any one who can write letters as interesting as yours, from your -library, with the mercury at zero outside, and nothing more refreshing -to look upon from the window than snow and sleet, does not need to -wander in sunny lands and among ancient ruins for an inspiration. No, -travel would be absolutely wasted upon you, who require only a cigar -and a wood fire to encourage your "reveries of a bachelor." - -You wish to know what are my first impressions of Italy, and how -we three women get on together? To be perfectly candid with you, we -ourselves are not wandering in sunny lands at present, and the cheerful -blaze of your library fire would prove most welcome to benumbed fingers -and pinched noses. - -Our welcome to Genoa was not particularly cheerful. It had been raining -for days; the sky was heavy with clouds, and the air chilly and damp. -We can well understand why the prudent and all-informing Baedeker -advises invalids visiting Genoa at this time to guard against raw winds -and abrupt changes of temperature. - -We enjoyed coming into the fine harbor, around which Genoa is built -upon its hills and terraces in the form of a half-circle, the city -widening out toward the ends of the arc. On the hills, we know, are -many beautiful villas, seen to-day but dimly through veils of mist, and -beyond are the mountains, which in clear weather must add much to the -charm of this old fortress as seen from the sea. - -Zelphine says that it would be very ungrateful of us if we were to -complain of cloudy weather, as the skies might be pouring down upon -us instead of only threatening, and, after all, we are having the same -good luck that we had in Madeira, Granada, and Algiers in coming after -the rain instead of before it. - -And how do we get on together? Really, monsieur, you display courage -when you ask that question, as I might here and now unburden my mind -of a long list of grievances. As it is, however, I have so far no -woes to relate, although I know that a sojourn on the Continent has -wrecked many a friendship. We three must appear to those who meet us -an ill-assorted trio; but because of our individualities we may be the -better fitted to stand the crucial test of a tour of indefinite length, -whose only object is pleasure. - -Zelphine is the encyclopædia of the party, and, as Angela says, -her information is always on tap, besides which she is amiable and -refreshingly romantic. It is inspiring to travel with a woman, no -longer young, to whom the world and its inhabitants still wear "the -glory and the dream." On the other hand, when one is suffering from -the discomforts of travel to such an extent that it would be a luxury -to moan and groan a bit and find fault with the general condition of -things, it is a trifle irritating to see Zelphine sailing serenely upon -the seas of high content, apparently above such trifling accidents as -material comfort. You, being a man and consequently a philosopher of -greater or less degree, may not be able to understand this; it is just -here that Zelphine and I might quarrel, but we "generally most always" -do not. - -Angela you have scarcely known since she was a little girl, when she -was a prime favorite of yours. In the half-hour in which you saw her, -just before we sailed, you must have realized that in appearance she -had fulfilled the promise of her beautiful childhood. She is a spirited -creature, but with a fine balance of common sense, and with her -delicate, spirituelle beauty is astonishingly practical--an up-to-date -girl, in fine. Have you ever wondered, among your many ponderings, -why the girls of to-day, with the beauty of their great-grandmothers, -should be utterly devoid of the sentiment that enhanced the loveliness -of those dear ladies as perfume adds to the charm of a flower? This -question I leave with you for future solution. - -Here in Genoa we meet the narrow, precipitous passages, streets by -courtesy, which interested us in the Moorish quarter of Algiers, dating -back in both cases to remote antiquity. They are to be found, we are -told, in every old Italian town. Many of them answer to Hawthorne's -description of the streets of Perugia, which, he says, are "like -caverns, being arched all over and plunging down abruptly towards an -unknown darkness, which, when you have fathomed its depths, admits you -to a daylight that you scarcely hoped to behold again." - -Old palaces overshadow these narrow, crooked streets, built many -stories high and close together for protection against enemies without -and factional feuds at home; such as those between the powerful -houses of Doria, Spinola, Fieschi, and the like. The majority of these -buildings have fallen from their ancient glory, and look, as Angela -says, like tenement houses. This plebeian association is carried out -by the squalid appearance of the inhabitants, and by the clothes-lines -stretched across the streets from window to window, on which are hung -garments of every size, degree, color, and ingenuity of patch, the -predominant red and white lending a certain picturesqueness to the -motley array. - -Turning a corner, we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a -quarrel, or a violent altercation at the best, between a pretty signora -at a fourth-floor window and a vendor of fruits and vegetables on the -sidewalk below. The language which the lady used, as she leaned far -out of the window, was so vigorous that no interpreter was needed to -make her meaning plain: the merchant was a charlatan and a villain; -the saints were all called upon as witnesses to his depravity. He, the -so-called vendor of over-ripe fruit, pointed to his wares, beating his -breast and spreading out his hands in token of his spotless innocence. -He sell over-ripe oranges? All his neighbors would testify to his -poverty and that of his family because he, honest one, daily sacrificed -hundreds of oranges to satisfy his unreasonable customers! - -The signora's dark eyes flashed, the Spanish mantilla upon her head -shook in sympathy with the violence of her emotions, as she repeated -her vocabulary of epithets. We were thankful that four stories -separated the combatants, and retiring under the shadow of a doorway we -anxiously awaited results. Something happened, we know not what; the -fruit may have been reduced the fraction of a penny; whatever it was, -a truce was declared, during which the signora's basket, filled with -fruit and artichokes, was drawn up to the window by a rope. After the -lady had carefully inspected each individual fruit and vegetable, she -smiled blandly, lowered some money in her basket, and the pair parted -with bows and compliments. Juliet on her balcony could not have been -more graceful, nor Romeo on the pavement below more gallant than this -shabby _venditore_, as he swept the ground with his cap, one hand upon -his heart! - -Feeling that we owed something to somebody for the pleasure that this -little drama had afforded us, we crossed the street and bought from the -chief actor some fresh dates such as we had first tasted in Algiers. -As we paid the asking price without protest, we felt quite sure that -the valiant little merchant was making off us anything that he may have -lost in his previous transaction; but the dates, of a delicate amber -color, as sweet as honey and almost as transparent, were worth whatever -price we paid for them. - -After much turning and retracing of steps, and laughing over being lost -and not having the power to make inquiries with any certainty of being -understood, we finally gained wider and more open streets, and on the -Piazza Banchi found an exchange, where we were able to get some money -on our letters of credit. - -After attending to this practical detail we turned into the little old -Via Orefici, Jewellers' Street, with its many goldsmiths' shops. Over -one of the doors is a Virgin and Child, so beautiful that it cost the -artist his life. Pellegrino Piola's master, insanely jealous of this -work of his pupil, rose up in wrath and killed him. Even the patron, -St. Eloy, was unable to save poor Piola's life, but the guild of -smiths, who revere St. Eloy as their patron saint, invoked his aid to -preserve this lovely fresco from the ruthless hands of Napoleon when he -would have carried it off to France. - -As we passed window after window, some with their display of exquisite -gold and silver filigree and others containing lofty pyramids of the -most delicious-looking candied fruit, Angela said that after a few -hours' stay in Genoa she was quite sure of two characteristics of the -Genoese: a passion for jewelry, especially of the filigree sort, and an -inordinate appetite for sweets. The pretty, delicate ornaments, I am -inclined to think, are only spread forth to tempt the unwary tourist; -but the Italian taste for sweets is proverbial, whetted, doubtless, -by the high price of sugar and the exquisiteness of the native -confections. - -Strolling along the fine, wide Via Vittorio Emanuele, eating our dates -like true Bohemians and gazing about us upon the sights of the strange -city, we turned, almost involuntarily, into the busy thoroughfare of -the Via San Lorenzo, where we were confronted by the great façade of -the cathedral of the same name, with huge stone lions standing guard -at the door. Above the entrance--grewsome and realistic spectacle--is -poor St. Lawrence broiling away on his stone gridiron! We shall -doubtless behold many such spectacles during our travels, and may, like -Mark Twain, become quite hardened to the sight of St. Sebastian stuck -full of arrows, and of lovely young St. Anastasia and of many others, -of whom the world was not worthy, smiling amid the flames; but this -realistic thrusting of St. Lawrence and his gridiron into the life -of to-day, as an ornament to a church, impressed us as unworthy of a -people credited with a sense of beauty and fitness. - -We were thankful to turn from the cathedral, whose interior we may -explore to-morrow, and, like good Americans, wend our way along the -Via Balbi, with its many palaces and handsome university buildings, -to a lovely little square called Acquaverde, where there is a handsome -modern statue of Columbus. Beside the really fine figure of the Genoese -navigator is a woman who represents either Columbia or an Italianized -American Indian, we were not sure which, to whom Columbus is offering -the Catholic religion and other blessings of civilization. From the -benevolent expression of the donor it is evident that he is making -the presentation in good faith, although the lady appears singularly -indifferent to the gifts offered her. - -Some children with large, dark eyes and round, rosy cheeks, beautiful -enough to serve as models for the Holy Child and St. John, were playing -in the little green square some rhymed game in which their high, clear -voices rang out joyously. It was probably an Italian equivalent for -"ring-around-the-rosy" or "hot butter-beans." We longed to know just -what the words meant. Zelphine bribed the singers with soldi to an -encore; but, alas! the song fell upon ears dull of understanding. This -was the merriest scene that we have found in Genoa, which does not -impress us as a gay city at all; but what mature and sane community -could be merry under skies as leaden as these? - -We are lodged in an old palace, which opens out on those most -disappointing arcades of which we have read such fascinating -descriptions. We see no pretty young Genoese women in thin muslin veils -nor handsome matrons in veils of flowered chintz; probably the rain -keeps them and their finery indoors. We remind ourselves, from time -to time, that we are dwelling in marble halls for the first time in -our lives, and yet some of the appointments of this rather expensive -_albergo_ are not equal to those of a second or third class hotel in -America. My room is spacious, with windows opening to the floor and -commanding a fine view of the harbor, where many ships lie at anchor, -among them the floating city in which we came hither. It makes us feel -at home to-night to see the lights of the Augusta Victoria, and we wave -friendly greetings to her and our fellow-voyagers across the bay. - -"We were far more comfortable in our little state-rooms on the ship -than we shall ever be in this damp palace!" said Angela, shivering. -"This room feels like a cellar. Do they never have any fires here?" - -"Yes, behold the fireplace!" I replied, drawing aside a screen and -revealing a small hole in the wall. "We will bask in the warmth of -a cheerful blaze this evening, and toast our toes before the glowing -coals." - -As luck would have it, the chimney did not draw well, probably not -having been used in this century, and so instead of a cheerful blaze -we had clouds of smoke, and went to bed to dream of snow-storms and -icebergs. - - February 20th. - -I awoke to hear the rain beating against my window and Angela's merry -voice at my side, saying, "Such an experience! Zelphine rang our bell, -thinking that she would have a fire or smoke or something to take off -the deadly chill from our room. In a minute there came a knock at the -door, and instead of the chambermaid there stood a grand gentleman in -a blue coat and brass buttons, with a breakfast-tray--the proprietor -or head waiter, I should say. We hadn't the courage to say a word -about fire to this dignified person. Indeed, he gave us no time to say -anything, as he set the tray on a table beside the bed, and vanished -with 'Madame est servie.' Of course Z. is the madame; I don't count, -being _jeune fille_. Such manners Z. says she has seldom seen in a -ballroom at home. So now, Margaret, the breakfast is there and must be -eaten. Do order yours, and let us breakfast together." - -"A kimono _déjeuner à trois_," I said, laughing over Angela's ignorance -of Continental ways, to which I had become quite accustomed during my -art winter in Paris with Katharine Clarke. - -"A second ring may fetch the maid and fire," said Angela, pressing the -button. - -This, however, only served to bring the blue-coated waiter, with -another tray of coffee and rolls. It was some time before we were able -to get the maid, who, in turn, sent for the _facchino_ who attends to -the fires, and he, assisted by another _facchino_, finally succeeded in -fanning into a blaze the infinitesimal quantity of wood used here for -a fire. This "house that Jack built" distribution of labor is rather -puzzling to the uninitiated. We are wondering how we shall ever compass -the problem of fees, so many people are serving us. - -"I don't wonder that Eugene Field sang with longing of the 'land of -stoves and sunshine,'" said Zelphine, as she held her hands over the -feeble flame, "if he ever stayed in Genoa in February." - -This is the nearest approach to a complaint that Zelphine has uttered -since we left New York. She accepts everything that comes to us, good, -bad, or indifferent, as a part of the game. We breakfasted heartily, -calling for more rolls and boiled eggs, to the evident but entirely -well-bred astonishment of the presiding genius, who was not accustomed -to such early morning appetites. - -The rain continued to pour in torrents; and here let me confess, -with more or less contrition, that we were all three most desperately -homesick. Whether it was that we missed our pleasant fellow-travellers -who were steaming off for Nice to-day, or because of the persistent -rain, we, one after another, fell a prey to the depressing malady. -Angela, first of all, with eyes full of tears, wondered many times, -in language more or less strenuous, why she had ever left her happy -home for these inhospitable shores; and I--well, it matters little -what I said. Zelphine surprised me weeping over my travelling-hat, -which, although it did present a rather dilapidated appearance after -yesterday's rain, failed to afford sufficient cause for my tears. She, -the heroic one, who had never told her woe, in attempting to console -me broke down herself, and we wept in each other's arms, which had -the good result of bringing Angela to our side and making her laugh -heartily. Finally, in desperation, I proposed that we should order a -cab and drive over to the Hôtel de Londres and try to find some of our -steamer friends who expected to stay here a few days _en route_ for -Florence. - -We were cordially welcomed by Bertha Linn and Mrs. Robins, who received -us in their rooms, one of which was comfortably heated by a porcelain -stove. Despite their more favorable surroundings, we soon discovered -that our two countrywomen were as down-hearted as ourselves. Bertha, -seated upon a trunk, looking about as cheerful as Miss Betsey Trotwood -when she came up to London in pursuit of her scattered fortune, -expressed herself to the effect that foreign travel might be of -advantage educationally and enlarging to the mind, but for her part -she preferred her own country, and would gladly take the next steamer -back to New York. Angela heartily agreed with Bertha, while Zelphine -begged her to remember the enchanting days we had spent in Madeira -and Granada, and that even more delightful experiences lay before -us, assuring them that Italy is not a proverbially rainy country, -et cetera; in the midst of which profitable conversation Mrs. Robins -suggested that we should take cabs and drive to the Campo Santo, by way -of a diversion. - -"We certainly are in a proper frame of mind for a visit to a cemetery," -said Angela, laughing a cheerless laugh, with a minor chord in it -suggestive of tears near the surface. - -No place could be more admirably adapted for a rainy day excursion -than the Campo Santo of Genoa, as that vast cemetery is nearly all -under cover. Our first impression of the long galleries with their -monuments and low reliefs, many of them decorated with photographs of -the dead and overhung with the tasteless wreaths of tin flowers dear -to the Continental mourner, was of something hopelessly inartistic -and artificial. Among the many shockingly realistic and inappropriate -monuments we found a few simple and beautiful statues and low reliefs. -You remember how many of the monuments in Westminster Abbey are in bad -taste and overweighted with carved ornaments; the majority of these are -not less artistic, but one has a right to expect more beauty and grace -in Italy than in England, and then the grand old abbey lends a certain -dignity to everything within its walls. The Campo Santo looks more like -a picture-gallery than a necropolis; but _chacun à son goût_. This is -evidently the _goût_ of the Genoese, and the name of their cemetery is -so beautiful that I, for one, am inclined to overlook lack of taste in -other matters. - -The tomb of the patriot Giuseppe Mazzini is in this Campo Santo, above -the rotunda and over against the steep hillside. It did not impress us -particularly; but we found ourselves turning again and again to the -figure of an old woman in a fine brocade gown, with a ring of bread, -which here they call _pain de la couronne_, over her arm, and what -seemed to be strings of large pearls depending from her waist. - -"It is evidently the statue of some great lady who sold her pearls to -raise money to feed the poor," said Zelphine. "Here are the pearls, -and she carries the bread on her arm just as the peasants do in Spain -and in all these southern countries. I wish we could find the story -somewhere and the lady's name. This statue may have been erected by a -grateful people in recognition of her generous aid." - -"She certainly has the face and bearing of a peasant, rather than of a -grand lady," said Bertha. - -Just then we heard a low, infectious laugh behind us, and turned to -find General W., one of our ship's company, who was evidently much -amused by our discussion, and made haste to tear Zelphine's romance -into shreds by explaining that her Lady Bountiful was a peasant woman -who made quite a sum of money by selling bread and nuts on the streets -of Genoa. Having an ambition to rest with the rich and great in the -Campo Santo, under a fine monument, she bought the right to be buried -here for three thousand francs, and had the pleasure of ordering her -own monument, for which she paid six thousand francs. Nine thousand -francs, in all, for glory--quite a fortune for a peasant! - -"The pearls are only nuts, after all!" exclaimed Zelphine, "and----" - -"The cake is dough," said Bertha, laughing; "but it is all very -interesting as a study in human nature. I don't doubt the poor woman -found great satisfaction in looking at this fine figure of herself." - -"She did not have even that satisfaction," replied General W., "for she -died soon after she had ordered it, in a street brawl or something of -the sort. _Sic transit gloria mundi._" - -"How you do break down our images and bowl over our idols!" exclaimed -Angela. - -We had dismissed our cabs on entering the Campo Santo, and, as the -rain had ceased for the time, we returned by the electric tram of -the Via di Circonvallazione a Mare, which runs close to the sea, and -which, as Angela says, besides circumambulating the city, is a clever -way of circumventing the cabman. Our homesickness had disappeared -amid the shades of the departed, and, a merry party, we made our way -to the Concordia, that most delightful garden-café. Here we lunched -upon _risotto_ (rice made yellow with saffron), spaghetti, and other -Italian dishes, with an accompaniment of bread in small sticks, crisp -and brown. - - February 21st. - -A note has just come from your cousin, Genevra Fuller, urging us to -make her a visit at her home in San Remo. This invitation, which is -most cordial, is a temptation to us all, but Zelphine and Angela have -promised to spend their time with friends in Nice, stopping for a day -at Monte Carlo, if their sporting tastes lead them so far afield, while -I yield to Genevra's blandishments. You know of old that she is not a -person to be lightly refused when she has set her heart upon any given -thing--a family trait, I believe. - - - - -II - -ALONG THE RIVIERA - - - February 22d. - -Of course the sun was shining when we left Genoa. We were glad to see -how fair La Superba could be, with her terraced gardens, many villas, -and noble background of blue mountains. Indeed, I confess to some -qualms of conscience, feeling that I may have given you a too gloomy -picture of the fine old city; but how can one give a cheerful view of -the attractions of a place where one's gayest hours were spent in a -cemetery? - -Our way lay along the sea by the Western Riviera, one of the garden -spots of the world. The railroad winds in and out among the rocks, -or into tunnels pierced through them, often running parallel with the -famous Cornice Drive, which was for many years the only road from Genoa -to Nice. The beauty of this drive, which lies sometimes between the -railroad and the sea and again ascends the rocky heights beyond, made -us wish that railroads had never been invented. A coach and four, a -Cinderella coach, would be the only suitable equipage in which to make -this journey into fairyland. - -"Why did we not drive?" I hear you ask, and you may well ask. Because -the railroad, dashing in and out of tunnels, often crosses the drive -most unexpectedly and on the grade. Even Zelphine, much as she wished -to drive over the self-same road taken by her dear Lucy in "Doctor -Antonio," hesitated about imperilling her neck, and I was quite -resolute upon this point. And if Zelphine and I were so reckless as -to be willing to risk our own lives, have we not under our care the -only and well-beloved daughter of the ancient and honorable house of -Haldane? - -Did I say that the train dashed? Really, that was a slip of the -pen--nothing dashes in Italy except a mountain torrent; but where there -are so many grade crossings, even a slow train may be dangerous. We -proceeded moderately and sedately upon our shining way, skirting the -sapphire sea, dotted here and there with green islands. Reaching far -out into the blue, one may see small towns which seem bent upon washing -their white houses to a more dazzling whiteness in the clear water, -painted towns against a painted sea and sky. Other hamlets and villas, -with their green jalousies and their luxuriant gardens full of flowers -and orange-trees, are on the heights above, and not seldom a solitary -sanctuary is seen, perched upon some sea-washed cliff, the cherished -guardian of the shore. - -Now indeed, looking up at the terraced olive-groves, we feel that we -are in Italy. For many miles the road lies beside these gardens, which -are monuments to Italian thrift and industry, as every square inch of -the scanty earth on the hillsides is held in place by stone walls, one -above another, until some are almost mountain high, olive-trees growing -to the very top. On the sunny plains between the hills are acres of -carnations, violets, stock-gillies, and mignonette, which fill the -air with their delicious fragrance. From these immense gardens the -large cities are supplied with flowers, and also the manufactories -of perfumes. Hundreds of the beautiful blossoms, they tell us, are -sacrificed to make a single drop of essence. - -We passed by Albenga and Alassio, over the suspension bridge at Porto -Maurizio, and so on to Taggia, which is near San Remo, where we three -were to part company for a few days. Off to the right we could see -the picturesque ruins of Bussana Vecchia, destroyed by an earthquake -as late as 1887, never rebuilt, and now standing silent and desolate -on the hill-top above its namesake, the little modern town of Bussana -Nuova. - -Our view of Poggio and Bussana Vecchia was suddenly cut off by an -inopportune tunnel, from which we emerged into the brilliant sunshine, -to see before us the pretty villas, the waving palms, and the general -air of cultivation and _bien-être_ that belong to this favorite and -highly favored town. When Zelphine and Angela caught this glimpse of -San Remo from the train, and saw Genevra's children waiting for me at -the station, I am quite sure they repented them of their decision. - -I had not seen Roger and Phoebe since they were babies, but I knew -them at once, and we are already fast friends. Genevra's welcome, as -you may believe, was of the warmest. It is delightful to be in a home -again, after tossing about in a state-room and knocking around in -strange hotels, and in a home as charming as this! - - February 25th. - -Everything is delightfully foreign in this _ménage_; Genevra lives in -an apartment, as most people do here; hers is on the second floor, with -a huge salon on one side of the hall, a _salle à manger_ on the other, -and the usual complement of bedrooms, kitchens, and the like. This is -quite different from anything we have in America, where the apartments -are on a scale of princely magnificence, with prices to match, or of a -simplicity so extreme that "flat" seems to designate appropriately both -them and the condition of those who inhabit them. This apartment is -really a house on one floor; the entrance and stone stairway are quite -palatial, and yet it is _à bon marché_. The drawing-room is spacious, -with windows to the floor, opening out on balconies on which we step -out to see the _bersaglieri_ drill in the evenings, as the children are -on the qui vive from the moment the spirited music reaches their ears. - -Genevra's large salon is heated by an open fire of olive-wood, which -she says makes it warm enough except when the winters are unusually -cold. The English ladies who come to tea in the afternoon throw aside -their wraps, exclaiming, "Ah, Mrs. Fuller's drawing-room is always so -very hot!" - -Hot is not exactly the word that I should apply to dear Genevra's -pretty drawing-room, although I know that Lucie and Marthe are piling -on extra wood all the time in compliment to Mademoiselle, the shivering -American. - -Everything in this house moves with a delightful smoothness and ease, -and the whole atmosphere of the place is indescribably restful. When I -awake in the morning I touch a bell, which soon brings to my bedside -the trim, neat-handed Lucie with rolls and coffee. This morning my -breakfast-tray was glorified with great bunches of dark purple and -light Neapolitan violets. - -"What is the meaning of this reckless extravagance?" I call out to -Genevra, whose room is next to mine. - -"Extravagance, _ma belle_!" replies Genevra. "Flowers are one of the -economies of San Remo. If I were to carpet your path with violets it -would be a cheap pleasure for me at the rate of two soldi a bunch!" -Wasn't that like Genevra?--like the old Genevra, yet with a certain -grace learned from these charming Italians! Only half believing her, -and yet comforted by her assurances, I enjoy the delicious fragrance -of the violets while I luxuriously sip my coffee and read the opening -pages of Ruffini's "Doctor Antonio." - -Yesterday we drove to Bordighera, and Genevra and I tried to find the -place near Ospedaletti where Sir John Davenne's coach came to grief by -the roadside. It was disappointing to find no trace of Rosa's little -inn, only great hotels, a casino, and all manner of extravagant and -unromantic modern innovations. The sea and the picturesque coast are -fortunately the same, and Genevra pointed out to me the great rock -near which Battista rowed Lucy's boat while Antonio told Sir John how -cleverly the valiant citizens of Bordighera had here outwitted the -British in their brig-of-war. And on this road the Doctor walked home -by moonlight, after an evening with Sir John and Lucy, singing "O bell' -alma innamorata!" Poor, dear, brave Antonio--love, dear love, treated -him shabbily enough! Your mother will remember reading this story to -me on one of my early visits to Woodford. Although I was but a child -then, my wrath rose hot against Lucy's treatment of Antonio. After her -marriage with Lord Cleverton I refused to listen to another word about -the faithless Lucy, until curiosity and a real fondness for the pretty -blonde heroine sent me back to this saddest of stories, over which I -wept as girls of an earlier time wept over "The Sorrows of Werther." - -This digression is all apropos of Bordighera, which is most interesting -aside from its associations with Lucy and her lover, with its -enchanting Coast Promenade ending at the Spianata del Capo. From this -promontory there is a noble view of Ventimiglia, Mentone, Monaco, -Villafranca and its light-house; beyond is the long, low line of the -French shore, and still beyond, the Maritime Alps, with flecks of -snow upon their sides, while near us, at our feet, lies the bay of -Ospedaletti, sparkling in the sun. Bordighera is literally framed in -by palm-trees--palms to right, to left, everywhere. No wonder that this -little town long had the exclusive honor of supplying the palms to St. -Peter's in Rome for Palm Sunday; but thereby hangs a tale which I may -not relate to-day, as Genevra bids me drop my pen and join her and her -friends over a cup of tea. - - February 26th. - -The days pass all too quickly in this charming place. My mornings -are generally spent in walking--sometimes on the Promenade du Midi, -which lies near the sea, a beautiful, palm-bordered terrace above the -beach--or in wandering through the old quarter of San Remo, with Roger -and Phoebe by my side. Here are narrow, precipitous streets like -those of Genoa, in strong contrast with the gay walk by the sea, which -has all the characteristics of a foreign watering-place. The _vive la -bagatelle_ existence of the Promenade du Midi is not without its charm -once in a while, but in the winding streets of the old town is the -typical life of San Remo. - -We watch the vendors of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and herbs displaying -their simple wares upon the sidewalk, or stroll down by the bank where -the washing is done, picturesquely, if somewhat laboriously, in the -open. The _lavandaie_ are, most of them, vigorous young creatures, and -as they beat the clothes against the stones or rinse them in the clear, -running water, their merry chatter and laughter suggest social joys -even beyond those of our voluble Bridgets at home. - -Your mother's favorite saw about the back being fitted to the burden -often recurs to me here. If these peasants are poor, their wants are -few, they live in a divine climate, the whole of the out-of-doors is -theirs, and, above all, they have dispositions and digestions that may -well cause them to be envied of princes. Dr. A., Genevra's physician, -tells me that the peasants here are usually healthy and the children -as robust as they are handsome. This Italian gentleman is one of the -interesting characters of San Remo. I always feel like calling him -Doctor Antonio, for although Dr. A. has travelled extensively, and -speaks English perfectly, he is quite Italian in appearance and manner, -and so loyally devoted to his Italy that I am quite sure he would have -sacrificed life and fortune to her cause had he lived in the stirring -times that developed Ruffini's heroic Doctor Antonio. - -On Sunday afternoon Roger and Phoebe drove me up to the little -sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia. Our road crossed that leading -to Bussana Vecchia, which picturesque ruin attracts me by its mystery -and its remoteness from the life of to-day. If you were here you would -certainly explore the remains of this old town, and perhaps you would -take me with you through its silent streets. Just now fate seems to be -against my seeing it. On Saturday, when we were all ready to set forth, -the rain fell in torrents, and on Sunday there was no time to stop -on our way to Capo Verde, so Bussana Vecchia seems destined to be my -"Carcassonne." - -The little sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia is built, like the -home of the wise man of the Scriptures, upon a rock, crowning the -promontory of Capo Verde. From the heights there is a fine panorama, -as they say here, of sea and shore; Taggia and Poggio were at our feet -as we stood on the shelving rock, which overhangs a sheer declivity of -many feet. In the church there is a collection of curious pictures, -votive offerings, representing men and women in the midst of deadly -peril by field and flood: fishermen in boats tossing upon stormy -seas, and carriage-loads of pleasure-seekers pitching down precipices -or dashing along the road at the mercy of steeds as wild as that of -Mazeppa. All of these good people, as appears from the expressions of -gratitude recorded in the several paintings, were saved from sudden -and horrible death by the powerful intervention of the gentle Mother of -Sorrows and Mercies. - -I am finishing this letter while Genevra sings to the children their -good-night songs and tucks them into their beds. To-morrow will be a -full day, with some commissions to be attended to at the shops, which -are tempting here, two or three visits, and an afternoon tea with some -charming Scotch ladies at the Hôtel de Londres. The day following I -leave here for Nice, having decided to meet Zelphine and Angela there -instead of at Genoa as I had intended. This change of plan is made in -order that we may take the famous drive from Nice to Genoa, which Dr. -A. assures me is not as dangerous as it appears, and in beauty more -nearly approaches the description of Paradise than anything else to be -seen upon earthly shores. If we make the trip in an automobile, which -we shall probably do, we shall have a couple of hours to spend here -with Genevra _en route_ for Genoa, which anticipation helps to console -her for her disappointment in losing two days of my visit. She will -then be able to judge for herself whether Angela is as pretty as I have -described her and whether Zelphine is as charming with white hair as -with brown, questions that may seem of little moment to the masculine -mind, but are deeply interesting to Genevra. She will be calling me -soon to join her at what Macaulay calls "the curling hour," which we -count the best in the twenty-four. Lucie heaps up the olive-wood on -the hearth until it blazes brightly, and places a tray with chocolate -before us. Thus cheered and sustained we gossip into "the wee, sma' -hours." Genevra asks so many questions about her old friends that we -should have to talk until the cocks crow if I were to answer them all. -By the way, do your ears ever burn these nights about twelve o' the -clock? She often talks of you, asks if you have grown more sedate with -added years and dignities, whether you have lost your habit of jesting, -and speaks of a certain merry twinkle in the corner of your eye which -used to betray you when mischief was brewing--on the whole Genevra -cherishes a very cousinly affection for your lordship. There! she is -calling me, so - - "Good-night!--if the longitude please,-- - For, maybe, while wasting my taper, - _Your_ sun's climbing over the trees." - - - - -III - -CAPTURED BY A CABMAN - - - NAPLES, March 2d. - -If Lady Morgan wrote of her beloved Irish capital "dear, dirty Dublin," -we may describe Naples less alliteratively in somewhat the same words, -except that to American eyes the Neapolitan city is even dirtier -and vastly more beautiful. Indeed, no words written nor pictures -painted give any adequate conception of the blueness of the sea, the -soft purple shades upon the mountains, and the fine transparency and -lightness of this air. One breathes in gayety with every breath, a -certain elasticity and _joie de vivre_ which the filth, the noise, the -bad odors, and even the hopeless poverty all around us are powerless to -dispel. - -From the Strada Vittorio Emanuele, where we are stopping, we look -down upon a series of terraced gardens, some of them very poor little -gardens with a few vegetables, among them the omnipresent and much -beloved artichoke, the fennel, like a coarse celery, and lettuce. Roses -are climbing all over the walls of these hillside gardens, and in many -of them orange-trees are blooming, spreading around them a delicious -perfume. Here on the heights we have none of the disadvantages of -Naples, the noise, the unsavory odors, or the uncleanliness. - -Above this _strada_, which is the name by which the Neapolitans call -their streets, the hills tower for many feet, and way up on their -crests are the Castle of St. Elmo and the old Carthusian monastery -of San Martino. We visited San Martino the day after our arrival, -because Zelphine had an irrepressible desire to get to the tip-top of -everything and view both the city and bay from the heights above us. -The ascent was made in one of the _funicolari_, cable trams, which are -used so much over here. They are rather terrifying at first, but are -said to be quite safe, and are, I believe, less dangerous than many of -our elevators. - - [Illustration: The Bay of Naples] - -The old monastery is now a museum, under the management of the Museo -Nazionale, and contains many paintings, porcelains, carvings, and other -antiques. We neglected the treasures within for the greater pleasure -of wandering at will through the charming, picturesque cloisters, which -are richly carved and of a stone warm and creamy in tone, so different -from the heavy, dark cloisters one sees in England and elsewhere. Most -of our morning was spent basking in the sunshine of the court; we could -fancy the old monks enjoying, as we did, the genial warmth that in the -Southern Italian winter is only to be found out of doors. The museum -itself was damp, as are all the galleries at this season. - -In this court are a number of handsome sarcophagi, with inscriptions -and coats-of-arms carved in the marble; from hence we passed into -the Belvedere, whose balconies command an exquisite view of the city -and bay. We gazed long at the noble panorama spread before us, from -Posilipo to the hill of Capodimonte. Over across the bay were Ischia -and Capri, blue as its own grotto, with Sorrento's long point of land -reaching out into the sea, and off in the far distance the snow-line of -the Apennines. To our left, Vesuvius, with its three peaks, was smoking -away as peacefully as a Hollander on his _hooge stoep_. Seeing them by -day it is hard to believe that these fair blue hills could have wrought -sudden destruction upon the cities of the plain; but last night, when -flames flashed up skyward from the smoking crater, I must confess that -we had some misgivings. When we beheld these danger-signals, as they -seemed to us, we carried our fears and our queries to the _padrone_ and -the concierge, who both assured us, to their own satisfaction if not -entirely to ours, that Vesuvius has never erupted in the direction of -Naples, evidently feeling that Italian volcanoes, like Italian people, -are not in the habit of changing their ways. - -Standing upon the Belvedere of San Martino, we were able to form some -idea of the great width of the bay, where just now "William's yacht," -as one of our English friends always calls it, is riding at anchor. The -Kaiser is making one of his rapid, semi-official, quite friendly, and -wholly diplomatic visits to Rome, and his yacht awaits him here. - - March 4th. - -We have spent the morning at the National Museum, where are so many of -the world-famous sculptures, the Hercules, a magnificent, strong figure -in perfect repose, a giant taking his ease, and the Farnese Bull, both -of them from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, and a huge bronze horse -from Herculaneum. Most impressive and interesting to us is the statue -of Diana of the Ephesians, against whose worship Paul preached at -Ephesus. A curious statue is this, odd enough to have fallen down from -Jupiter, according to the tradition, or from any other heathen god! The -torso is of fine, variegated marble, and the head, hands, and feet, -the latter slender and delicate, are of bronze. This Diana is not a -huntress, like the Greek Artemis with the crescent above her brow, but -bears about her the symbols of abundance. We lingered long near this -statue of the great goddess of the Ephesians, marvelling wherein lay -the secret of her power. To Demetrius and the other silversmiths who -made her shrines she was valuable, as she brought them great gain; but -for beauty or grace there was no reason why this Diana should have been -worshipped by "Asia and all the world." - -Among the bronzes from Pompeii and Herculaneum we found the originals -of many of the exquisitely graceful figures with which we are all -familiar. We greeted as old friends the Dancing Faun, the Mercury, the -Flying Victory, the Wrestlers, Silenus, the Boy with the Dolphin, and, -above all, the lovely Narcissus, which they now call by another name. -Zelphine and I have decided that we will never acknowledge this to be -a Dionysus or anything less poetic than the Narcissus. This charming, -youthful figure with the bent head and listening ear is quite small, -not nearly life-size, and for that reason, perhaps, its beauty is -more delicate and spiritual. If that little figure could speak, what -could it not tell of pomp, luxury, love, and delight, all overtaken -and overwhelmed by sudden destruction in the buried city where it was -found! - -Now, indeed, if it were in my power to rhyme four lines and make sense -at the same time, which was my school-girl idea of poetry-making, I -should certainly be sending you a poem about the Narcissus; but why -cudgel my brains when Keats has, with his own sympathetic charm, told -the pathetic story of the beautiful youth?-- - - "Who gazed into the stream's deep recess - And died of his own dear loveliness." - -On our way home from the museum our _vetturino_ beat his horse so -unmercifully, although the poor nag was going as fast as a horse could -be expected to go up hill, that Zelphine remonstrated with him, very -tactfully, as I thought, paying his sorry Rosinante compliments and -calling the wretched beast _il buono cavallo_. The idea of any one -feeling compassion for a horse evidently touched the driver's sense -of humor, and, regarding it as a huge joke, he laughed and whipped -the poor animal still more unmercifully, making us understand, in the -gibberish of French and Italian peculiar to the cabmen here, that there -was no need to be merciful to a creature without a soul. We longed for -greater facility in some language that he could understand, to inquire -into his own spiritual condition. As, however, words were wanting, -we fell to wondering wherein such a being as this differs from the -beasts of the field. The cabmen of Naples would certainly afford our -friend Dr. C. an additional argument in favor of his pet doctrine of -conditional immortality. - -Our driver's attitude toward the animal creation is, we are told, that -of most Neapolitans. Even persons of more intelligence question the -advisability of caring for the comfort of dumb creatures, yet these -apparently cruel people have a most kindly custom. If parents lose a -child, and children are generally so numerous that it seems as if one -could scarcely be missed, they adopt an orphan, call it God's child, -and treat it as their own. - - March 6th. - -We have been wondering, ever since we came here, where the beauty -and fashion of Naples are to be found, having seen on the streets -only tradespeople and beggars. We put the question to our friend the -concierge at the Hotel B. At five o'clock in the afternoon, he told us, -the _beau monde_ could be seen taking an airing on the Chiaia, never -earlier. It seems that Neapolitans of quality do not drive while the -sun is shining. You remember that old Italian proverb about only dogs -and Englishmen liking the sun? To this I would add the wise peasants, -with whom its genial warmth takes the place of food, fire, and proper -clothing. - -Five o'clock on a March afternoon is a rather chilly and uncomfortable -hour for a drive; but we should have to go then or give up all idea -of a fashionable _promenade en voiture_ with the élite of Naples. -This afternoon was the time arranged for our drive. A _carrozza_, a -two-horse carriage, was to meet us at a favorite coral shop on the -Chiaia, whose exquisite wares draw Angela daily with a glittering -eye. Having arranged with Zelphine about this rendezvous, I left her -hanging over some Pompeian statuettes in a shop on the Toledo, copies, -of course, but very good ones, quite too tempting to be safely dallied -with, and made my way to Thomas Cook's office and to several glove -shops. When my commissions were finished, I had more than an hour on -my hands, so I lingered for some time before the tall monument in -the Square of the Martyrs, a memorial to the patriots who perished -during several Neapolitan revolutions. This monument has much of the -simplicity and strength of the Nelson memorial on Trafalgar Square, -having like it four colossal bronze lions at the base. The noble -shaft is surmounted by one of Caggiani's graceful figures, a Victory -delicately poised as if on tiptoe for a flight. - -After gazing long at the beautiful monument, I strolled down the Strada -Chiaia to the esplanade with the statues and fountains, a charming -place to walk on a cool afternoon. You know my fancy for wandering -alone through strange streets and byways. On and on I sauntered, -thinking that I might have time to walk as far as the Aquarium before -keeping my tryst at the coral shop, and not fully realizing how -deserted the place was until I heard a penetrating voice quite close to -me speaking rapid and almost unintelligible French, accompanied by the -cracking of a whip. "A cabman--I'll pay no attention to him," I said to -myself; "he'll be discouraged after a while and leave me." I soon found -that I had reckoned without my host: that vociferous, whip-cracking -Jehu followed me, dogged my steps, offered me his cab at absurdly low -rates, and finally cornered me in a recess of one of the large public -buildings. I looked around; there was not a person in sight to help me, -only a few beggars on the steps, who would naturally make common cause -with the cabman. You will laugh at me, I am sure, but so terrified -was I by the creature's language and gestures and whip-cracking that -I abjectly stepped into his cab, telling him to drive me for an hour -and set me down at the well-known coral shop on the Chiaia at five -o'clock, showing him the time on my watch-face. Was I not just a bit -like the woman who married a persistent suitor in order to get rid -of him? Her troubles probably began then and there; mine certainly -did. My _cocher_, with an irritating expression of triumph on his -face, set forth upon a tour of sight-seeing which threatened to be -of long duration. We passed from street to street, from building to -building, until to my dismay I found that he was driving toward the -upper town. I protested, knowing that there would not be time to get -back to the Chiaia by five o'clock. Would I like to see San Martino? -No, I answered, with decision, I had already been to San Martino; I -wished to go back to the Chiaia. Then--for astuteness commend me to -a Neapolitan _vetturino_--that irritating creature became suddenly -deaf, dumb, and blind, while his horse went on and on up the heights -toward San Martino. Fortunately, the road winds around the hill, and -as we reached one of its windings I saw, by a sign, that we were on -the Strada Vittorio Emanuele. Hope revived when I began to recognize -familiar buildings; we would soon reach our hotel. "Hotel B.! Albergo -B.!" I cried, with so much insistence and with gestures so like his own -that the creature finally listened to me, the horse slackened its pace -slightly, and then, oh joy! the Hotel B. appeared, the concierge at the -door. I called to him, he made a peremptory sign to the driver to stop, -and I was once again a free woman, standing on my two feet, with solid -ground beneath them. - -My Jehu now regained the use of his tongue, and unblushingly insisted -upon a two hours' fee for the drive of a trifle over an hour which I -had been coerced into taking. The sum was not extortionate, according -to American ideas, but no one wishes to be cheated, especially with -one's eyes wide open. I protested, explained the state of affairs to -the concierge, when, to my surprise, he, my ally and champion as I had -thought him, deserted me at this critical moment and joined the enemy, -saying, "The signorina would do well to pay the _vetturino_ what he -asks, as according to the signorina's own watch she has had the cab -over an hour." - -My humiliation was great when I handed the triumphant cabman his -ill-gotten gains, but greater still was my disappointment over the -defection of the concierge, whom we have all trusted. It seems, indeed, -as if every man's hand is against us in this beautiful city, from the -salesman who tries to sell us imperfect coral to the crafty vendor of -fruit who slips bad oranges into a paper bag for us, while he tries to -distract our attention by sentimental remarks on the weather and the -"bella vista." - -Rather than trust myself to the mercy of another cabman, I -ignominiously made my way down the many steps of the terrace to the -street below, where I took a tram to the Chiaia. Angela was seated in -the carriage, looking around anxiously, while Zelphine was walking up -and down the pavement, both evidently much disturbed, wondering what -had detained me. - -"There is still time to take the drive," I said, in reply to their -eager questions. "I saw a number of carriages coming down by the Square -of the Martyrs. Get in, Zelphine, and I will explain my delay as we -drive along." - -All Naples seemed to be _en voiture_, this afternoon, and it was -pleasant to be making a _course_ with the languid, dark-eyed ladies and -their attendant cavaliers, even if we were not intimately associated -with them. - - March 7th. - -This whole morning we spent in the Aquarium, which is down near the -sea, a part of the Villa Nazionale. Here we saw all manner of beautiful -and hideous creatures of the deep, some exquisitely colored fish from -the Mediterranean, living coral, medusæ, crested blubbers, airy and -transparent as soap-bubbles, and the wonderful octopus. Angela insisted -on seeing these horrible creatures fed, and by the time that important -ceremony was over and we had walked through the shaded park enjoying -the flowers, which are blooming in profusion everywhere, it was time to -go home for our second breakfast. - -We went to Posilipo in the steam tram, this afternoon, and were shown -the old Roman columbarium on the hillside, popularly known as the Tomb -of Virgil. Whether or not the poet was buried there is now disputed -by scholars; however, Zelphine says that Virgil certainly wrote -his "Georgics" and "Æneid" in his villa near by, and that Petrarch -considered this tomb sufficiently important to plant a laurel here. She -and I have no patience with the iconoclasts who take so much pleasure -in destroying our illusions, and we see no reason why the traveller -should not be allowed to weep over this tomb of Virgil, unless, indeed, -a more authentic one can be furnished him. - -Later we climbed up to the terraced garden that belongs to the -Ristorante Promessi Sposi--fancy an inn at home named The Betrothed! -Here we had afternoon tea, while our eyes were feasted with the -beauties of a gorgeous sunset. Vesuvius, Capri, Ischia, and all the -smaller islands of the bay were bathed in heliotrope light, a royal -array of purple velvet. Buchanan Read's lines on the Bay of Naples -must have been inspired by just such a sea and sky as this. Zelphine -evidently had the same thought, for she quoted softly: - - "'My soul to-day - Is far away, - Sailing the Vesuvian Bay; - My winged boat, - A bird afloat, - Swims round the purple peaks remote.'" - -We should have been in a boat on the purple bay instead of in a tram! - -I am finishing this letter rather hurriedly for to-night's mail, as we -shall be off to-morrow bright and early for a tour of several days, to -Pompeii, La Cava, and Pæstum, returning by the coast drive and stopping -at Amalfi and Sorrento. It is the sort of excursion that you would -enjoy so much--would you like to be of the party? - - - - -IV - -AN EXCITING DRIVE - - - CAVA DEI TIRRENI, March 8th. - -We have spent the day in the streets and houses of Pompeii, living over -again in the buried city the thrilling scenes of Lord Lytton's novel. -His descriptions are still marvellously accurate, although so much has -been unearthed since he wrote "The Last Days of Pompeii" that the ruins -as they stand to-day are much more extensive than those pictured by -the novelist. The house of Glaucus is called by the guides the House -of the Tragic Poet, but the mosaic of the dog, with its inscription, -"Cave canem," apparently as perfect as in the days when Glaucus thus -whimsically greeted his friends and enemies, serves to identify it. - -Lord Lytton was in Naples during the winter of the most important -excavations at Pompeii, and his romance doubtless took form and shape -as he walked through these deserted streets, where the ruts made by the -chariot-wheels of the two rivals, Glaucus and Arbaces, are still to be -seen. The houses, as he tells us, still undespoiled of their exquisite -decorations and rich furniture, were much as their unfortunate owners -left them. Even now, despite the fact that many of the beautiful -frescoes, statues, busts, and other ornaments have been taken to the -Naples Museum, much is still left of the interior of the houses, enough -to give one a very good idea of how these luxurious Pompeians lived. -The lower floors of some of these houses, as that of the Vettii and -the Faun, are complete, with their vestibule, dining-room, parlor, -bedrooms, and kitchen. These rooms are all rather small, according to -our ideas, as the wise Pompeians lived out of doors, spending their -days in the large central court of their houses or in the gardens. -Of the gardens we saw the most perfect examples in the house of the -Vettii. The restoration seems to have been made most carefully here -as elsewhere; even the graceful bronze statuettes are not wanting, as -excellent replicas have been put in the places of the originals, which -are in the Naples Museum. - -Nothing brings the reality of that old life before us more forcibly -than to walk along the streets, where the bakeries and the wine and oil -shops are still to be found. In the latter are many great jars, which -are, as Zelphine says, not unlike those in which Morgiana entrapped her -Forty Thieves. - -Turning a corner, we were startled by seeing a roughly drawn sketch -upon a wall, such as any street gamin of to-day might draw upon a -tempting blank surface. Further along the same street we beheld a still -stronger evidence that the life of Pompeii was not altogether different -from that of our own time. Something corresponding to a modern poster -announced in red letters the name of a favorite candidate for the next -municipal election. We lingered long in the vast amphitheatre, in which -the Pompeians were wont to take their pleasure, protected in sunny -weather by an awning, whose usefulness we could appreciate to-day, as -the sun of March is intensely hot in this region. The barracks for -the gladiators, near the theatre, are not unlike the casemates for -soldiers in a fort, and are quite complete. Zelphine, who is sitting -near me, poring over Bulwer's novel, has just read me Pansa's lament -over what he considered an infamous law, that forbade a man to send his -own slaves to the wild beasts in the arena. Having seen the houses of -Glaucus and Pansa, one can more readily understand the point of view of -these luxurious, pleasure-loving ancients, who were probably not more -cruel than many of their contemporaries. - -We left Pompeii late this afternoon and came to La Cava, a pretty town -in the mountains, where we are stopping on our way to Pæstum. Zelphine -has just been talking to the _padrone_, who speaks excellent English, -about the excursion to-morrow. Our tickets, which we bought of the -concierge at the Hotel B., entitle us to a drive or a railway journey. -The _padrone_ strongly advises the former. He says the trains are so -slow and the waits so long that we make almost as good time by driving, -and then it is much more interesting. The drive is between forty and -fifty miles, but by starting at eight o'clock in the morning, and -changing horses at Battipaglia, we shall have two hours at Pæstum and -get back to this hotel in time for dinner. Another party of American -travellers, of the inconvenient number of five, go by coach to-morrow. -The _padrone_ asks us, in case we decide to drive, whether we will give -a seat in our carriage to the odd number. Having concluded to drive, we -are hoping that the fifth wheel of the other coaching-party may prove -to be Mrs. Coxe, a charming old lady who talks most picturesquely of -a drive to Pæstum forty years ago, when the roads were so infested by -brigands that it was necessary to travel with a mounted escort. - -"Could anything be more delightfully romantic?" exclaims Zelphine, on -hearing this. - -"Or more horridly uncomfortable?" adds Angela. - -These exclamations drew from Mrs. Coxe a detailed and spirited recital -of her adventures, which Zelphine heard with the great wide-open eyes -of a child listening to a fairy-tale. Women of Mrs. Coxe's age delight -in a sympathetic listener. The members of her own party have doubtless -heard all of her _contes de voyage_. She will certainly elect to go -with us, and have the advantage of a new and appreciative audience. - - March 9th. - -I opened my windows this morning and stepped out on the marble terrace -to enjoy a view of the mountains, which had looked so enchanting by -moonlight and were no less beautiful by day. In the garden below a -blue gown flitting about among the orange-trees attracted my attention. -Angela had evidently brought her charms to bear upon the heart of the -_padrone_, as I heard him say, "Here are scissors for the signorina -to cut all the oranges she wishes. In the signorina's own country the -oranges do not grow up to the doorstep as with us. Is it not so?" - -"No, indeed," said Angela, deftly snipping off a golden ball. "This -is a great pleasure. I never cut an orange from a tree but once in my -life, and that was in Granada." - -Being possessed of an inquiring turn of mind, the _padrone_ asked many -questions concerning Granada, and so talking and working industriously -Angela soon collected a fine dish of oranges for our breakfast--an -unwonted luxury, as in this land of abundance they never give us fruit -for our early _déjeuner_. The carriages were at the door before we -had finished our breakfast, and in ours, as though in answer to our -desires, sat Mrs. Coxe, provided with a guide-book, lorgnette, lunch, -and all the equipment of a good traveller for a long day's drive. - -The proprietor announced that he would accompany us as far as Salerno, -occupying the seat on the box beside the driver and his little -brother. Mrs. Coxe evidently considered this her opportunity for -informing herself with regard to the country, its inhabitants, and its -productions. She had added not a little to her already large store of -information, gained in many lands, when the _padrone_, to our great -regret, left us, with many bows, smiles, and wishes for a "bel giro." - -We had the very tip-top of the morning for the beginning of our drive, -as we set forth at eight o'clock. The air is soft and clear like that -of a May day at home. We can scarcely believe that it is March, and -that our friends across the water are still in the grasp of winter, as -we left all that behind us when we sailed from New York six weeks ago. - - [Illustration: On the Road to Paestum] - -Our way lay between green meadows dotted with purple cyclamen and a -small yellow flower much like the English primrose, and in some places -through groves of orange-trees covered with golden fruit. - -Fortunately for those who take this long drive, the roads are -excellent. We drove slowly through the old town of Cava, with its -narrow, precipitous streets, and through Salerno, which is upon a -bluff overlooking the bay, and commands a noble panorama of sea and -shore. When, however, we reached the plain, our horses set forth -at a brisk pace. There was not much to be seen here except acres of -fennel, artichoke, and a bean, now covered with white blossoms, which -I believe is used chiefly for feeding the cattle. Even this road -through a flat country is not without a touch of picturesqueness, as -it is in many places bordered by gnarled sycamores twisted into the -most weird and grotesque shapes. Between these trees a peasant woman -was walking, bearing upon her head an immense brush-heap, which was -probably her winter firewood. Zelphine and Angela had their kodaks with -them, of course, and begged the driver to stop and allow them to get a -snap-shot, which he did, crying out, "Ecco, ecco, signora!" The woman -stopped obediently, and stood like a statue, in a natural pose full -of grace and strength. She was evidently pleased to have her picture -taken, as these peasants always are, especially if a few soldi are -thrown in to seal the contract. If the picture is good you shall have -one, as it will give you a characteristic bit of this Southern Italian -life. - -Here women young and old are to be seen working in the fields with the -men, driving ox-carts, walking beside them, and bearing burdens that -seem far too heavy for any woman's shoulders. Although the land seems -fertile, the people are evidently very poor, the villages small, and -the houses comfortless. - -We should have liked to ask the driver some questions about the -products of the soil, the peasants, and their lives, but neither he nor -his little brother, who was on the box beside him, adapted themselves -gracefully to the restrictions of our vocabulary--there is, we find, a -great difference in drivers in this respect. At Battipaglia, a railroad -station and the most considerable town on the route, we changed -horses and drivers also. This latter substitution we found was to our -advantage, as the second _vetturino_ proved to be a better linguist -than his predecessor, which enabled us to continue our interrupted -studies in agriculture and political economy. The new driver was -serviceable also in other respects. When we came upon a field of -narcissus, he stopped the carriage in order to allow us the pleasure -of gathering the fragrant blossoms, besides bringing us handfuls of -flowers, the largest bunch of course being laid at Angela's feet. We -are quite sure that he considers her the living image of the pictures -of the Blessed Virgin, although he is too discreet to say so. - -Angela was charming to-day, in a blue suit and a white shirt-waist, -but the March sun was so hot that by the time we reached Pæstum it had -taken all the color out of the crown of her pretty blue hat. - -As there is no inn at Pæstum we ate our luncheon by the roadside, -stopping under the shade of a tree where a peasant was enjoying his -siesta, his oxen being tethered near by. Zelphine is enthusiastic -over the beauty of these gentle creatures, with their soft, kindly -brown eyes, and says that she is sure that Homer, when he wrote of his -ox-eyed maidens, had just such a one in mind as she was feeding from -her hand. She made so pretty a picture as she stood beside the great -white ox, feeding him daintily with bean-blossoms, that Angela tried -to get a snap-shot of her, but that provoking ox--the slowest of all -animals--took it into his head to move at the critical moment. - -The country seemed more level and marshy as we drew near Pæstum, -although on the left there rose the spur of a mountain range, on one -of whose heights are the ruins of the hillside fortress of Capaccio -Vecchio. This town was founded by the inhabitants of Pæstum when they -were driven from their city by the Saracens in the ninth century. - -To our surprise, we saw herds of buffalo grazing in the fields, much -smaller and different in other respects from the American bison. Our -driver told us that this small black buffalo is to be found near the -coast in many parts of Italy, and is often seen on the Campagna near -Rome. From the number of calves in some of the fields we are inclined -to think that the young buffaloes are used for food. I noticed several -of the well-grown animals drawing carts, sometimes harnessed with the -white oxen. - -We caught a glimpse of the old wall and gate with the sea beyond, -and then in a moment the temples were in full view. Nothing could be -more impressive than those magnificent ruins on that lonely plain, -sharply outlined against the blue sky. The Temple of Neptune, with its -thirty-six fluted Doric columns, its double columns inside, and its -noble, almost perfect façade, is a superb example of Greek architecture -of the fifth century B.C. The stone of which the temple is built is a -kind of travertine, to which the passing years have imparted a creamy, -mellow tone. The Temple of Ceres is less complete than that dedicated -to Neptune, although it belongs to the same period. The gate of the -town opening out toward the sea and the old wall adjoining it are -wonderfully preserved. These with the temples of Neptune and Ceres and -the so-called Basilica are all that remain of this settlement made by -Greeks from Sybaris about 600 B.C. Two days we have passed with the -ancients, yesterday in a city where "the earth, with faithful watch, -has hoarded all," and to-day in a town not much older than Pompeii, -where the conquering Saracens and Normans and the devastating elements -have left nothing to tell the tale of the daily life and habits of the -Greeks who made their home upon these shores. - -We climbed over the ruins of the old temples and sat upon the town -wall overlooking the sea, while Angela made a fairly good sketch of -the temples. Zelphine and I bought coins and pottery from children -who, being without visible habitation, seemed to have literally sprung -from the soil. Finally our _vetturino_ warned us that we had better set -forth at once if we wished to reach Cava before nightfall. - -At Battipaglia we resumed our former horses and driver. Zelphine -whispered something to me about his face being rather red. I quite -agreed with her, but as the mention of the fact could not be of any -especial advantage, the other carriage being already far in advance and -no person at hand to take the reins, there was nothing to do but to set -forth on our homeward journey, despite some misgivings upon Zelphine's -part and mine. - -We had not left Battipaglia before I realized that our gravest -fears were fulfilled. Our driver was what you men picturesquely call -"gloriously drunk"--we practical women would use a less dignified -adverb. He was as happy as a lord, cracking his whip and dashing -through the streets of Battipaglia in fine style. We soon passed the -other coach, containing Mrs. Coxe's friends. They called after us, but -must have seen that we had no time for conversation _en route_; indeed, -like Cowper's citizen "of credit and renown," we passed everything on -the road. Zelphine and I were on the front seat, facing Mrs. Coxe and -Angela. They, happily, did not grasp the situation at once, but when -they did the terror written on that dear old lady's face was something -never to be forgotten. Angela, with resolute cheerfulness, chatted away -about anything and everything, especially about Mrs. Coxe's experiences -in Honolulu, her favorite subject of conversation. I shall never hear -of that island kingdom of the Pacific without seeing before me Mrs. -Coxe's agonized face. - -Remembering that there lay before us a long stretch of road overhanging -a sharp declivity, Zelphine and I made a desperate attempt to stop our -hilarious _vetturino_ in his mad career. Finding that our remonstrances -excited him to more strenuous exertions, Zelphine tried the effect -of her few available words and many eloquent gestures upon the small -boy, urging him to make his brother drive more carefully, telling him -that the old lady of the party was very much alarmed, and advising -him to get the whip into his own hands. This, however, proved to -be impossible; the boy, well frightened himself by this time, only -succeeded in getting hard words and a shaking. Give up his whip! Not -he. As well ask a soldier to lay down his arms. The whip was his -pride and joy, his _pièce de résistance_, so to speak, with which -he awoke the echoes of these slumbering old Italian towns, bringing -the inhabitants, men, women, children, cats, dogs, and chickens, to -the sidewalk to witness our rapid transit. Even those among our own -countrymen who pride themselves most upon their skill in annihilating -space could not have made better time than we did as we rattled over -that Calabrian highway. Fortunately, the horses were well-trained and -steady enough to balance the driver's eccentricities. Perhaps they were -accustomed to them by long experience. Be this as it may, we proceeded -on our way without any accident, passing the dangerous part of the road -before darkness overtook us. - -We clattered through Salerno at a tearing gallop, and as we neared La -Cava the whip-cracking was resumed with renewed vigor, bringing the -citizens to their doors and windows. Some of them, indeed, followed the -carriage, crying out, "Prima donna! Prima donna!" - -"What can they mean?" asked Mrs. Coxe, looking as though she expected -to be attacked by a furious mob. Zelphine reminded her that as we drove -by the theatre in the morning we had noticed a poster announcing that -a grand opera was to be given in Cava that evening. In our gay morning -spirits we had even thought that it might be pleasant to assist at the -function. Now the most that we dared to hope was that we might reach -the hotel in safety. Troops of children ran after us, repeating the -shout of "Prima donna! Prima donna!" - -"We are honored by being mistaken for a part of the opera troupe," said -Zelphine, laughing, "and Angela is evidently the leading lady, as they -are all looking at her." - -Angela, sitting erect on the back seat, her costume as crisp and -immaculate as if she were on her way to a horse-show, her jaunty hat at -the most stylish angle even if the crown was off color, looked indeed -like a leading lady, albeit a trifle pale and in need of the aid of the -rouge-pot of the greenroom. - -When we reached our hotel we were all exhausted by the fatigue of the -day and the long strain of the afternoon; but Mrs. Coxe showed herself -the thorough-going traveller that she is by stopping not for rest or -refreshment until she had laid a detailed account of our experiences -before the proprietor. - -He came to us later, after a visit to the driver's home, and reported -him as covered with confusion and filled with remorse. "_Ecco, ecco_, -he is the penitent one now!" exclaimed the _padrone_. "His parents have -scolded him soundly, and have threatened to beat him with a stick. He -is in tears, the sorrowful one! It is the first time, and it will never -happen again!" - -"All of which would not mend our bones if they had been broken!" said -Mrs. Coxe, stoutly. "It is your duty to give your patrons good, safe -drivers." - -The _padrone_ then called upon the saints to witness to the fact that -he had never known an accident to befall any of his patrons, repeating -that this was Antonio's first offence, and that he must have been -drinking some bad stuff at the tavern, as good wine would never so -set the brain on fire. The proprietor has a frank manner that gives -one the impression that he is speaking the truth; we are inclined -to believe him, although we have been warned not to allow ourselves -to be deceived by appearances in this land of ready eloquence. Our -valiant countrywoman having made her protest for the party, and this -disagreeable duty having been taken off our shoulders, we went into -dinner with high spirits and famous appetites. - -Zelphine and I are so wide awake after our exciting drive that we -are devoting the evening to letter-writing, both of us being sadly in -arrears. The other guests of the Hotel S. have betaken themselves to -their slumbers, and we enjoy undisturbed possession of the only warm -room in the house. A wood fire blazes on the hearth, and as we bask -in its genial warmth we shiver at the thought of our rooms upstairs, -which, with their stone floors, are of about the temperature of -refrigerators. - - SORRENTO, March 11th. - -We left Cava on Wednesday, and made the tour from there to Amalfi in -the brilliant morning sunshine. This is another "Cornice Drive," and -far finer, I think, than that along the Riviera. The road winds above, -beneath, and beside rugged cliffs of great height, always with the -sea in full view. Often from airy summits we looked down upon fishing -villages and towns built around bays and inlets, as Cetara and Atrani, -while upon projecting headlands are many watch-towers, now used chiefly -as dwellings. - -We needed not to be told that the making of macaroni is one of the -chief industries of Amalfi. As we drew near the town many yards of it -were to be seen hanging upon lines like a wash or spread upon the grass -to dry. - -Amalfi is charmingly situated at the entrance to a deep ravine, -surrounded by mountains and rocks of the most picturesque forms. -We climbed up the sixty steps of the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Mrs. -Coxe and some of her party were carried up in chairs by two stout -Calabrians, but we preferred to walk, turning every now and then to -gaze upon the enchanting view spread before us. At the top of the slope -is a spacious garden terrace full of flowers, with roses climbing all -over its walls. - -We stopped overnight at the old Capuchin monastery, which is now fitted -up as a hotel, and yesterday drove here, the greater part of the way -beside terraces of lemon-trees covered with ripening fruit--enough -lemons to make lemonade for the whole world, one would think. As we -drew near Sorrento orange-trees took the place of lemon-trees, groves -and groves of them, with their dark, shining leaves and brilliantly -colored fruit. Peasants brought oranges to the carriage for sale, -clusters of them, with fruit and blossoms growing together, which they -were glad to give us for a few soldi. - -This morning we spent in the shops buying wood-carvings and silk, which -is made here, and is consequently astonishingly cheap. We found Mr. -Crawford's charming villa, and, to Zelphine's great delight, the house -of Tasso's sister on the Strada San Nicola. Tasso's birthplace and the -rock upon which the house stood have both been swallowed up by the sea; -but the house of his sister Cornelia, to which the great Tasso came in -1592 disguised as a shepherd, is still standing, and there is a statue -of Torquato Tasso in the chief square of Sorrento. - - [Illustration: An Amazonian Tribute, Capri] - -I am writing on a fine terrace overlooking the sea, where stone benches -and tables are conveniently arranged for our use. The sun is like -that of June, and roses such as belong to that month are blooming all -over the wall beside me. The concierge has just brought me a handful -of them, charming pink and white ones. We are equipped for a drive to -the Deserto, which Mrs. Coxe, who visited the place forty years ago, -tells us is most interesting. Within a few years the monastery has -been suppressed, and the building is now used as a home for destitute -children. - -We should like to spend a week in Sorrento, which is so beautiful -itself and from which so many excursions are to be made; but Capri -beckons to us from across the bay and our time is limited, as Zelphine -has promised to meet some cousins in Naples. - - CAPRI, March 13th. - -Our reception on the island of the Blue Grotto was sufficiently novel -to please the most blasé traveller. As our boat drew near the rocky -shore dozens of women, most of them young and handsome, hurried down to -the wharf and seized our luggage, which they bore on their heads easily -and lightly up the steep path to the hotel. It seemed strange enough -to have women carry our dress-suit-cases and bags, but on our way to -the hotel we saw a much more unusual sight--three women carrying two -trunks and a valise, while a man, evidently the owner of the trunks, -was walking quite at his ease beside them. He was, we were told later, -a Caprian peasant on his way to America, and this delicate attention -was a final act of devotion on the part of his Amazonian countrywomen. - -Capri has not been as kind to us as other towns of Southern Italy. The -mountains have had their heads buried in clouds all the morning, and -when the donkeys arrived which we had ordered for a ride up to the -Villa of Tiberius, a fine rain was falling, which prevented us from -making the excursion. We sent the donkeys and their women drivers home, -much to the disappointment of the latter. - -"Women seem to do everything here!" said Angela. "Where are the men?" - -"Gone to America," replied Mrs. Coxe, quickly. "The women ship them -off, bag and baggage, and then have everything their own way." - -Fortune favored us later in the day, as the clouds rolled off the -mountains before noon, and the _padrone_ informed us that the wind -was in the right quarter for a visit to the Blue Grotto. We made our -expedition satisfactorily, although the sea was high and we literally -rode the waves in our small boats. The grotto is quite as blue as any -picture of it that I have ever seen, and with an exquisite, luminous -transparency that no brush or pencil can portray. When we were in -the midst of the silvery blueness, watching with some apprehension a -small boy who dives into the water to show off its wonderful color, -our boatman suddenly became loquacious, and told us thrilling tales -of unfortunate visitors to the grotto who had been walled in by the -sea and were obliged to spend days and even weeks in this drear abode, -living upon supplies which daring sailors, who contrived to get their -boats near to the mouth of the grotto, handed in to them. The smallness -of the opening of the grotto gave a semblance of reality to these -Münchausen tales. Mrs. Coxe, who was in the boat with me, became very -much alarmed and insisted upon leaving at once, calling to the other -members of the party to follow. We were splashed a little by the spray -as we emerged from the grotto, and those in the other boats were quite -wet; but as we rowed away the mouth of the fairy cave was almost hidden -by the waves. It seemed indeed as if there might be a grain of truth -in the boatman's tales, which the _padrone_ corroborated, adding, "But -it does not often happen that travellers are shut up for any time in -the Grotta Azzurra; we are very careful." "Not very often indeed! As -if once would not be enough!" exclaimed Mrs. Coxe, who had interrogated -the _padrone_ after her straightforward fashion of getting at the truth -of the matter. - - HOTEL B., NAPLES, March 15th. - -We are glad to be in Naples again, and in this homelike hotel. Zelphine -has met her cousins, and has been making some excursions with them, -taking the famous drive to the monastery of Camaldoli and to the -Solfatara, a half-extinct volcano which, she says, gives one an even -more impressive idea of the Inferno than the Doré illustrations of -Dante. Angela corroborated Zelphine's report, saying that it was quite -the most unpleasant place she had ever seen, especially as they dropped -a poor dog into the crater to try the effects of the sulphur upon his -constitution. They pulled him out before he was quite dead; but who -except these cruel Neapolitans would so persecute a helpless animal? - -I, with my old habit of clinging to the skirts of the things I already -know, declined to take that excursion, for the greater pleasure of -spending a morning in the National Museum among the Pompeian treasures -and another whole day among the ruins of the buried city. It is really -much more interesting to examine the relics from Pompeii after one -has been there, as one naturally fits the frescoes, furniture, and -ornaments into just such rooms as one has seen. Some of the furniture -was strangely modern; I noticed a red and gilt bedstead that looked -as if it might have belonged to the First French Empire, rather than -to the first century A.D. Among the kitchen furnishings were just such -colanders, saucepans, and skillets as we use to-day--is there anything -really new under this shining sun? The surgical and dental instruments -exhibited in one of the cases caused me a genuine thrill of sympathy -for those unhappy Pompeians; to have been smothered with hot ashes -might really have been more endurable than to have lived at the mercy -of those primitive dentists and surgeons! - -We leave Naples to-morrow with regret, as we have grown very fond of -this beautiful city. I wrote a week since to Ludovico Baldini, and -also to the proprietor of a hotel that he recommended to me; but I have -heard from neither. Ludovico may be in Florence on some army business, -but it is very stupid of the proprietor of the Hotel L. not to answer -my letter. We have telegraphed for rooms in a pension on the Via -Sistina, which Mrs. Coxe tells us is delightful, and we are thankful -to know that they will accommodate us, as Rome is full to overflowing -now, all the world going up thither for Easter. When I told my maid -that we were going to Rome to-morrow, she clasped her hands in ecstasy, -exclaiming, "Bella Roma! Bella Roma!" These Italians have a natural -instinct for beauty and a genuine pride in the wonders of their own -country, both of which help them to endure the poverty and hardness -of their lives, just as some people of your acquaintance and mine are -supported through many trials by the uplifting sense of having been -born in the purple. - - - - -V - -BELLA ROMA - - - VIA SISTINA, ROME, March 16th. - -We felt as if we had accomplished a day's work before we left Naples, -this morning, the getting away from these places is so laborious. After -our trunks were strapped and ready for the _facchini_ and porters, -the feeing of the servants had to be attended to. This was Angela's -especial task. She had managed the financial part of our six days' -trip so admirably that Zelphine and I have honored her by electing her -bursar for the party. She does not seem fully to appreciate the honor -we have conferred upon her, but with her usual amiability she is quite -willing to do the work. - -When the servants all lined up in the dining-room, they made a -formidable array. I did not wonder that Angela looked as if she would -rather be somewhere else. She was getting through the ordeal very -creditably, however, when the _padrone_ appeared upon the scene; -very indelicate of him, was it not, to come in just then? This so -embarrassed Angela that she was very near giving him the generous tip -that she had dedicated to the head waiter. Would he have taken it, -think you? Zelphine says that he certainly would, as no hotel-keeper -in Italy can withstand the glint of silver. Be this as it may, we are -glad that Angela did not persist in her indiscriminate generosity, -as our purses are already seriously depleted by the demands made upon -them by chambermaids, _facchini_, head porter, sub-porter, concierge, -head waiter and his troop of underlings, each one with an empty hand -and an expectant eye. There is, we have learned, a long step between -the _facchini_ and the porter, and still another social gradation -between the porter and the concierge. The latter is quite an important -personage, in a fine uniform, who usually speaks excellent English, -French, and often several other languages. - -At the station we had to undergo the weighing of our luggage, a -weariness to the flesh at all times, but especially trying to-day, as -all the world seemed to be _en route_ for Rome. We were detained so -long that we barely had time to catch our train. I sometimes wonder -if any one ever actually lost one of these slow-moving trains. We -travelled second class to-day, "for local color," as Zelphine says. -In point of comfort there seems to us little difference between -first and second class; the former have stuffy plush coverings on the -seats, instead of leather and reps, and somewhat more select company. -Our companions were two well-to-do young matrons, an old peasant -woman, and three children. The two younger women were inclined to -be sociable as far as our common vocabularies permitted, and plied -us with questions, which we answered with more or less accuracy -according to our ability--it is sometimes difficult to be entirely -truthful in a language one does not understand; but Zelphine did most -of the talking, having developed considerable facility in speaking -French with a fine Italian accent. Confusing as this mongrel dialect -might be to an educated Italian, it often stands us in good stead -with shopkeepers, maids, cabbies, and _facchini_, and to-day seemed -tolerably intelligible to our _compagnons de voyage_. Indeed, we became -so intimate that one of the women asked Zelphine for her vinaigrette -for the "bambino" to smell, the bambino having proved herself to be a -poor traveller. - -Zelphine invariably carries a black satin bag, which we have dubbed -"Mrs. Lecks," because, like Frank Stockton's queen of emergencies, it -always provides what we need at any given moment, whether it happens -to be a shoe-button or a guide-book. The bambino was fascinated by -the smelling-bottle, and stretched out her hand for it as soon as -Zelphine took it from the depths of Mrs. Lecks and applied it to her -own patrician nostrils. As this is a country where bambinos seem to be -denied nothing, the mother's hand was also outstretched, and there was -nothing for Zelphine to do but to hand over her dainty vinaigrette to -that untidy-looking baby. Now was not that a trial of good nature? - -Angela was much interested in a half-starved, ill-clad boy of ten or -twelve, who was, the old peasant informed us, an _orfano_ adopted by -her. We wondered how these people came to be travelling second class, -as everything about them indicated extreme poverty. The orphan's eyes -gleamed when Angela spread out her luncheon, and she made haste to -share her rolls and figs with him, while we offered our refreshments -to the other occupants of the carriage, having understood that -this is Italian etiquette. They, with many compliments, declined -the bounty--which may also be in accordance with good breeding in -Italy--all except the orphan, who fell upon Angela's stores with the -appetite of youth sharpened by a long fast from dainties. Upon this -the old woman, not to be outdone, drew forth from a stuff bag a loaf -of brown bread wrapped in a red kerchief such as she wore on her head, -and proceeded to cut off a goodly slice. Angela begged her for a small -piece, _piccolo_ being one of the words that she knows, and I came to -the rescue by handing her a bottle of wine and begging her to give the -old dame a generous glass of it. This libation proved so acceptable -that I really do not think that the woman knew whether or not Angela -had eaten that untempting bit of bread. She finally hid it under her -napkin, saying, "A bit of local color, Zelphine, that I will share with -you later." - -We found little to interest us in this journey of more than five hours -over a level, sparsely wooded country, whose monotony was broken now -and again by an abrupt rise in the ground. These hills that have been -thrown up from the general flatness of the land by some internal -disturbance are generally crowned by a church and monastery, and -many of them by towns of some size. As they rise from the plain, gray -buildings upon gray rocks, standing out against the blue of the sky, -they perfectly fulfil one's idea of a fortress town of the middle ages. - -The guide-books are all written for those who reach Rome from the -north, but however the Eternal City may appear from other approaches, -we felt that we were fortunate in our first view of her spires and -domes across the green and blossoming Campagna. Through a mist or -delicate veil of peach and almond blossoms we saw her seated upon -her seven hills, glorious, dominant, the mother of us all, drawing us -to her by the power of her great past and the charm of her beautiful -present. You probably remember that when Mrs. Browning visited Rome -as early as 1854, she found it to be disappointingly modern, "a -palimpsest Rome--a watering-place written over the antique." Zelphine -and I had heard somewhat the same criticism from so many intelligent -and conscientious travellers that we were prepared for disappointment. -I can truthfully say that despite the overlying modern characters the -ancient writing on the walls reveals itself so plainly that, even with -all this weight of authority against us, we are not disappointed. Mrs. -Browning's impressions of Rome were clouded, as she herself confesses, -by the sad death of Mr. Story's little boy, Penini's playmate, which -occurred soon after her arrival, and by her consequent anxiety about -her own child. Then, again, vast tracts of ancient Rome have been -unearthed since Mrs. Browning looked upon the Forum, which was then -level with the street, and overgrown with vines and gay with flowers. - -Of course, railroad stations cannot fail to be modern, customs -officials are unpleasantly up-to-date in their ways, and it seems -strangely incongruous to find electric trams whirling around St. -Peter's, the Coliseum, and the Forum; but having once accepted these -innovations, we were pleased to find antiquity raising its hoary head -at every turn. Near the bustling railroad station are the great ruins -of the Baths of Diocletian, and driving from thence to the Via Sistina -we passed through a most interesting street named after the four -fountains that adorn it. The Via Sistina, where we are lodged, joins -the Via Gregoriana a few steps from our pension, and at the angle of -meeting is a quaint, picturesque house where the Zuccari, a family -of artists, once lived. A little further on is the ancient Church -of Trinità de' Monti, where one may hear the nuns sing their vesper -hymns on Sunday afternoons, and beyond the church the wide pergola of -ilex-trees, twisted and bent and clipped in a fashion known only to -Italian gardeners. This broad pergola shades the sunny street leading -to the Pincio, or "Hill of Gardens," as the ancients called it. Here we -found our way soon after our arrival, and sitting upon the stone wall -above the Piazza del Popolo we basked in the warm sunshine and read our -home letters, with Rome spread before us. St. Peter's, with the long -line of the Vatican buildings, a city in themselves, lies to the right, -and quite near on the Tiber is the Castle of St. Angelo, Hadrian's -tomb, with an angel on the summit sheathing his bloody sword, while -on the western horizon, as far as the eye can reach, is the Janiculum -Hill. We could faintly trace upon its crest the outline of the -equestrian statue of Garibaldi, which dominates all Rome, as indeed it -should. We strolled back through the blooming shrubbery and the pergola -to the Square of Trinità de' Monti, and down those Spanish Steps of -which we have read so much--great, wide steps, so many of them that we -have not the courage to count them, and of marble that is neither white -nor gray but of a warm yellow tone with a dash of pink in it, reminding -us of the soft shades of the gates of the Alhambra. To the left as one -goes down the steps is a square yellow house, where John Keats passed -the last suffering weeks of his life. This house was selected for Keats -by Dr. Clark because it was near his own. A square tablet marks the -building as the one from which this rare spirit "outsoared the shadow -of our night." - -At the foot of the Spanish Steps are the vendors of flowers. Men and -women are always to be found here selling the most exquisite roses, -lilies, daffodils, frisias, anemones, giant mignonette of the most -fragrant kind, and long sprays of peach and almond blossoms. Fancy, if -you can, the steps, above them the Piazza of Santa Trinità de' Monti, -with its marble balustrades, and the Piazza di Spagna below, with its -sparkling fountain, all bathed in the most brilliant sunshine, and you -will believe that we are indeed well placed, living near so much that -is beautiful. - - March 18th. - -Although there were a thousand things to be seen in Rome, we turned our -backs upon them all and went to Tivoli yesterday, because a pleasant -party was going from here and the day was fine. We drove through -the newly built Veneto quarter, passing Queen Margherita's palace, -with its handsome broad façade, which is directly on the street. -The great gardens are behind, surrounded by high walls overtopped by -tall camellia-trees full of their red and white blossoms. We passed -through the Porta San Lorenzo, beyond which is the station for Tivoli. -The road passes near the Church of San Lorenzo, which is said to be -a perfect example of the basilica, as it rises in "its gray reverend -dignity" against the background of the Campagna and the blue mountains -of Tivoli. Inside of this church are the tombs of Pius IX. and several -other popes, and frescoes and mosaics, ancient and modern, of great -richness. - -Our road lay through a desolate-looking country, but for that reason -none the less dear to the heart of the antiquarian. For near the river -Anio and the Tuzia, both of which we crossed, our guide told us that -Hannibal had encamped; a little way beyond was the hallowed grove of -the Muses; and to the ruined baths of the Aquæ Albulæ the captive queen -of Palmyra came from her villa near by, to bathe in the milk-white -water. The steam tram stopped for us most accommodatingly at the -sulphur springs, and allowed us time to walk around and see all that -is left of this ancient resort. Here the emperors and tribunes of Rome -came to wash away their sins, just as our politicians go to Saratoga -and the Southern springs for the same purpose. The water, which is -always spoken of as milk-white, seemed to us to have a decidedly blue -shade, an exquisite light blue. The deposit left by the sulphur or -sulphuretted hydrogen has hardened in the beds of the streams and -pools into the most curious and grotesque shapes. These deposits -we afterwards found used at the Villa d'Este and elsewhere for the -decorations of the fountains. - -At Tivoli hacks were awaiting us, in which we drove to the Villa -d'Este. This stately and imposing palace, with its spacious garden, was -worthy to be the residence of one of the oldest and most distinguished -princely houses of Italy. We entered the palace enclosure through the -cloister of the Church of St. Francis, and saw in the long corridors -and spacious apartments many beautiful frescoes by Zuccaro and Muziano. -Some of these are considerably damaged by the dampness, but many still -exhibit rare grace of design and richness of color. Beneath the villa -is a broad terrace ending in a noble archway, through which one may -look forth upon hillsides glorified by the blossoming almond, peach and -Judas trees. From this terrace winding stairways lead to other terraces -below, upon each one of which fountains send up jets of feathery -spray that display their iridescent colors against the background -of huge cypresses. It is all a dream of loveliness, and full of the -indescribable atmosphere of old-world charm. We could imagine the poet -Tasso, who was attached to the court of one of the Dukes of Ferrara, -drawing inspiration from these classic groves, in whose leafy quiet -the nightingale must surely sing. Here the beautiful young daughters of -the house played in the sunshine of the too brief girlhood granted to -old-time princesses. - -We afterwards drove through the old town, and from a lower road had -a good view of the temples and churches, and of the heights of Monte -Catillo, its picturesque hillsides, and the cascades which seemed -to bubble forth from every fissure and crevice in the rocks--so many -waterfalls that one could not count them all. - - [Illustration: Cypress Walk, Hadrian's Villa] - -The hotel where we stopped for luncheon is built upon a shelving rock -on whose garden terrace we sat overlooking the valley. Above us, on -another projection, was the little Temple of Vesta, the Sibyl, or -what you will--it seems to make little difference what one calls this -exquisite circular temple, as antiquarians do not agree about its name. -It is, however, so graceful in form and so rich in coloring that, -like the rose, it is equally lovely by whatever name it is called, -especially as we saw it to-day, draped with clematis and ivy, crowning - - "The green steep whence Anio leaps, - In floods of snow-white foam." - -After luncheon we made our excursion to Hadrian's Villa, or Villa -Adriana, as they now call it, which is the chief object of interest at -Tivoli and is worthy of something more than a superficial inspection. -As you doubtless know, it is not a villa, or even a palace, like the -Villa d'Este, but a military or university town. Here are quarters for -the soldiers, dining-rooms for the officers and their men, temples, -libraries, hospitals, baths, theatres, race-courses, gardens, and -fountains. Most of the sculptures have been carried away from the -beautiful Golden Court and the Hall of Philosophy, but exquisite bits -of stone carving are still to be seen in the courts and baths, and -mosaic pavements looking as bright and fresh as when trodden by the -feet of Hadrian in A.D. 138. - -As we passed through room after room, with their more or less -fragmentary decorations, Angela reminded us of the story of the Western -girl who, on her way to Tivoli, hoped that when she called at the -villa the Hadrians would not be at home, as she had not put on her -best hat. Zelphine and I thought that this "innocent abroad" must have -been surprised to find that when the Hadrians left their villa they had -taken away most of their furniture and ornaments with them. What queer -specimens of our own countrymen we do meet _en voyage_! The question -that we ask ourselves most frequently is, why did they come? - - March 21st. - -I have been wondering why I have not heard from Ludovico Baldini. We -went to the bank on the Piazza di Spagna this morning, and found my -Naples letter lying unopened. To-day I had decided to go to French, -Lemon & Co., thinking I had made a mistake about the bank, when as -we were walking along the Via Nazionale on our way to the Rospigliosi -Palace, I saw a young man on the other side of the way take off his hat -and wave it as he dashed across the street. Of course it was Ludovico, -just returned from Florence, as bright and cordial as ever, but very -indignant over not having had my letter forwarded to him. - -I think you must have met young Mr. Baldini, of whom I speak so -unceremoniously as Ludovico, as he was often at our common friends', -the W.'s, last year. I met him first at Jamestown, in the summer, and -he gave me so many valuable suggestions about Italian travel that I -feel greatly indebted to him. He is young, not much over twenty-one, -but in some respects seems older, and, being American on one side, -he combines considerable practical ability with the Italian charm -of manner which we all realize, even if we are not always happy in -describing it. - -We had intended to go somewhere this afternoon with Mrs. Robins and -Bertha Linn, and when Ludovico suggested our driving out to the meet -near the Tomb of Cæcilia Metella, we concluded that this was the -thing of all others that we wished to do, more especially as this -was the last meet of the season. We arrayed ourselves in our best, as -all the smart people go to the meets here. Ludovico secured the most -presentable hacks that he could find, and we set forth, following a gay -procession of carriages along the street of tombs to a sporting scene; -but for such incongruities as this, commend me to the sympathetic -Italian! - -The meet was worth seeing--fine horses, good riding, life, motion, and -color. There were many handsome, well-dressed women in the carriages -and walking about; all this gayety brought out in strong relief by the -sombre background of the old aqueduct and the great circular tomb of -the beloved wife of Crassus. - -As the carriages were crowded together, we left ours, and attempted to -walk over the field, as many persons were doing. The horses and dogs -turned suddenly in our direction, and Mrs. Robins, in trying to get -out of their way, slipped, fell, and would have been trampled by one -of the horses had not his rider been a most expert horseman. Ludovico -was in a rage such as these hot-blooded Latins alone are capable of, -and was ready to call out the young horseman, who had done all that -man could do to prevent an accident, dismounting at once and most -courteously apologizing. "It is entirely our fault for being on foot -where horses and dogs had the right of way," I said to the _cavaliere_, -who bowed with the gravity of a Don Quixote, evidently quite agreeing -with me. Ludovico, somewhat appeased, asked me to allow him to present -the gentleman, who was an acquaintance of his, and this ceremony being -accomplished satisfactorily they both handed us to our carriages in -fine style. As Mrs. Robins fortunately was not hurt, we were all able -to enjoy the spirited scene from our coign of vantage. The dogs broke -covert over on the Campagna, and then the rush and scamper of the gay -cavalcade across the plain was most exciting, horsemen and hounds in -full cry. - -As it was still early in the afternoon, we decided to drive to the -Janiculum Hill to see the fine equestrian statue of Garibaldi and the -magnificent view from what seems here quite a height, because it rises -abruptly from the plain, but is really less than three hundred feet. -The air was perfectly clear, and we could literally behold all Rome, -old and new, spread out before us. Between the hill and the Tiber lies -that large quarter known as Trastevere, where are some of the most -interesting churches, as Santa Maria and Santa Cecilia. Here beautiful -villas once stood, but Trastevere is now almost exclusively inhabited -by the working classes. A fine and handsome race, differing in dialect -from the citizens of other quarters of Rome, the Trasteverians seem to -have some right to the distinction which they claim of being the direct -descendants of the ancient Romans. - -On our return from the Janiculum we stopped at St. Peter's in Montorio, -which is on one of the slopes of the Janiculum. Although the crowning -glory of this church, Raphael's Transfiguration, has been taken from -the high altar and carried to the Vatican, a few good pictures still -remain. What we desired to see the most, though, was the little temple -in the court said to mark the spot where the cross of St. Peter stood. -The chapel contains a statue of the saint, and below, down some steps, -is a grewsome place where he is said to have been crucified in a manner -so horrible that I really cannot undertake to describe it to you. The -impression made upon one by this spot is somewhat the less thrilling -because several other places are shown as the scene of the martyrdom of -this great apostle. The woman who opened the temple for us scratched -up some of the earth and gave it to us with great solemnity. Angela's -face was a study as she received her portion. She is not, as you may -believe, much of a relic-hunter. - - - - -VI - -A POET'S CORNER - - - VIA SISTINA, ROME, March 22d. - -Your letter in answer to mine written from San Remo reached me to-day. -It really seems a year since I wrote you that letter, instead of one -month. So many impressions have come crowding one upon another since -then that I cannot quite recall what I said of a personal nature. -The meeting with Genevra brought back the old familiar associations -so vividly that we sometimes forgot all that had happened since we -had parted, and lived over our early, happy days. If you read into my -letter more than was meant, it is because some of the glamour of that -time caused will-o'-the-wisps to mislead you. No, "gang your ain gait, -Allan," as your mother's old Scotch maid used to say. You have a great -future before you in your profession, and I--it seems to me sometimes -that I have only a past, and a present which I live day by day, with no -plans for the years to come. It is so difficult to readjust one's life -to new standards, and those who stake much lose heavily. We both loved -Headley too well to say one harsh word about him. I could not talk to -you thus freely were it not so; indeed, I never could _speak_ to you -at all about Headley--writing is easier, across the great expanse of -waters. Now that I have broken the silence, let me say to you, best of -friends, that I have in this sunny land and among these changing scenes -found content, which may in time reach the measure of happiness. Do not -disturb this peace, I beg of you, but be satisfied with our good old -friendship, which is so safe and sane. - -I shall really be afraid to tell you of any of our contretemps, you -take them so seriously, and yet you wish to know of all our wanderings -and of just how certain things impress us. I had forgotten about that -absurd homesickness in Genoa, until you spoke of it. It was an acute -attack, I assure you, and, like the proverbial grief of the widower, -violent while it lasted, but soon well over and done with. Now we -wonder how any one could possibly be homesick in this Italy which we -love so much, above all in Rome, which seems each day more and more the -mother of us all. Zelphine and Angela will tell you that Margaret is -the gayest of the party. You know that I never would be a kill-joy, and -here there is so much to interest one on all sides. - -So you are glad that there is one good English name in the party, and -are pleased to like the sound of my homespun baptismal? Angela is of -the same mind; she says that my sensible "Margaret" strikes a happy -balance between Zelphine's romantic name, which she feels it her duty -to live up to, and her own, equally fanciful, which she takes pleasure -in defying. By way of adapting herself gracefully to the situation, -Angela has fallen into the habit of calling Zelphine "Z." This is all -very well, but I am thankful that she does not insist upon being called -"A.," as the constant turning from A. to Z. would be unpleasantly -suggestive of algebraic formulæ, which were the bane of my school-days. - -We laugh at Zelphine and chaff her continually about her flights of -fancy; but no person could travel with her without realizing what a -pleasure it is to be with a woman whose mind is so stored with the -poetry and history of these old cities, one who enters so heart and -soul into every interesting association. I said something of this to -Angela one morning as we turned from the Via Condotti into the Corso, -feeling that she might not appreciate all her privileges. - -"Zelphine is," I said, "steeped in the lore of the past." - -"Yes, up to the neck!" replied Angela, with emphasis. "I feel that I -am now enjoying that liberal education that I have heard about all my -life." - -"The education is not liberal in including your expressions," I said, -with an attempt at severity. - -"Don't you understand, Margaret? Must I always explain?" said Angela, -lifting her innocent blue eyes to mine. "I mean that Z. swims in -learning, and one must be in up to one's neck to swim comfortably!" - -Angela is quite hopeless, and by way of punishing her I stopped to buy -her some of the delicious red roses that make me think of June days -at home, especially of the roses in your mother's garden, which were -always the reddest. Zelphine having stepped on in advance of us to -attend to a commission at the cleaner's, where they "gar auld claes -look amaist as weel's the new," we sauntered on along what one of your -favorite writers describes so enthusiastically as "that world-famous -avenue, the Corso." - -"Do look at her!" exclaimed Angela, as we passed the Via Convertite -and saw Zelphine standing at the corner of the Via San Claudio, -gazing spellbound at the windows of a house on the other side of the -street. "She's quite happy; time and place are nothing to her--she -has discovered the Shelley tablet on that house. I saw it several days -ago, but I thought I'd let Z. find it for herself. She'll never rest -content till she sees the room in which Shelley wrote 'The Cenci' and -'Prometheus Unbound.' It is probably not worth seeing when you get into -it, and may not be the room at all; but see it Z. will, or die in the -attempt. I don't believe in all these wonderful tales that we hear. You -only half believe in them yourself, Margaret, so I dare to talk to you; -Z. swallows them whole, and so does Ludovico, and that is what makes -them such good friends." - -"And is it your incredulity, my dear, that makes you and Ludovico such -bitter enemies?" - -Angela laughed her light, musical laugh. - -"We do quarrel, you know; we had quite a battle last evening over -the Catacombs. Ludovico says that I must see them; that it would -be positively disgraceful for me to leave Rome without seeing the -Catacombs of Calixtus, at least. You know that I don't care for such -dismal places. Rome is so gay and bright on top, why should we burrow -underneath after tombs and Christian martyrs, while the sun is shining -upon the Pincio and there are no end of things to be seen above ground? -There she goes, after the concierge!" - -There was nothing for us to do but to follow Zelphine into the somewhat -shabby house and upstairs into the poet's room. It was worth much to -stand in the room where Shelley had once written, and to look from -the windows from which he could see the varied, moving panorama of the -busy Corso and the ancient Church of San Silvestro in Capite, in whose -adjoining convent the beautiful Vittoria Colonna took refuge in her -widowhood, and wrote her sonnets in memory of a beloved husband. - -A curious commentary upon the power of the world over the Church is -to be found in the fact that Pope Clement VII. forbade the abbess and -nuns, "under pain of the greater excommunication," to permit this noble -lady the usual solace of afflicted womanhood, the cloister and the -veil. This picturesque old convent with its lovely cloisters is now -used as a post office. - -From Shelley's house we retraced our steps along the Corso and turned -into the Piazza San Lorenzo, where is the little Church of San Lorenzo -in Lucina, in which Browning's Pompilia was baptized and married, her -"own particular place," where she wondered, as we did, - - "what the marble lion meant, - With half his body rushing from the wall, - Eating the figure of a prostrate man." - -Standing before the wonderful altar-piece of Guido Reni's Crucifixion, -painted against a wild and stormy sky, we realized how the suffering -face of the compassionate Christ must have risen again and again before -the despairing eyes of the persecuted child-wife: - - "the piece - Of Master Guido Reni, Christ on Cross, - Second to nought observable in Rome." - -Other and more impressive associations with Shelley's life in Rome than -the little room on the Corso we found this afternoon when we drove -out to the Baths of Caracalla, which even now cover so large a space -that they have been well named a city of pleasure. We climbed over the -mountainous ruin and up the winding stairs, trying to find just such a -perch as Shelley described in the preface to his "Prometheus Unbound." - -Bald and naked are these walls to-day, but not unsightly, as they -stand out against the blue of the Roman sky and the fresh green of the -Campagna. They are denuded of the vines and flowers that adorned them -when, as Shelley says, he wrote his poem "among the flowery glades -and thickets of odoriferous blossoming trees which are extended, in -ever-winding labyrinths, upon its immense platforms and dizzy arches -suspended in the air." - -Now as then Rome lies on one side, with her many domes and towers; on -the other are the mountains, blue in the distance, and white beyond -the blue, where the snow lingers late upon their peaks. Like another -mountain stands out the dome of St. Peter's, which Ampère says is "the -only one of the works of man that possesses something of the grandeur -of the works of God." - -Being in the mood for poetic associations, we drove around by the -Porta San Paolo, just outside of which, enclosed by high walls and -overshadowed by the great pyramidal Tomb of Caius Cestius, is the old -Protestant Cemetery. An ideal Campo Santo is this lovely spot, of which -Shelley wrote that "it might make one in love with death to think that -one should be buried in so sweet a place." We wandered over the grass -and looked up at the sky through the trees, while Zelphine quoted the -lines that fit the scene so well: - - "Pass, till the spirit of the spot shall lead - Thy footsteps to a slope of green access, - Where, like an infant's smile, over the dead - A light of laughing flowers along the grass is spread." - -And so passing from grave to grave we came to the one we sought, and -standing before a simple stone slab, read those sad words which poor -Keats, in bitterness of spirit, wished to have written above his grave: -"Here lies one whose name was writ in water." It was comforting to turn -from this to a marble tablet on the wall near by, where there is a head -of Keats in low relief, and under it a beautiful inscription saying -that he is among the immortals. The young poet's devoted friend Joseph -Severn lies near him. - -Across the road is the newer cemetery, whose gate was opened for us -by a girl with a huge key fastened to her girdle, whom Zelphine and -I likened to "the damsel named Discretion." Angela, being a modern -girl and unfamiliar with "Pilgrim's Progress," did not understand the -allusion, and said: - -"Small thanks to her if she is discreet, when she is not able to say a -word to us, good or bad!" - -Zelphine always looks at me hopelessly on such occasions, lamenting -over what she calls the lack of background in the outlook of the girl -of to-day, whom I always defend loyally although I believe Zelphine is -more than half right. - -We found the grave of Shelley, who so soon followed his Adonais. It -seemed as if that lonely "Cor Cordium" should have been buried near -the friendly shades of Keats and Severn. Yet Mrs. Shelley, in writing -of the burial of the ashes of her husband, makes no mention of their -being placed within the newer cemetery. She simply says he selected the -hallowed place himself, where is the - - "sepulchre, - O, not of him, but of our joy!" - - - - -VII - -ANTIQUITIES AND ORANGE-BLOSSOMS - - - VIA SISTINA, ROME, March 23d. - -It is so delightful to have some one with us who knows and loves Rome -as Ludovico does. He shows us about _con amore_ and with the greatest -enthusiasm, not in the perfunctory guide-book fashion. He and Angela -are already good friends, and chatter away like two magpies about -everything upon the earth and beneath it as well, which is quite -natural, as many of our proposed excursions are subterranean, and we -never know what wonder of the world may be sprung upon us at the next -corner. - -Ludovico was much pleased to learn that we had not yet found our way -to the Capitol, as he wished to personally conduct us thither, advising -us to drive to the Piazza del Campidoglio in order to save the climb up -the long flight of steps leading to it from the street. We thus missed -the first view from below of the noble statue of Marcus Aurelius, which -was once gilded over, like some of our modern statues, and stood near -the Lateran. Those old sculptors knew how a ruler should look! You must -see this statue of your grand old heathen emperor some day; there is -majesty and dominance in every line. - -In the museum we passed beautiful bas-reliefs representing classic -scenes, the colossal statue of the Emperor Hadrian in armor, and -sarcophagi strangely decorated with bacchanalian representations, until -we suddenly found ourselves in the Room of the Dying Gladiator, with -that wonderful marble figure before us of which Byron wrote: - - "He recked not of the life he lost, nor prize, - But where his rude hut by the Danube lay, - There were his young barbarians all at play, - There was their Dacian mother--he, their sire, - Butchered to make a Roman holiday." - -We lingered long beside this impressive marble, and then turned to the -Resting Satyr of Praxiteles, made familiar to us all by Hawthorne's -description. You remember that Donatello so strongly resembled the -statue that Miriam begged him to shake aside his thick curls and allow -her to see whether he had the Faun's leaf-shaped pointed ears. This he -declined to do, saying, as he danced around the statue of the Dying -Gladiator, "I shall be like a wolf of the Apennines if you touch my -ears ever so softly. None of my race could endure it." - -If, as Hawthorne says, "only a sculptor of the finest imagination, -the most delicate taste, the sweetest feeling, and the rarest artistic -skill--in a word, a sculptor and a poet too--could have first dreamed -of a faun in this guise, and then have succeeded in imprisoning the -sportive and frisky thing in marble," surely none but a novelist and a -poet too could have presented on the page of romance this creature of -the woods and hills, half man, half animal, the sensitive, emotional, -whimsical, and altogether fascinating Donatello. - -The statues of the Faun, the Dying Gladiator, and the beautiful youth -Antinous are all among the treasures of which Hadrian's Villa was -despoiled, as was also the exquisite mosaic of doves on a fountain -basin, called Pliny's Doves, because, in speaking of the perfection to -which the mosaic art had attained, Pliny described a wonderful mosaic -in which one dove is drinking and casting her shadow in the water while -others are pluming themselves on the edge of the vase. While in the -room of the Doves we paid our respects to the Capitoline Venus, which, -although considered a perfect type of feminine grace, failed to appeal -to us as did the Venus della Coscia in the Naples Museum, and is, of -course, not to be mentioned in the same breath with the lovely armless -lady of the Louvre. - -After spending two hours in the museum, Zelphine said that she had -seen enough for one day, and that her mind refused to grasp anything -more. We usually find that this is quite time enough to spend in any -picture-gallery or museum, and I am inclined to think that people who -stay longer wear themselves out to no purpose. - -Angela suggested that as we were so near the Church of Ara Coeli, it -would be well to go to see the wonderful Bambino. Ludovico prepared us -for some disappointment by telling us that the most interesting time -to visit this church is during the Epiphany, when the Bambino lies in -a manger and little children come here and recite poems in its honor. -But as a Christmas visit was only a remote possibility, we concluded to -climb up to this church, hung like an eagle's nest upon the precipitous -rock, and well named the "Altar of Heaven." Zelphine quite forgot her -fatigue when she read in her guide-book that it was in this church that -Edward Gibbon first conceived the idea of writing his "Decline and Fall -of the Roman Empire," while Ludovico, by way of giving us something -cheerful to think of, told us that at the foot of the steps Tiberius -Gracchus and Cola di Rienzi were both slain by their nobles. There is -a statue of Rienzi in the piazza below, and above is that wonderful -group of the horse-taming Dioscuri, your copies of which have always -interested me so much. A curious and most unromantic association with -these steps is that here the monks of the Ara Coeli, who were famous -dentists, used to perform their hideous but useful operations, out in -the open, before the eyes of the passer-by. It appears that the Romans -of this time were denied the alleviating circumstance of enduring their -miseries in private. Zelphine, who has a pleasant habit of counting her -blessings, finds just here another reason for offering up thanks that -she lives in this year of grace 1904 rather than in that ancient and -less comfortable period. - -As the steps are many and the sun was hot we were warm and out of -breath when we reached the top, and were glad of the coolness and -peace that we found inside. I gave Angela an admonitory look before the -Bambino was displayed, fearing that she might do or say something to -hurt Ludovico's feelings. As it happened, however, he seemed to care -even less about it than we did, although he told us, with his usual -simplicity and directness, that "il Santissimo Bambino," as he calls -it, is carefully guarded, not on account of its rich clothing and -jewels, but because a woman once formed the design of appropriating -to herself the baby image and its benefits. "She had another bambino -prepared, of the same size and general appearance as this," said -Ludovico, looking at the fresh-colored, richly dressed doll. "She -pretended to be ill, and so got possession of the Santissimo. She -dressed the false image in the garments of the true Bambino, and sent -it back to Ara Coeli. That night the most remarkable thing happened: -the monks were awakened by a wild ringing of bells at the west door of -the church, and what should they find there but the little, shivering, -naked figure of the Santissimo Bambino, in the wind and rain! Of -course, the false bambino was sent back to its owner, and now the -Santissimo is never taken away from the church unattended. This is easy -enough, as the Bambino has its own carriage, coachman, and footman, and -makes its visits to the sick in great state." - -I glanced at Angela. Amusement and incredulity were all too plainly -visible on that fair young face, so I hastened to suggest that we look -at some of the beautiful tombs. There are several by Donatello and the -Cosmati so exquisitely sculptured that they alone repay a visit to the -church. From the terrace outside we looked down on the Forum below us, -where to-day a great mass of blue iris flowers were waving and dancing -in the breeze under the very shadow of the three columns of the Temple -of Castor and Pollux. - -Ludovico suggested our going to the Tarpeian Rock, which is part -of this precipitous hill, if we were not too tired. No, we were not -too tired; the many steps of the Ara Coeli seemed to have brought -positive refreshment to Zelphine, who announced herself ready for a -new start, and so, through delightful winding ways known only to the -initiated, Ludovico led us to the garden from which we looked down upon -the Tarpeian Rock. - -Do you remember the picture in our school histories of Marcus Curtius -plunging into the abyss? I could see him, in my mind's eye, boldly -riding his white horse over the cliff into the depths of the chasm -below, until Zelphine reminded me that it was not from this rock that -Curtius made his fatal plunge, but over on the Forum, where the chasm -closed at once upon horse and rider. I cannot even find mention of our -old friend Marcus Curtius; he is now known as Mettius Curtius. Now the -edge of the precipice is so guarded by an iron railing that it would -be quite impossible in these days for any one to leap from the rock, -or for Donatello to push the monk over into the street below, as in -Hawthorne's tale. Mr. Julian Hawthorne says that it was to a moonlight -visit to the Tarpeian Rock in the good company of Miss Bremer that we -owe this scene in "The Marble Faun," the "most visibly tragic of my -father's writings." A pleasant-faced young woman who unlocked the gate -of the garden for us was evidently bewitched by Angela's charms, as she -did not take her eyes off her face from the moment that she saw her. -When we turned to leave the enclosure she broke from one of the trees -an exquisite branch of orange-blossoms, and gave it to Angela with a -charming grace, at the same time glancing over at Ludovico in a manner -that brought the color to his face. He laughed, evidently pleased, and -said a few words to her in Italian, after which she bestowed a smaller -cluster of the fragrant flowers upon him. Angela, all unconscious, -walked on, revelling in the rich perfume of these loveliest of -blossoms. - -I went to sleep last night wondering what the sweet-faced custodian of -the grim rock had said to Ludovico, and what his reply had been, and so -fell to dreaming of a wedding; but Zelphine was the bride, not Angela, -despite her orange-blossoms, and the groom was a certain widower who -pays intermittent attention to Zelphine--intermittent because she will -not allow him to be a "regular steady," as one of our maids used to say -in speaking of her own suitor. - -You have surely heard of Walter Leonard's devotion to Zelphine, which -is so much of an open secret among her friends that when subjects -for conversation fail, they fall back with ever fresh interest upon -speculations as to whether or not she will eventually accept him and -his family of small children. Angela and I have an idea that she left -home in order to avoid a crisis in her affairs, and when she looks sad -or tired, Angela says that remorse is preying upon her because of the -motherless condition of those hapless children. I did not tell Zelphine -about my dream, because it is bad luck to dream about a marriage. -You scorn all such fancies, I know, but she is really superstitious, -and I might injure Mr. Leonard's chances if I should talk just now. -Angela and I have our own fun out of the situation. She predicts -that he will appear in Venice, which surely would be an appropriate -place for a lover to make his entrance, and romantic enough to please -Zelphine. This is only idle talk, however, as she has never spoken of -the possibility of Walter Leonard's coming over; and pray do forget my -gossip. It is too late, and I am quite too tired to rewrite this part -of my letter. I know you of old, and so am sure that you will tell no -tales. - - Sunday, March 27th. - -This is a gloriously beautiful day. The Spanish Steps are brilliant in -the sunshine, with more flowers than usual on the stalls at the base. -As Sunday is a fête-day, the vendors do a thriving business. And how -cheap the flowers are! One may have all the roses one can carry, for a -franc or two! Yet, with the idea that there is no fixed price in Italy, -travellers are always to be seen at the stalls outdoing the Romans -themselves in their efforts to cheapen the flowers, while the merchant -volubly protests that his house will be desolated and his children in -rags if he sells his roses for a soldo less than the asking price. A -few artists' models are still to be found sunning themselves on the -marble steps or around the fountain of the Piazza di Spagna, but in -less brilliant array than one would desire, peasant dress being as -little worn in Rome as in Paris. - -To go to St. Peter's seemed the thing of all others to do to-day, and -we found an accommodating tram waiting for us in the Piazza di Spagna. - -They tell us that no one ever realizes the vastness of St. Peter's upon -a first visit. However this may be, it seemed immense to us, outside -and in. One notices first Bernini's great colonnades on each side -of the basilica, which, with its façade, form a hemicycle with the -Egyptian obelisk in the centre. Behind the church is the monotonous -mass of the Vatican buildings, while in the foreground the twin -fountains send up their spires of feathery spray. Small wonder that -the practical and thrifty German Emperor advised them to turn off the -water. "Turn them off now," he said, after admiring the beauty of the -fountains. "It's a pity to waste so much water!" But these fountains of -Maderno's have played untiringly, in sunlight and shade, by moonlight -and starlight, for nearly three hundred years. Everywhere in Rome -one hears the sound of flowing water from the many fountains. In the -Borghese Gardens up on the Pincio, in the Piazza di Spagna, down in -the Piazza Poli where the great Fountain of Trevi dashes continually, -throwing its _jets d'eau_ into the great basin beneath, over in the -Piazza delle Terme, near the railroad station--on all sides one hears -the refreshing sound of splashing, leaping water. - -We wandered about the great basilica as if in a strange city, avoiding, -of course, the several chapels in which services were being held, and -stopping long before the Chapel of the Pietà, in which Michael Angelo's -beautiful marble of the Sorrowing Mother with the dead Christ upon her -knees is enshrined. From the gorgeous mosaics in Michael Angelo's dome -and from the rich and elaborate tombs of many popes we turned almost -with relief to the strong and simple Rezzonico monument, upon which -Canova has placed two great lions at the feet of Pope Clement XIII., -while in sharp contrast is a graceful, youthful figure, the Genius of -Death, holding a torch reversed. Zelphine and I think this the most -beautiful example of Canova's work that we have seen anywhere. Another -of the monuments that interested us is that erected by George IV. to -the memory of the unfortunate princes of the house of Stuart, James -III., Charles Edward, and Henry, Cardinal of York. - -Zelphine, who adores the Stuarts, almost wept over this tomb, although -she could not help smiling a bit at the high-sounding titles engraved -upon the monument to Maria Clementina Sobieski, the wife of the second -Pretender, whose name is here inscribed as "Queen of Great Britain, -France, and Ireland." - -We both enjoyed Stendhal's trenchant comment upon the post-mortem -honors paid by the Hanoverian king to the Stuart princes: "George -IV., fidèle à sa réputation du _gentleman_ le plus accompli des trois -royaumes, a voulu honorer la cendre des princes malheureuses que de -leur vivant il eût envoyés à l'échafaud s'ils fussent tombés en son -pouvoir." - -The temporary tomb of the late Pope is in this part of St. Peter's, -near the monument of Innocent III. The permanent resting-place of Leo -XIII. is to be in St. John Lateran; for this tomb Tadolini is preparing -a magnificent monument. - -We drove from St. Peter's, by the Tiber, passing the Castle of St. -Angelo, where Ludovico took us yesterday to show us the pitiful little -cell in which poor Beatrice Cenci was imprisoned. We had already -seen her lovely, sad picture at the Barberini Palace. The exquisite, -haunting beauty of the Cenci portrait is quite indescribable. As -Charles Dickens says, "Through the transcendent sweetness and beauty of -her face there is something shining out that haunts me. I see it now as -I see this paper or my pen." - -This afternoon we drove for an hour or more in the Borghese Gardens, -after which we went to the evening service at the American Church in -the Via Nazionale, which naturally looked somewhat cold and plain after -the gorgeous color and decoration of St. Peter's. It was, however, -restful and homelike to sit there and listen to the beautiful service -of our own church. - -Zelphine says that Catholic visitors in Rome are especially fortunate, -as for them the path of duty and the path of pleasure lie side by -side, leading them always into the most beautiful churches and giving -them the satisfying combination of art and religion. I entirely agree -with her, having often felt that in a service in Westminster Abbey -an element of adventure was added to the act of devotion. I think it -was you who told me of a Scotchwoman who considered a service in the -abbey "among the images" too much of a diversion for a Sabbath day. I -should think that good Catholic travellers might have somewhat the same -feeling about a great ceremonial at St. Peter's. - -In the Borghese Gardens, the shadows under the ilex-trees were most -lovely this afternoon, the sunshine filtering through the branches here -and there, flecking the green sward with spots of light, and bringing -out the color of the anemones which grow here in such profusion. -We could readily fancy Miriam and Donatello dancing in this sylvan -shade, although no vagrant musicians were waking the echoes among the -leafy coverts, no herdsman in goatskin breeches, no peasants from the -Campagna, or pretty _contadine_ appeared, to add a touch of local color -to the natural beauties of the scene. - - - - -VIII - -VIA APPIA - - - Monday, March 28th. - -Ludovico proposed that we should take the long-talked-of drive along -the Via Appia this beautiful afternoon. Knowing Angela's objection -to subterranean excursions, he discreetly said nothing about the -Catacombs, although I realized well that they were uppermost in his -mind, and felt that I might safely trust a bit of diplomacy to this -clever little Italian. - -As we are living in the north-eastern part of Rome and the Via Appia is -in the southern part, leading toward the Pontine Marshes and ancient -Brundusium, we had a long drive across the city. We drove through the -Corso as far as the Piazza Colonna, with its towering column erected -by the Senate and the people in honor of your hero Marcus Aurelius, and -then by smaller streets and squares to the Porta Capena. Of this gate, -which is associated with so many interesting events, only fragmentary -ruins remain. Near it were once grouped temples of Mars and Hercules -and the tomb of the young sister of the Horatii, who was betrothed to -one of the Curiatii. Ludovico repeated the sad little story, which we -had all read in our school-days, of the girl coming out to meet her -brother Horatius at the Porta Capena. When she saw the cloak wrought by -her own hands borne by Horatius, she wept, as any other girl would have -done, knowing that her lover was dead; upon which the cruel Horatius -stabbed her to the heart, crying, "So perish the Roman maiden who shall -weep her country's enemy!" - -To see the place where this sad scene was enacted and the site of the -grave of the hapless maiden made it seem as real as if it had occurred -last year instead of--how many hundred years ago? We are realizing, as -never before, what an old world this is. Even now, out in the Forum, -they are opening the graves of men and women who lived before Romulus, -as if the Rome of Numa and the Cæsars was not old enough for all -antiquarian uses! - -The old Romans, like the ancient Egyptians, seem to have had no -shrinking from keeping death well in view, as this Via Appia, which -was the patrician cemetery of Rome, was also a military highway and -a pleasure-drive, and from it still branches a road leading to the -race-course. Indeed, there is nothing dismal about this "way of tombs," -for the road is wide, paved with large blocks of stone, and flanked -by vineyards. On the right are the Baths of Caracalla, on the left -are the tombs of the Scipios, while the long bridge-like ruins of the -old aqueduct rise here and there above the level of the Campagna, and -beyond, framing all, are the mountains. Flowers are blooming along the -sides of the road, among the tombs and over them. Angela and Ludovico -gathered a large bunch of cyclamen and the purple lady's-slipper -orchids. Wherever there is an unsightly stone or a bit of broken wall, -Nature has generously covered it with a drapery of green vines or white -banksia roses. - -Here, out in the sunshine and among the flowers, are the tombs of -the grand old heathen, while the good Christians sleep in the dismal -subterranean Catacombs. Is not this another example of the way in which -the ancient pagan city dominates the Rome of later times? - -A little way beyond the fine tombs of the Scipios we passed through -the Arch of Drusus, with its equestrian statue and trophies, on whose -summit is still a bit of the aqueduct by which Caracalla carried water -to his baths. A little beyond the Porta San Sebastiano we came to the -small Church of Domine Quo Vadis. You may remember the story which led -to its foundation. During a great persecution of the Christians, under -Nero, some of St. Peter's converts and devoted friends besought him -not to expose his life by remaining in Rome. Peter finally listened -to their counsels and fled along the Appian Way; but about two miles -from the gate he was met by a vision of the Saviour, journeying towards -the city. Filled with amazement, Peter exclaimed, "Domine, quo vadis?" -"Lord, whither goest Thou?" To this question his Master replied, sadly, -"I go to Rome to be crucified a second time," and vanished. Peter, -accepting this as a sign that he was to submit to the sufferings that -menaced him, turned back to Rome and met his fate. Hence the little -yellow church of Domine Quo Vadis, which was built to mark the sacred -spot. - -We left the carriage and entered the church, as Zelphine wished to -see the sacred footprints upon the stone pavement; but Ludovico told -her that those impressions were only copies, the originals being at -the Church of St. Sebastian. We walked on and on along the Via Appia, -glad to tread the same stones that had been pressed by the feet of St. -Peter, St. Paul, and so many great ones of the earth. - -We were so much absorbed in the associations of the road, and had such -unbounded confidence in our young guide, that we did not even ask where -we were going, although I suspected that Ludovico was about to enact -his _coup d'état_ for Angela's benefit. Through a gateway shaded by -cypresses we followed him into a rose-garden, with a chapel to the -left and a booth opposite, where were displayed a number of odd and -discordant relics. Here Ludovico stopped to buy some tickets, and then -we descended many steps into darkness made somewhat visible by the -light of curious little spiral tapers, _cerini_, which we carried. - -Light seemed to dawn upon Angela's mind when the taper was handed to -her at the entrance; she turned and shook her finger at Ludovico, -exclaiming, "The Catacombs!" I felt at first that it was not quite -fair to have beguiled the child here, against her will, to this dismal -home of the dead, which cannot fail to impress a sensitive nature. -Afterwards, however, Angela was so much interested in the little -chapels in which the early Christians worshipped, with the paintings -on the walls and the symbols of the fish, the dove, and the anchor over -many of the tombs, that she quite forgot her terror. - -The guide explained that these Catacombs of St. Calixtus include -several columbaria, there being forty separate catacombs extending -under the city, covering, according to Michele de Rossi's calculations, -an area of 615 acres. The city of the dead is far greater than the -city of the living; but this is not to be wondered at, considering the -population of Rome under the Cæsars and the large number of converts to -Christianity. - -We were surprised to find the air mild, not chill and damp as one -would expect in underground passages. Although there are wires for -electric lights in some of the corridors, the Catacombs are not lighted -by electricity. It was introduced five years ago, but was found to -be impracticable, as the wires were soon injured by rust; hence we -were spared this incongruity. Despite the many tales we had read of -travellers being lost in the Catacombs, we never once thought of the -danger, although our guide told us more than once that it would be well -for us to keep close together. - -He took us into a chapel containing the tombs of some of the early -martyred popes, as St. Fabian, St. Lucius, and St. Sextus. In some of -these chapels, or cubicula, are beautiful inscriptions to Pope Damasus, -whose labor of love it was to restore and preserve these tombs of the -Christians. At the end of a long inscription over the door of one of -the largest of these sepulchral chambers, which records that here lie -heaped together a number of the holy ones, the good Pope has humbly -added: - - "Here I, Damasus, wished to have laid my limbs, - But feared to disturb the holy ashes of the saints." - -We then entered a chamber with an air-shaft above, like most of the -cubicula, where, on the walls, were a number of Byzantine paintings -of St. Urban, St. Cecilia, and a head of Christ. The guide told us -that this chamber contained the remains of St. Cecilia until they were -removed to the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Without a word -of warning, Ludovico drew us across the room to a niche in the wall, -where we saw, lying upon her side, the loveliest of girlish figures. -The first impression, in the semi-obscurity, with all the light falling -on the recumbent figure, was that of a veiled woman asleep. - -"Santa Cecilia!" said Ludovico, in a hushed voice. Zelphine bent -forward as if ready to fall on her knees, when the official guide broke -the reverent silence by reciting in a sing-song tone, but in quite -comprehensible English: - -"This rich Roman lady was sentenced to death by the prefect of Rome -because she would not sacrifice to idols. After trying to smother the -lady in her own bath, but not succeeding, because the saints were -watching over her, a lictor was sent to cut off her head; but the -saints took the strength out of his arm and he only wounded her, after -which she lived three days preaching to the people. Step nearer and -you will see the wound on the lady's neck. It is partially covered by -a gold necklace." - -In the sixteenth century the tomb of St. Cecilia was opened, and her -embalmed body was found, beautiful and perfect, as if asleep in her own -bed rather than lying in a tomb. Pope Clement III. and all Rome went to -the Catacombs to look upon the saint, and Stefano Maderno, the greatest -sculptor of his time, was called upon to model the marble statue of the -lovely sleeping saint. Maderno's original statue of St. Cecilia we had -seen in the Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, and also the artist's -inscription, in which he says that he has modelled her in the very same -posture of body as that in which she was found lying incorrupt in her -tomb. Beautiful as is the marble in the church, it failed to impress us -as did this replica in the appropriate setting of the cubiculum. - -Tears were in our eyes as we turned away, and I heard Angela say to -Ludovico, in her softest tone, "It is the most real thing I have seen -in Rome!" - -"Ludovico has good reason to be pleased with the success of his -strategy," whispered Zelphine, and then, wishing to carry away -undisturbed this exquisite memory of St. Cecilia, we made our way out -toward the open, where we found our carriage awaiting us. - -We were all very subdued, for pleasure-seekers, and were silent as we -drove on past the vast tomb of Cæcilia, the daughter of Metellus and -the beloved wife of the younger Crassus. Above the inscription are -Gallic trophies which belonged to the elder Crassus, who was Cæsar's -legate in Gaul. The tomb itself, a great round tower seventy feet -in diameter, seems more like a fortress than a tomb, and we were not -surprised to learn that the monument of this noble Roman lady had been -used as a fortress in the thirteenth century. - -Beyond this tomb, whose mystery and charm have inspired many a poet, -the natural beauties of the Appian Way begin, as the vineyard walls -no longer interrupt the more extended view over the Latin plain, with -its ruined castles, villages, and aqueducts. When we had driven past -the fifth mile-stone, near which are the tombs of the Horatii and the -vast ruins of the Villa of Commodus, we were warned by a delicate, -violet mist which was rising over the Campagna that it was time to -turn towards Rome. Good Romans tell us that their city is perfectly -healthful now, since the marshes have been drained, and so it seems to -be; but it is always a question whether it is wise to linger near the -Campagna about sunset, as we usually notice a chill dampness in the air -at this time. - - Thursday, March 31st. - -Mrs. M., my old friend Rosalie L., has come from Sorrento to spend Holy -Week and Easter with us. Dr. M. has a professional engagement which -will detain him for a week or ten days, and in the interim we four -are visiting churches most assiduously. There are interesting Tenebræ -services in nearly all the churches this week. This rainy afternoon we -went to Santa Maria Maggiore, which is one of the most beautiful and -harmonious buildings we have seen. The mosaics are very rich, and the -Borghese Chapel is gorgeous with precious marbles and alabaster. Here -above an altar of jasper and lapis lazuli is the famous picture of the -Virgin said to have been painted by St. Luke. It is much revered, not -only on account of its origin, but because of its having, according to -tradition, stopped the plague in Rome and brought about the overthrow -of the Moorish dominion in Spain. - -At St. Peter's, where we went later in the afternoon to hear the -fine music, a lock of the Virgin's hair was exhibited, a piece of the -true cross, and St. Veronica's handkerchief. I trust you will never -cross-examine me upon the color of the Virgin's hair, and to forestall -any such inquiries, I here frankly confess that I did not really see -it, as the sacred relics were displayed from a high balcony over the -great statue of St. Veronica. The handkerchief we did see, and the -face of the Saviour on it, which was distinct. The basilica, near the -high altar, was crowded; poor people and soldiers were kneeling beside -richly dressed Roman ladies; many of the _forestieri_, like ourselves, -were standing about, gazing at the strange sights, and some of them, I -regret to say, were talking. - -Rosalie, Zelphine, and I were interested, as indeed we always are, in -watching the poor people, who are so attentive and devout, so much -in earnest, coming to their churches as to a home. Groups of little -children came in holding each other's hands, some of them bringing with -them little toddling things of two and three. The face of one little -girl I shall never forget, she was so exquisitely beautiful, with the -loveliness of childhood and yet with a womanly seriousness in her dark -eyes. Rosalie and I imagined Dante's Beatrice looking something like -this little girl, and could understand his cherishing in his heart the -image of that woman-child all his days. - - Easter Sunday, April 3d. - -We are glad to have a bright Easter Day, and enjoy it the more because -Holy Week has been dark and rainy. We went to the English Church on the -Via del Babuino in the morning, and in the afternoon to St. Peter's, to -witness a procession of the priests which was somewhat disappointing. -We then turned into the Pincio, which was a blaze of color with -Judas-trees, wistaria, roses, and anemones. All Rome was in evidence. -This is one of the few days in the year when the King and Queen drive -out together in state. Angela and I were too late to see them, but -Zelphine was more fortunate, as she passed them when she was driving -with her cousins. She thought the Queen exceedingly pretty, youthful, -and charming. - -The well-to-do people were _en voiture_ drawn up in line, the poor on -foot crowding the walks and benches near the music-stand, where the -band was playing merrily; a good-natured, cheerful crowd, and gayer, -it seemed to me, than the same class of people in Paris. Nothing on -the Pincio is more picturesque than the nurses in their full skirts -of gay colors, with their luxuriant black hair decorated with bright -ribbons and gold combs and pins. They look very stylish carrying the -aristocratic bambini on pillows. We are told that these unfortunate -babies are still swaddled like those in Della Robbia's terra-cottas. - -In the meadows adjoining the Borghese Gardens the students of the -different colleges were playing ball. Do you wonder that Italian -immigrants find our Sundays insupportably dull? Here it is a fête-day -all the year, and to-day being the feast of feasts, the people have -come out to enjoy themselves in the sunshine. What would your father -think of it all, Allan, and your Scotch grandmother? I could feel the -shadow of her displeasure darkening the sunshine as I stood in the -midst of this joyous crowd, and yet, after all, it seems an innocent -way of spending a beautiful Sunday afternoon. - - - - -IX - -TU ES PETRUS - - - VIA SISTINA, April 7th. - -A grand and elaborate Gregorian ceremonial is to be held in St. Peter's -on Monday, the eleventh, and, as you may imagine, _tout le monde_, the -small world as well as the great, is rushing after tickets. We were -able to secure the white entrance cards from our banker on the Piazza -di Spagna, with which we were quite satisfied until Miss Dean, the -charming Irish lady who sits next to me at the table d'hôte, showed -me a yellow _biglietto_, which assures her a seat in the tribunes. -Since then we have been filled with envy, hatred, malice, and all -uncharitableness. We did not at all understand the difference between -the white _ingresso_ cards and the yellow until she explained it, with -a delicious rolling of the _r_ in _ingresso_ such as even Angela, with -all her aptitude for mimicking, is unable to attain. The white tickets -simply give one an entrée to the church, the yellow, which come only -to the favored few, are for seats in the tribunes. Recalling Madame -Waddington's description of her own sufferings and those of the other -diplomatic ladies at the coronation of the Czar Alexander III., we -earnestly hope that we may be so fortunate as to have seats in one of -the tribunes. - -Ludovico, who has been rushing hither and thither for several days, -trying to secure tickets for us through his godfather, who is one of -the Pope's chamberlains, came in this evening, his face flushed with -the joy of victory. I knew that he had secured the coveted _biglietti_, -as soon as I saw him. There was, however, a shade of embarrassment -in his manner which I could not quite understand. The reason became -evident when Ludovico pulled two tickets, instead of three, out of -his pocket, explaining with much hesitation that it was impossible to -get more than two even from his official godfather, so great was the -demand. We all three made haste to say, with proper politeness, that -it was a great deal to have two tickets for such an occasion and to ask -where was his own; to which he replied that there were no places in the -tribunes for men. Did we not see that printed on the _biglietti_? He -would go, of course, and stand about, or secure a perch on one of the -great columns. - -Although we were perfectly civil in our expressions to Ludovico, and, -I trust, sufficiently grateful for a favor to which we could lay no -possible claim, we were wondering how we could make two tickets answer -for three women, all equally anxious to see the great ceremonies. -Unlike the dame who was expected to fry her ten fish in nine separate -pans at the same moment, we were unwilling "to give it up," and so -continued to discuss the problem after we went to our rooms that night. -Zelphine and I said most decidedly that Angela should go, at which she -opened her eyes wide and asked why, adding, "I was always told that the -older children should go everywhere and the younger ones stay at home, -on the same principle as the helping at table. Being one of the older -children, this has always seemed to me a perfectly fair arrangement, -and I have never doubted the propriety of having my younger brothers -eat the drumsticks." - -"In the first place," said Zelphine, in her most judicial manner, "as -you are so much younger, you will probably live longer to tell the -tale." - -"I don't think that is much of an argument," replied Angela stoutly. -"The young occasionally die, and you are neither of you very aged, -and you are both much giddier and more frivolous than I. Indeed, I -sometimes wonder----" - -You will never know the cause of Angela's wonder, because I interrupted -her: - -"After all, don't you think we had better consider Ludovico in this -matter? Is it likely that he would travel all over Rome for days to -get tickets for two old-er women?" I started to say "old," but I saw -Zelphine wince, and so compromised on "older." "It is quite natural -that a youth like Ludovico should wish to please the young lady of the -party, and I must confess that although he handed the tickets to me, -he looked at Angela for a smile of thanks, which she never vouchsafed -him." - -"It wasn't so very much to do," said Angela, laughingly, but with a -tone of yielding in her voice. "He had only to go to his godfather and -ask him for some tickets." - -"Ungrateful child," I exclaimed, "is there any service that you would -consider too great to be performed at your behest? I firmly believe -that if Ludovico should bring you a wagon-load of roses from Queen -Margherita's own garden you would simply raise your eyebrows and say, -'How charming! I never had quite so many roses; I hope you have been at -no inconvenience in gathering them.'" - -"What a picture!" exclaimed Angela, "and what an imagination you have, -Margaret! And what darlings you both are!" With which the spoiled child -kissed us both, and dismissed us to our slumbers. - -"That is what comes of being a beauty," said Zelphine, "but with -Angela's charm and cleverness nothing is really too good for her." - -"Zelphine, you are quite as bad as the Italians over Angela's blonde -head. I only trust that we may get her home without any love-affairs or -duels; but she must go on Monday, _coûte que coûte_!" - - April 10th. - -Something has just happened that has forcibly impressed me with the -wisdom of your favorite proverb about crossing bridges before one comes -to them--a most delightful happening this! Dr. M. came in this evening -to say that Rosalie had two tickets for the tribunes, and would I go -with her? Of course I accepted with great alacrity, and we are all to -set forth together to-morrow. Dr. M. and Ludovico will accompany us to -the entrance to the church, when they and the other male barbarians -will find such places as they may. I really feel sorry for Dr. M., -who may never be here again upon such an occasion; but then he would -probably not be willing to change places with any one of us, even with -Angela, and I--well, I have never been quite so glad to be a woman as -I am now. We do have some privileges, although Miss Susan B. Anthony -would say that all of them, when weighed in the balance against the -right of suffrage, are lighter than vanity. - -Miss Dean informed me at dinner last night that the Earl and Countess -of Denbigh, with their two young sons, have come to assist at the -service to-morrow. From the expression of awe in her enchanting -voice, I am sure that my charming neighbor feels that the pension and -everything in it is honored by the presence of this peer and peeress -of ancient lineage; but as these noble folk lunch and dine in their own -parlor, we have only the uplifting consciousness that they pass through -the same hall and go up and down in the same _ascenseur_ (when it runs -at all) upon their goings out and comings in. This, however, seems to -fill to the brim the cup of content of my Irish friend. - - April 11th. - -We were all up betimes this morning, and were on our way to St. Peter's -before eight o'clock. I must here confess to a quite pardonable pride -in the appearance of my companions. Zelphine and Mrs. M., in long -black gowns which accentuated their tall slenderness, with handsome -lace at the neck and sleeves and the regulation black lace scarf most -coquettishly draped over their white pompadours, looked like fair and -noble ladies of the court of Louis Quinze on their way to mass at the -Sainte Chapelle or Notre Dame. Angela, who owned no black gown, had -borrowed one of mine, which she had tucked in and let out and generally -readjusted until it became her as everything does that she puts on her -graceful figure. The sombreness of her dress and veil served to bring -out the gold of the girl's hair and the whiteness of her skin, and with -a delicate flush on her cheek, like the inside of a shell, she looked -like one of the beings whose name she bears. - -Ludovico evidently had the same thought. Touched by the girl's beauty, -after the manner of his beauty-loving race, he bent over Angela and -repeated the old story of the three prisoners from Britain whose fair -faces and blonde heads drew from Pope Gregory the exclamation, "Non -Angli sed angeli!" "And this," added Ludovico, devoutly, "as you know, -led to the Christianizing of Britain." - -By the time Ludovico had finished his story we had reached the Borgo -Nuovo. At the Piazza Rusticucci there was so long a line of carriages -that we abandoned ours, and passed on foot through Bernini's lofty -colonnade, and on by wicked Caligula's grand obelisk out into the -vastness of the piazza, spanned to-day by the most perfect of Italian -skies, into whose ethereal blueness Maderno's noble fountains were -trying which one could throw its spray the highest. - -It is a privilege to see St. Peter's at any time, but to see it -to-day, with the great piazza filled with soldiers and the vast, -surging, swaying throng of people, is an inspiration as well as a -joy. The varied uniforms of the soldiers and guards and the gowns -of the different seminarists, blue, green, purple, and, above all, -the brilliant scarlet gowns of the German students, against the gray -background of the great basilica, added much to the picturesqueness of -the scene. - -At the top of the great steps leading to the vestibule Ludovico begged -us to turn for a moment to see the crowd below, a restless sea of -heads, an immense concourse of people, but a good-natured crowd to -which any one might trust himself with safety. Many tourists, English, -French, and German as well as American, went to St. Peter's to-day -provided only with the white _biglietti_ of admission, and suffered -no inconvenience. I really hesitate to tell you just how many souls -are said to have been in the basilica this morning, lest the apparent -extravagance of my statement should lead to incredulity in the future; -but it is said that there were over 50,000 souls inside the walls. - -Dr. M. and Ludovico left us at the south door, and once inside the -building we had no difficulty in making our way to the sacristy, and -through the gray marble portal, by Romano's statues of St. Peter and -St. Paul, and so on to the tribunes in the transept. - -Rich silk hangings draped the stone walls and columns, those behind -the papal throne being embroidered in ecclesiastical designs. The -throne was placed in front of the ancient Chair of St. Peter, and -between our seats and the throne was the great high altar, ninety-five -feet in height, with its bronze canopy and graceful spiral columns of -Bernini, double spirals richly gilded. As the mass was to be celebrated -at the high altar and as we were in the fourth row of seats from the -front, we were sure of a good view of the Pope. All around us were -the Swiss Guards, in the picturesque costume of red, yellow, and black -designed by Michael Angelo, and the Pope's Guardia Nobile, with "winged -Achillean helmet above the Empire uniform--half Greek, half French, -half gods, half dandies," as Mrs. Ward described this guard of young -nobles which surrounds the Pope. The uniform of the Gendarme Pontificio -is somewhat like that of the old Philadelphia City Troop, a handsome -uniform of black and white with an immense shako adorned with a red -plume. But most gorgeous of all were the chamberlains, in a costume -of black velvet of the period of Philip II., a Spanish dress with a -velvet cape thrown over one shoulder, superb lace cuffs and collar -and an immense ruff around the neck, and gold cords and chains without -end. Zelphine and I fancied our friend Dr. R., who was chamberlain to -Pope Leo XIII., figuring in this rich, decorative costume. One of the -chamberlains wore a costume of ruby-colored velvet with a sable hood -over his shoulders. - -It was so interesting to sit still and watch the changing scene -before us that the two hours of waiting passed quickly. The Pope's -little sisters sat in front of us in the seats nearest to the high -altar, but although quite close to us we could not see their faces. -They, of course, wore the costume _de rigueur_ for such functions, -black gowns, and black lace veils on their heads. During the long -wait, an American girl sitting near us told us of her experiences. -Not understanding about the costume required, "very stupidly," as she -said and as we thought, she appeared in a dark blue suit with a hat -to match. The guard refused to admit her, explaining the reason with -signs and gestures, pointing at the same time to the veiled ladies -passing through the doorway. Then, in a flash, presto change!--our -quick-witted countrywoman had taken off her hat and tucked it in the -folds of her skirt, having previously denuded it of a black dotted veil -which she threw over her head. The guard, lost in wonder at the sudden -transformation, was so bedazzled that he did not notice that her gown -was blue instead of black, or perhaps he was so sure that she would get -in by hook or by crook, that he allowed her to pass, exclaiming, "Ah, -these Americans!" - -"Something is going to happen," said Angela; "the Swiss Guards are -coming." A detachment marched along the central aisle, with cuirass -and iron helmet added to their brilliant plumage of every-day wear, and -lined up by the papal throne. There was a rustle and stir of expectancy -over the vast assemblage, then breathless stillness like the silence -of nature before a storm. All eyes strained towards the eastern door, -through which entered the gorgeous procession. The Palatine Guard -lined the way down the central aisle, some of the Swiss Guard being -stationed at different points. First came the Guardia Nobile, then -the mitred abbots, the bishops and archbishops in copes and mitres of -white and gold, the patriarchs and cardinals, these latter with long -capes of cloth of gold worn over their scarlet robes. Then came the -canons and _monsignori_ in lace and fur tippets, after them the prince -in attendance on the papal throne, Don Filippo Orsini, followed by the -secret chamberlains bearing the precious tiaras and mitres covered with -gold and jewels. The triple crown, which was borne upon a cushion, was -a blaze of the most brilliant jewels, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, -too heavy in its richness to be borne long by any mortal head. - -Finally, announced by a blast from the silver trumpets, the Pope -appeared, seated in the _sedia gestatoria_, borne above the heads of -the multitude by members of the household in a livery of scarlet cloth, -the huge feather fans or flabella being carried on each side. I really -did not grasp all these details at first, as the interest all centred -in that one august figure. The Pope was pale, and at first appeared -to be somewhat agitated. It is said that he very much dislikes to be -carried into the church, and it must, indeed, be a trying position. The -chair is lifted high above the heads of the people, that every one may -see the Holy Father; it is borne along slowly, pausing altogether at -intervals. There was a stop near our seats of a minute or more, which -gave us an opportunity to see the noble, benevolent face of the one -man who stands for so much to millions of the faithful. Less handsome -and distinguished in appearance than some of his pictures, Pius X. has -that in his face that is worth infinitely more than manly beauty or -aristocratic bearing; one cannot look into it without being impressed -by his earnestness and sincerity. - -It was all perfectly entrancing; the vast crowd of people so still -and reverent, and now and again, when the interest was most intense, -a subdued murmur, the Pope turning to right and left to give his -blessing, just as he appears in the picture I send you. When the -Holy Father had been carried to the apse, he descended from the -_sedia gestatoria_ and knelt in prayer before St. Peter's Chair. At -this moment a bright ray of sunshine fell upon the group of prelates -in their rich and varied vestments; the jewels flashed back their -many-hued lights, making a gorgeous mass of color, in the midst of -which was the white-robed, triple-crowned figure of the kneeling Pope. - -In the service that followed we could hear the Pope's voice distinctly -when he intoned the Gloria, and we were near enough to the altar to see -him give the cardinals the kiss of peace and celebrate the mass. - -The Gregorian chants, which Pius X. so much desires to restore to the -services of the Catholic Church, do not seem to be popular, especially -among musicians; but in this spacious basilica they sounded grand and -beautiful as they swelled forth and rose and fell through its lofty -arches. Suddenly from Michael Angelo's great dome overhead there -issued the exultant strains of the silver trumpets, filling the church -with their sweet, penetrating music; the long line of soldiers from -the Chair of St. Peter to the eastern door bent the knee, lowering -their arms upon the stone pavement with a ringing sound, the mighty -congregation bowed or knelt, and we knew that the supreme moment had -come for the elevation of the Host upon the high altar. Then there was -a solemn stillness, in which one could hear a pin drop, followed by the -stir of the rising of the vast audience, like nothing that I can think -of save the rustling of the leaves of a forest swept over by an autumn -storm. - -There was a great deal of antiphonal singing in the service, in -which the Holy Father took part; his beautiful voice rang through the -church when he chanted the liturgical prayers and the responses in the -"Exultate Justi" and the "Filii Jerusalem." The choruses were glorious, -about twelve hundred voices, pupils from the seminaries and colleges -and from the Schola Cantorum taking part. - -After the Pope had given the apostolic benediction and granted plenary -indulgence to the faithful, which formula was read by the Cardinal -Bishop in a loud voice, he again ascended the gestatorial chair and -was borne from the church as he had entered it, slowly, giving the -blessing to right and left, amid a subdued murmur, which he himself -prevented from rising to applause by placing his finger upon his lip in -very decided disapproval. He could not, however, prevent the waving of -handkerchiefs and other mute signs of delight. The Holy Father looked -much more cheerful on his journey back to the Vatican, as if greatly -relieved that the ordeal was nearly over. All eyes eagerly followed the -receding figure until the canopied chair passed out of sight behind the -heavy damask curtains of the Chapel of the Pietà. - -There was stillness for a moment, and then the voices, long silenced, -broke forth in exclamations of interest and pleasure and in salutations -to friends. All the English and Americans in Rome seemed to be in St. -Peter's to-day, and many distinguished Catholics from different parts -of the world. A number of persons came forward to speak to the Pope's -sisters, who seemed to be holding quite a reception as we passed by -them on our way to the doors. - -It was good to be in the open again, in the sparkling air and under the -shining sun, which is not too hot, only genial and kindly in its warmth -in these early April days. - -Angela was telling Ludovico how much she had enjoyed the solemn yet -brilliant spectacle, and asking him rapid, eager questions about this -official and that--questions that Ludovico was only too glad to answer, -while he drew her to the other side of the piazza where a German grand -duchess and two lesser duchesses were stepping into their coaches. We -also had the honor of seeing the Earl and Countess of Denbigh enter -their carriage. - -"It has all been perfectly delightful; I shall never forget it!" -exclaimed Angela, and then turning to me with frankest inconsequence, -she said, "Pray let us do something quite different this afternoon!" - -Ludovico fortunately did not hear her aside; but Dr. M. did, and, with -his ready sense of humor, was vastly entertained, and will never cease -to tease Angela about the effect upon her mind of a solemn service in -the greatest cathedral in the world. - - - - -X - -VALE ROMA - - - Tuesday, April 12th. - -The "something quite different" that Zelphine and I consented to do -with Angela yesterday afternoon was to go to the Villa Madama. The -drive was pleasant, and the villa itself is charmingly situated on one -of the precipitous sides of Monte Mario, but alas! when we reached the -entrance gate we found it barred and bolted, which shows how important -it is to consult guide-books and local itineraries before making these -expeditions. - -Rosalie, who was with us, spied a man in the grounds, to whom our -_vetturino_ called, "Ecco, ecco!"--the ejaculation which corresponds to -our "hello," although it is more universal, as it seems to be suited to -all occasions, grave or gay. This man proved to be the custodian of the -villa. He stated emphatically that the villa was closed and could not -be exhibited to-day; but when he caught the gleam of silver in Angela's -outstretched hand, he swung the gate open hospitably. - -This Medici villa, which was named after a daughter of Charles V. -who married Alessandro de' Medici, is not spacious and imposing -like the Villa d'Este or the Borghese; but it is an ideal patrician -country-seat. We had been reading Marion Crawford's novel in which he -describes this villa, restored by the Contessina Cecilia Palladio. So -perfect is the _vraisemblance_ of the novelist's picture that when we -entered the half-ruinous, deserted house, from whose damp walls the -beautiful frescoes are fast fading, we felt a shock of disappointment. -Mr. Crawford's glowing description is of the Villa Madama as it should -be rather than as it is. - -If I were only a multi-millionaire, I would buy this lovely old place -and make it the thing of beauty that Mr. Crawford describes. In fact, -Rosalie and I sat in the "court of honor" by the old fountain basin, -and planned a restoration which we thought even superior to Cecilia -Palladio's, with plate-glass sashes in the loggias and steam heat to -dry out the dampness and preserve Giulio Romano's wonderful frescoes; -comfort as well as beauty would reign in the old villa! When this -great work is completed, we four are to meet here every spring in the -rose-time; would you like to come, Allan, as our first guest to this -_château en Espagne_? - -Angela, in whom the instincts for castle-building and for home-making -are sadly wanting, interrupted our day-dreams by reminding us that we -were due at a tea, and had barely time to get to the Via Ludovisi by -five o'clock. As we passed by the barracks near the Ponte Margherita, -our driver motioned toward an approaching carriage--a handsome carriage -with liveries and a fine span of horses but no outriders. In the -flash of the rapid passing we could only catch a glimpse of two ladies -inside; one with fine dark eyes, animated and gracious, attracted us -especially. - -"The good Queen Mother," said the _vetturino_, turning to us. "We all -love her." - -We were glad to have even this fleeting view of the Queen so beloved -by the Italians. It is charming to hear them speak of her as they do, -not as the Queen Dowager, or the old Queen, but affectionately, as the -Queen Mother. - - Friday, April 15th. - -Mrs. Coxe, with whom we made the excursion to Pæstum, called to see us -yesterday morning. We came near losing her visit altogether in this -curious, rambling pension, where the drawing-rooms are on the third -floor, the dining-room on the fourth, and the bedrooms are scattered -over all of the floors. The bell-boy escorted our visitor, in truly -foreign fashion, to Zelphine's bedroom on the fourth _piano_, and as -she happened to be in the salon, and there was no boy or bell in sight, -Mrs. Coxe set forth on a voyage of discovery, exploring the dining-room -and then going down to the smoking-rooms and library until she found -the salon, in which we were comfortably seated enjoying our morning -mail. - -She laughed heartily over our detached way of living, but said she -was determined to find us even if she followed us to the cellar, as -she was the bearer of an invitation to join a party to be conducted by -Monsignor A. through some of the rooms of the Vatican not usually open -to visitors. Mrs. Coxe had brought a letter to this gentleman from her -parish priest, which was the reason for this courteous invitation in -which we were so generously included. - -We met the Monsignor and his party near the steps leading to the -Sistine Chapel, and were taken through the rooms in which the finest -tapestries are kept--immense pieces representing Scripture scenes. -These tapestries, which are beautiful, with all the delicacy of -painting and the richness of needlework, are only used behind the -altar when the Pope celebrates. Monsignor A. told us that the Holy -Father never celebrates before a painting, always before tapestry. In -another room we saw a man at work upon a large altar-piece, weaving in -the colors by hand--a slow process, as you may imagine, but they count -years here as we count days. - -We were allowed to enter the grand banquet-hall hung with tapestries, -in which preparations were being made for a great dinner; handsome -glass and plate were on the buffet, looking very secular for _il -Vaticano_. We saw the rooms of one of the old popes, and Monsignor A. -showed us the low, broad steps over which the popes used to ride on -their white mules from one part of the Vatican to the other. We did -not wonder that they were glad to ride through this vast building, as -we were tired after we had seen only a small part of it and a few of -the eleven thousand rooms. Fancy the extent of this palace, with its -museums, libraries, chapels, and suites of apartments, of which we -gained some idea from the inner court and galleries. - -Monsignor A. proved to be a genial old gentleman who enlivened his -discourse with occasional anecdotes, which, delicious as they were in -his broken English, would lose something of their flavor if I should -undertake to repeat them in less picturesque language. He took us out -on the balcony overlooking the piazza, from which the Pope used to give -his blessing to the populace on Easter Sunday. The Monsignor said, -with some sadness, that this custom belonged to the old régime. We -could imagine what the great piazza must have been, filled with devout -kneeling figures, and, like the good father, we regretted the passing -of this impressive ceremony. - -As we were going through one of the large audience-halls, an American -lady drew Mrs. Coxe and me aside. - -"What shall we do about tipping?" she whispered. "These men," pointing -to some attendants, "have been opening doors for us ever since we -started. We must fee them, and yet how can we do it without attracting -the attention of the Monsignor? Do you think there will be an -opportunity to give them something?" - -"If there is not," said Mrs. Coxe, promptly, "it will be the first time -such a thing ever happened in Italy! I, for one, am quite willing to -take my chances on it." - -A few minutes later the Monsignor signified that we had completed our -tour with him. He courteously hoped that we had been repaid for the -fatigue of the many steps we had taken. Then, motioning toward the -attendants, he said that we might give them a few soldi for their -trouble, adding, simply and naturally, as if the words cost him no -effort: - -"The keys of the rooms that you have seen are in the charge of a -gentleman who lends them to me. When I return them, I should be glad -to hand him something to repay him for his kindness. If you feel like -giving him a trifle, he and his friends will sit down at a table in -some garden, with a bottle of wine before them, and drink to Father -A.'s hat." His own hat, of course! Was it not deliciously frank and -foreign? Mrs. Coxe glanced triumphantly at us, and Angela was so -much amused at the idea of contributing to the convivial pleasures of -several unknown gentlemen in return for our privileges at the Vatican -that I thought it wise to make our compliments and adieus to the -Monsignor as quickly as possible, before she should disgrace the party -by unseemly hilarity. - - Thursday, April 21st. - -This has been a full week, in which there has been little time for -letter-writing. Zelphine and I have been driving about making calls -and leaving cards upon people who have invited us to their days. Angela -flatly refuses to join us, declaring that she did not come to Rome to -do the self-same things that she has to do at home. Instead of which, -she has been having a gay time with the W.'s from Philadelphia, driving -to the "Doria-Pamfili" and going to the races at the Campanelle, for -this is the height of the racing season. To-day she went to the Grand -Steeplechase of Rome, and had the pleasure of seeing the King and -Queen driving in an open carriage drawn by four horses. The Queen gave -her own prize, the Queen Elena prize offered to gentlemen riders, and -who of all people should get it but the young Roman who nearly ran -over Mrs. Robins at the meet! He is a titled personage, the Marquis -de B., but as we could not remember his long, unpronounceable name, -we have dubbed him the Marquis de Carabas, being more familiar with -titles in fairy lore than in real life. Angela says that when Ludovico -brought the Marquis de B. to the carriage to speak to her, she was -in such terror lest she should call him by our nickname that she was -afraid to open her mouth. Fancy Angela afraid to open her mouth under -any circumstances! She must have overcome her hesitation, for she -afterwards had a long talk with the young Marquis, who took her and -Mrs. W. to have tea. - -Zelphine and I find that our social duties have their compensations, -as we meet such interesting people. I had a long talk with your friend -Dr. White at a reception the other evening. He told me that he was -publishing his reminiscences of diplomatic life in Russia and Germany. -Madame Waddington is here now, and much fêted of course. Mrs. Coxe, who -has known her for years, says that she is the same Mary King whom she -knew as a school-girl, and is quite as unspoiled by the success of her -book as by her diplomatic successes. - -One day this week an American friend, who lives here in a beautiful old -palace, sent us her box for "Les Huguenots." The box was in the centre -of what we call the balcony, near the royal box. We were hoping that -the King and Queen would appear, but we have learned since that they -seldom go to any plays except those given in their own royal theatre. -Otherwise the house was as brilliant as we had expected, and the -singing very fine, the choruses unusually strong. - -Ludovico brought the Marquis de B. to our box. He has charming manners; -indeed, so much manner that one does not get beyond it. I prefer our -American heartiness to this studied politeness. Ludovico has asked -permission to bring the young Marquis to call on us, assuring us that -he belongs to one of the oldest families in Italy. I told him that as -a gentleman and his friend the Marquis de B. would be welcome without -the glory of an ancient lineage. Ludovico laughed, and said, "Oh, you -Americans are so proud--as proud of your democracy as if you were all -nobles!" - -President Loubet is coming to Rome next Sunday, and the whole city -has begun to put on yards of bunting to receive him. These people -possess a genius for decoration, and have a clever fashion of hanging -bright-colored shawls and bits of carpet out of their windows; the -effect is really very good. - - Sunday, April 24th. - -Rome is _en fête_ to-day, a brilliantly gay city! We were invited to -see the reception of M. Loubet from a balcony overlooking the Esedra -di Termine, from which we had a fine view of the great concourse -of people--a wonderful sight! All the school-children of Rome were -seated on stands surrounding the piazza; there were lines and lines -of soldiers, cavalry and infantry, and people were standing everywhere -except in the space reserved for the carriages; those of the nobility -were like gilded Cinderella coaches, their coachmen and footmen in -gorgeous livery. The carriage of the Mayor, Prince Prosper Colonna, was -especially fine. - -The band played the Marcia Reale, a curious little quickstep air, which -announced the approach of the expected guest. A troop of cuirassiers -opened the way; then came the royal carriage with the red liveries of -the house of Savoy, the King and President Loubet seated side by side. -Prince Colonna received the distinguished guest with much grace and -dignity; the band then struck up the Marseillaise; the applause was -wild, vivas, bravos on all sides. These Italians are not, I fancy, -devotedly attached to the French Republic or to its President; but -like all Latin peoples they delight in a celebration, a general hurrah, -martial music, flying banners, and tumultuous applause. - - Monday, April 25th. - -We have quaffed our last draught from the Fountain of Trevi, thrown a -penny into the pool to ensure our return to Rome, and taken a farewell -look at Neptune and his floundering steeds. Our trunks are packed, as -we had planned to leave Rome this morning, but the men did not come -for our boxes, which are to go by _petite vitesse_ to Florence while we -loiter by the way in several hill towns. We set forth to discover the -reason of the delay, and found the express office closed, all business -being suspended during the grand review which is being held on the -Piazza d'Armi in honor of the French President. It is evident that we -shall have to adapt our movements to those of this worthy gentleman; -but after all, this detention cannot be looked upon as an unmixed evil, -as it gave us a few hours more in Rome which we spent in the Vatican. -After taking a last lingering look at the Apollo and the Laocoon, we -had an hour in the Sistine Chapel for the ceiling frescoes of Michael -Angelo. To-day being brilliantly clear, the faces and figures stood -out as we had never seen them before, and we ended by feeling grateful -to M. Loubet, for had he not detained us we might never have so truly -appreciated the magnificent Prophets and Sybils, which are difficult to -see properly in cloudy weather such as we had during Holy Week. - - EN ROUTE FOR VITERBO. - -Ludovico and the Marquis de B. were at the station this afternoon to -see us off, although they had spent a part of the morning with us. -They both brought offerings of flowers, which was certainly a graceful -attention on the part of the Marquis, whom we only know casually; but -here they offer flowers with almost as little thought as one says good -morning in America. Zelphine and I have the dark red ones that we love; -Angela's are white and pink. The Marquis paid our youngest and fairest -some compliments about the roses matching the color in her cheeks, -which served to spread a pink glow all over her face and to make -Ludovico angry. It is quite evident that we are not leaving Rome too -soon, as these good friends might quarrel if we should stay longer, and -my duties as a chaperon would certainly become more arduous. We shall -miss Ludovico at every turn, and I flatter myself that he will miss -us. We have all so enjoyed our Roman days together, and he and Angela -were simply _bons camarades_, after the comfortable, unsentimental -fashion of the modern boy and girl, until the Marquis came into our -little circle with his too evident admiration and florid, Continental -compliments. - - - - -XI - -SHORT JOURNEYS - - - ORVIETO, April 27th. - -We have been travelling so fast, in the last days, that there has been -no time for writing, which is my excuse for not sending you a letter -from Viterbo, whose middle-age charms might fill many pages. Now I am -writing with the brilliant colors of the façade of Orvieto's great -cathedral still dazzling my eyes. We saw it first at sunset, when -its exquisite colors were intensified, and glowed in harmony with the -delicate rose and rich golden glory of the sky. With its vast mosaic -front and exquisite Gothic arches and spires, the Cathedral of Orvieto -is the central point of shining light in the old gray-brown town which -it crowns. This evening it was like a jewel with a thousand facets -gleaming in the sunset light, and, as many travellers have asserted, -its immense rose-window above the cathedral portal is in itself worth -a journey to Orvieto. This window with the lovely mosaic above it of -Christ and the Virgin Mary enthroned and surrounded by angels, all -in the softest blue, crimson, and gold, quite enthralled us, and we -lingered so long before the cathedral that the sunset colors faded, -the delicate hues of the mosaic grew dim, and darkness fell upon the -huge mass, wrapping it about as with a garment. "We shall never again -see anything so beautiful in this world," said Zelphine, solemnly, -as we walked back to our hotel through the narrow, dark streets. And -indeed I doubt if we ever shall; to behold a sunset of such brilliancy -illuminating a building of beauty so entrancing is something that one -need not expect to have repeated in a lifetime. - -We intended to come here directly from Rome, a journey of only a few -hours; a detour to Montefiascone and Viterbo was decided upon, on the -spur of the moment, just before leaving Rome. Zelphine came across -some notes about Montefiascone in her Baedeker that reminded her of Mr. -Longfellow's description of his visit to the tomb of Johannes Fugger of -Augsburg, upon which she insisted that we linger a day and night on our -journey hither, in order to visit the sacred city of the Etruscans. - -You probably recall the story in "Outre-Mer," and will be laughing at -us for going many miles to do honor to the memory of a wine-loving -old bishop; but I was glad that we had listened to Zelphine's words -of wisdom, as the place itself, quite aside from the strange tomb, -is so interesting--a little gray town towering above the green plain, -with narrow streets and high stone houses, plastered, to be sure, but -still ancient and impressive. Just outside the gate is a small inn, -the Aquila Nera, which is said to occupy the site of the shrine of -Voltumna, the tutelary goddess of the Etruscans, where the princes -of the nation once gathered in council. Here we discharged our -_vetturino_, as this hill town is not adapted to the luxuries of modern -transportation, and made our way on foot to the Church of San Flaviano. - -We did not, like Mr. Longfellow, make a midnight pilgrimage to Bishop -Fugger's tomb; our visit was at high noon. The eleventh-century Church -of San Flaviano is unique and imposing, with its huge Romanesque -columns, Gothic doorways, and upper and lower buildings. Here before -the high altar is a well-worn gravestone with a relief of a bishop -in his robes, a goblet on each side of his head, and at his feet the -cabalistic words "Est, Est, Est." The remainder of the inscription we -could not decipher, but we afterwards learned that it ran thus: - - "EST. EST. EST. PR(OPTER) NIM(IUM)--EST. HIC - IO(ANNES) DE VC DO(MINUS)--MEUS MORTUUS EST." - -The strange inscription and the two goblets confirmed the story of the -convivial bishop, who, in order to secure good wine at each inn, while -travelling through Etruria, sent his servant a day's journey in advance -of him, instructing him to write "Est" in some agreed place if he found -the wine good. When the taster came to Montefiascone, he was so charmed -with the native wine that he wrote "Est, Est, Est," on the wall. Bishop -Fugger arrived in due time, thoroughly endorsed the opinion of his -servant, and drank of the "Est" wine so freely that in a short time he -himself was _non est_. With his last breath the bishop dictated a will, -by which he bequeathed a considerable sum of money to the town upon -condition that a cask of the "Est" wine be annually poured over his -grave. This, they tell us, was actually done until within a few years, -when the wine became too precious to be poured forth in libations so -generous. Now you will surely come to Montefiascone--"mountain of the -flask," as everything has a vinous association here--and drink to the -peace of his soul who drank "not wisely but too well." - -From San Flaviano we strolled back to the Aquila Nera, where, if the -bread was of the color and consistency of leather, the eggs were fresh -and the fried artichokes delicious, while the wine--well, the wine, -like dear Charles Lamb's sublimated roast pig and many other delectable -things, must be tasted to be understood. No words of mine can convey to -you any idea of its sweetness and fragrance and general deliciousness, -cooled as it is with snow from the surrounding mountains, after the -fashion of the ancient Romans. After tasting of the "Est, Est, Est," -we were more ready to shed a tear over the tomb of the bishop than we -had been before luncheon, and we can also better understand how the -peasants of this region live on their poor fare when it is accompanied -by nectar of the gods--a wine which does not seem to intoxicate, as -they drink it, but is an article of diet like coffee or tea or cocoa or -oil. Another characteristic of the "Est, Est, Est," is that it must be -drunk here, as it will not bear transportation even to Rome. - -After luncheon we climbed up the steep street which leads to the -cathedral. This great building, with its gigantic dome, richly colored -marbles, and its many statues and frescoes, in a little out-of-the-way -town whose history is all over and done with, affords one of the -striking contrasts that add so much to the charm of Italy. A brilliant -gem in a dull setting is this old church, and yet with its many points -of light the jewel irradiates the sombre setting, instead of making it -seem darker by contrast. We left the beautiful cathedral reluctantly to -take an afternoon train to Viterbo, where we were told that we should -find a much more comfortable inn than at Montefiascone. - -Zelphine, living over again the glorious past of the great Etruscan -city which we were about to visit, scorned all thought of creature -comfort, yet Angela and I noticed that she seemed to enjoy the -unexpected luxuries of the really good hotel in Viterbo as much as we -more mundane beings. Angela was in her element in a brilliantly lighted -hotel, with a large, bright dining-room and well-appointed tables, and -began at once to wish that we had better gowns in which to grace the -festive scene than the light silk waists which we had brought with us -to wear with our travelling-skirts. And yet, this very morning, we had -all been congratulating ourselves upon our small amount of luggage, -declaring that we were only free women when we had sent our trunks -in advance of us and could hold our worldly goods in our two hands. -Zelphine and I still rejoice in our freedom; but we are not Angelas, -with youth and all its possibilities. - -Viterbo is the oldest-looking place that we have seen except Pompeii. -In the most ancient portions of the city, in the little dark streets -with their high walls, tunnels, and archways, one may go back a -thousand years to the ninth and tenth centuries. Here are many towers -for defence, and massive fortified dwellings with richly carved -porticos, balustrades, and balconies; and in keeping with the antique -architecture are the peasants, in their wide-brimmed hats and sheepskin -breeches with the hair outside, still wearing their cloaks like the -ancient Romans, one end thrown over the left shoulder. The storm-cloaks -of the peasants of this region are heirlooms, descending from father -to son, often more than a hundred years old. The walls of Viterbo are -almost as perfect as in the twelfth century, when, like Troy of old, it -stood a long siege for the sake of a woman's beauty and charm. Galiana, -for whose possession two powerful families of Rome and Viterbo waged -war, must have been a far nobler creature than the lady of Trojan fame. -When the Romans outside the walls promised to end the war if Galiana -would but grant them a sight of her fair face upon the town walls, -she promptly yielded to the request, and appeared upon a tower which -still bears her name. Here Galiana fell, pierced by the arrow of a -treacherous Roman. We saw the tomb and an inscription to the heroic -Galiana on the façade of the Church of St. Angelo, which stands on the -Piazza del Plebiscito. - -"I wonder if women are beautiful enough nowadays to lead men to war -for their sakes," said Angela. As she stood there, her perfect outline -silhouetted against the gray background of Galiana's old tower, the -slanting sunbeams lighting up her fair hair, I wondered whether Helen -of Troy or Galiana of Viterbo had either of them been more beautiful -than our American Angela. Then, suddenly recalling the little scene at -the railroad station in Rome, I answered so emphatically, "I hope not," -that Zelphine started, and came back from the past long enough to look -at me questioningly. - -"How seriously you take it all, Margaret," said Angela, with her light -laugh. "Even if we are not as beautiful as those old-time ladies, we -are certainly much happier, travelling about to please ourselves, as -we are doing, instead of being carried off to some castle to please -somebody else, and then having a long war about it all. I do wonder, -though, that some great poem has not been written about Galiana on her -tower." - -"No doubt Italian poets have written about her again and again," said -Zelphine. - -"Oh yes, of course, but I mean in some language that people can -understand. Mr. Browning, for instance, could have written a great poem -about Galiana." - -I doubt if Mr. Browning ever found his way here; few English-speaking -people came to Viterbo before the railroad from Rome was built. But -was not Angela's explanation sufficiently original to please you or -Zelphine or any other ardent admirer of Mr. Browning? - -Zelphine was delighted, and said, as she linked her arm in mine to -descend the narrow, steep street that leads towards the hotel, that -under her tutelage and mine Angela was really beginning to develop -some sentiment. Angela's sentiment did not impress me as much as her -linguistic perspective, which made me think of the Scotchwoman who said -that the Lord would not listen to the prayers of the French, because -they were "sic jabberin budies."--You remember the story; was it before -the battle of Agincourt? How one forgets English history, here in towns -that so long antedate the Norman conquest! - -This morning we drove to Bagnaja, only a short distance north-east of -Viterbo and built upon one of the slopes of the Ciminian Hills. From -an eminence near Bagnaja we had a noble view of Montefiascone ten miles -away, a little, gray town dominated by the dome of the vast cathedral, -while much nearer lay Viterbo, with its lofty campanile and one hundred -towers, dark, formidable, and majestic. We stopped at Bagnaja to -see the great mediæval castle, with its huge machicolated tower; and -then driving to the south of the main piazza over a fine macadamized -road, if one may venture to use a term so modern in describing this -land of the ancients, we were soon face to face with one of the most -beautiful of the Italian villas, that of the Duca di Lante. We were -admitted to fairyland by a very conventional method, the presentation -of visiting-cards, and were then conducted by a most obsequious -servant, evidently with generous expectations, who unlocked gates that -led to the more secluded precincts of this garden of delight. Rest -and refreshment for body and spirit we found in the loveliness and -harmony of our surroundings. Surely the queen of the fairies, Titania -herself, must have presided over the laying out of these grounds. -Zelphine and I ignored the lore of guides and guide-books, not caring -to learn that any mortal man had had a hand in producing such beauty as -this. The great basin in front of the house, with its central fountain -bordered by blooming plants, glittered in the sunshine. Beyond were -the terraces, with their tiers of fairy cascades and fountains, where -ilexes as large as those in the Borghese Gardens cast a shade so deep -that nymphs and sprites might dance under them, as freely as in Corot's -pictures, unseen by loiterers on the adjacent parterres. - -Sitting under the shade of a huge ilex, while a bird sang to us from -its sheltering branches, we all breathed a deep sigh of content, and -congratulated ourselves, in Jeffersonian phrase, upon life, liberty, -and the pursuit of happiness, after our own vagrant fashion. We might -suffer from cold and even from hunger in some wretched inn to-night, -but to-day we drank from a full cup of delight; the largess of the gods -was ours, in a wealth of Italian sunshine and an air as intoxicating -as the muscatel wine for which this region is famous. For the moment -we possessed all the glories of the dead and gone Dukes of Lante, with -neither their sorrows nor their crimes to deepen the shadows upon those -gay parterres and sparkling fountains. - -"It matters little whether or not we lunch to-day," said Zelphine, "for -we - - "'on honey-dew have fed, - And drunk the milk of Paradise.'" - -"Speak for yourself, Zelphine," said Angela. "Honey-dew and the milk of -Paradise may satisfy your delicate appetite, but mine needs something -more substantial to feed upon. A good slice of American roast beef -would be more to my taste." - -"Oh, Angela!" exclaimed Zelphine. "And in such a spot as this!" - -Evidently Angela's sentiment was not developing as rapidly as Zelphine -could wish. - -"Yes," continued our practical youngest, "I would not turn away from a -slice of roast beef and a baked potato, even in this enchanting spot. I -really am almost hungry enough this moment to share with our driver the -crust of leathery bread that he is probably enjoying while he waits for -us." - -"Poor child," said Zelphine, compassionately, delving into "Mrs. -Lecks," from which convenient receptacle she produced a cake of -chocolate. - -"Zelphine, you certainly are a dear, and have a human heart," said -Angela, as she contentedly munched the chocolate, "even if you are as -romantic as--as----" - -"As her own great-grandmother's portrait by Stuart," said I, helping -out Angela, who is not strong in the line of similes, "a beautiful -lady, chiefly composed of fine eyes and hair, with a marvellous -complexion and no anatomy to speak of." - -Laughing and talking we sauntered on toward the entrance gate, near -which we found our _vetturino_. As Angela had predicted, he was eating -his dry crust, flavored, we were glad to notice, by a crisp bit of -fennel, which they use here as we do celery. - -When we returned to Viterbo, it looked like a deserted village; the -picturesque peasants in their sheepskin suits were nowhere to be seen -on the streets, and shops and windows were closed. It appeared as if -some public calamity had befallen the beautiful old city. We afterwards -learned that the inhabitants of Viterbo, adhering to a time-honored -custom, retire for a siesta at mid-day, from which they emerge at -three or four in the afternoon to spend the evening gaily on the Corso, -thronging the shops, which are brilliantly lighted. Fortunately for us, -the employees of the hotel do not demand a mid-day rest, and a luncheon -was served us sufficiently substantial to satisfy appetites sharpened -by a long morning in this bracing mountain air. - -Here at Orvieto we are lodged in a modern hotel, something of a -surprise in this ancient, isolated city, which is built upon a rock, -like the habitation of the wise man of the Scriptures. This morning -we spent some time in the Necropolis, which is under the precipitous -cliffs of red tufa that seem to buttress this old town. In the Campo -Santo, which is all that is left of the Etruscan city of Orvieto, we -found avenues lined with tomb chambers. The streets are like those of -a city, except that the houses are without windows, and no eager eyes -look forth from the doors that open upon the silent street. Within is -a square chamber containing stone couches at its sides for the repose -of the dead, all of the other furniture of an Etruscan tomb, vases, -bronzes, terra-cotta portrait busts and statues, having been carried -off for the enrichment of various museums. From the Necropolis we made -our way to the famous Well of San Patrizio, with its curious corkscrew -stairway leading down into the huge basin below. - -We would gladly spend another day in Orvieto, in order to view the -cathedral's matchless façade once more by morning light, and at noon, -and again at sunset, and so allow its beauty to print itself upon our -minds, and also to study the Signorelli frescoes in the interior, the -Fate of the Wicked and the Saints in Heaven, which, with their muscular -devils and saints, are strangely suggestive of Michael Angelo. - -"Why do you not stop another day?" I hear you ask. Because if we tarry -here longer, we shall be obliged to cut off a day in Perugia or Assisi -or some ancient city quite as interesting as Orvieto, and Katharine -Clarke is writing to us urging us to get to Florence early in May, if -we wish to see the City of Flowers in the exquisite freshness of its -spring beauty. The roses on the hillside garden near San Miniato are -budding and blowing, and she tells us that we must be there soon if we -would see them in their prime. No matter how charming a spot we may be -in, there is always some other delightful place beckoning us on and on! - -We quite agree with the traveller, whose name I forget, but whose -advice is, "Whatever towns you neglect between Rome and Florence, do -not fail to see Orvieto." And yet we are filled with regret because we -must pass by so many of the interesting towns of this region, Terni -with its rushing waters, "rapid as the light," Bolsena on its lovely -lake, and Orte. Of this latter town we saw little from the window -of the railway carriage, except a line of hungry tourists struggling -to reach the buffet during the short stop at the station, a scene so -suggestive of our own land of rapid transit and hurried luncheons that, -for a moment, we almost felt that we were travelling in America. - - - - -XII - -AN UMBRIAN IDYL - - - PERUGIA, April 28th. - -The journey from Orvieto to Perugia is a short one, and we had our -first sight of this fine old town in the brilliancy of a spring -afternoon. We were fortunate in finding a cab at the station, and -a _vetturino_ who welcomed us to his coach with great cordiality, -we being the only arrivals by the afternoon train. Having with many -ejaculations disposed of us and our various pieces of hand-luggage, -large and small, he hospitably invited a comely peasant woman to a -seat by his side. Her luxuriant black hair was fashionably dressed and -guiltless of hat or kerchief; her black dress was coarse but tidy, -while a pair of kid gloves, which had evidently seen service, gave -a touch of elegance to the simple costume. A large kerchief, which -is the favorite shopping receptacle, marketing bag, and portmanteau -of the Italian peasant--this one as full as the proverbial horn of -plenty--occupied one gloved hand, while with the other she gesticulated -and accentuated her animated conversation, to the evident interest -and amusement of her host. With their heads close together, deep -in conversation, one talking, the other listening and occasionally -interjecting a comment, we wondered whether the pair were lovers or -only _bons camarades_ discussing the last bit of home news or village -gossip, for village gossip is said to flourish under the shadow of the -shrine of St. Francis, just as here the cheerful and apparently honest -_vetturino_ will cheat you out of a franc as cleverly as a cabby of -Naples or any other Sodom of the plain. - -A cheerful town Perugia seemed to us, as we drove up the long hill and -saw the old fortress, with its weed-grown ramparts and many towers, -basking in the April sunshine. Like all of these hill towns Perugia is -gray, and yet with a difference: a dash of chrome in its stones gives -a warmer tone to the old palaces and walls, which seem to be all of -a piece with the rock from which they were hewn. This rock forms the -foundation, and was once the strength, of this "empress of hillside -Italian cities." - -We had no hotel addresses for Perugia except the Brufani, and, as -we often find it more enlightening to our minds as well as more -advantageous to our purses to stop in small hotels or pensions, we -asked the driver if he knew of a good stopping-place. He seemed to -understand, shook his head as if in deep thought, then consulted his -companion; upon which they both looked us all over as if taking our -measure, and, evidently being agreed as to our status, he exclaimed, -reassuringly, "_Ecco, ecco_, we know the _albergo_ that will suit the -_società_!" Whipping his horse as we drew near the Porta Nuova, he -rattled through the gate, across the wide piazza, and down a long hill, -to a house on a narrow street, where we are comfortably lodged. - -This pleasant little pension is kept by an English lady, with whom we -have already established relations, as some of our friends stopped here -last year, and we are all now basking in the genial atmosphere of good -will created by them. - - April 29th. - -This morning we found our way to the little Piazza delle Prome, on the -verge of the cliff, below which is a sheer fall of one hundred feet to -the ancient city wall of the Etruscans. Below us, as we stood in the -garden of the Prefettura, were the remains of Etruscan buildings, above -them massive blocks laid by the Romans, and spread before us was the -wide valley bordered by near and distant mountains. This marvellous -view from the Prefettura is second to none that we have seen, always -excepting the vast sweep of the green and fertile plain at Grenada as -we saw it from the heights of the Alhambra. - -We afterwards wandered from street to street, across piazzas and -under arches, until we found ourselves in the Via Vecchia. Well named -indeed is this ancient street, for the Via Vecchia has been trodden -by the foot of man for three thousand years! This street, with its -high buildings of heavy Roman workmanship, more like fortresses than -dwelling-houses, leads to the great Arch of Augustus. The arch, -constructed of solid blocks of travertine and sustained by huge -buttresses, is adorned by a graceful pavilion and loggia, a noble -monument to the Roman Emperor who rebuilt Perugia and inscribed upon -its gateway "Augusta Perusia." - -After we had revelled for a couple of hours in the delight of strolling -about in the open, we retraced our steps to the Via Vanucci, and -entered the Collegio del Cambio, in whose audience-chamber are many -Perugino frescoes, all lovely save a horribly realistic Beheading of -John the Baptist, from which we were glad to turn to a Nativity and -a Transfiguration and to the noble Sibyls and Prophets. The head of -Daniel is said to be a portrait of Perugino's greater pupil, Raphael. -Even if Perugino was lacking in breadth and sometimes in grace, there -is a depth and delicacy of color in his work and so much sweetness and -tenderness in the faces of the women and children that, as we stood -before these charming groups, we could well believe that this Umbrian -artist was, as his chronicler said, "possessed of a stainless purity of -soul," and that Raphael owed much to his early master. - -Perugino was named after the town, not of his birth, but of his fame; -_mais, de grace_, monsieur, I do not intend to give you a disquisition -upon the Umbrian school of painting, of which there are many notable -examples in the churches here and in the Pinacoteca. This last, let me -explain, is the name, unpronounceable by English-speaking people, which -is given to the picture-galleries in some of these old towns. There are -really treasures of art in Perugia, with whose beauties I might fill -many letters, interesting paintings by Manni, by Bonfigli, the great -forerunner of Perugino, by Pinturicchio, his associate, and by many of -his pupils; and in the Sala del Fra Angelico are some of the exquisite -works of the idealist whose name it bears. - -The Pinacoteca Vanucci is on the third floor of the Palazzo del -Municipio. The doorway of this palace, with its mediæval lions and -griffins--the emblem of Perugia--in exquisite Gothic carving all -dominated by three saints, presents a much more harmonious whole than -this confused grouping would lead one to suppose. - -This afternoon we drove to Lake Thrasymene, passing the tower of San -Manno, with its Etruscan inscription, and castles and battle-grounds -of long ago, until we reached that most ancient one on the shores -of the beautiful lake where Hannibal and Flaminius fought until the -little stream ran red with blood, and so ever after has been named -"Sanguinetto." A grewsome association this, with a fair stream of -running water, and yet how much more euphonious, especially with the -soft Italian lingering over syllables, than our American equivalent -"Bloody Run!" - - April 30th. - -We wandered joyously through the streets and squares of the old town -this morning, for here one does not set forth to walk to a given -point--one simply wanders at will. We generally cross the Piazza -Vittorio Emanuele, with its heroic statue of Italy's soldier king, -stroll along the Corso Vanucci, the main street of the town, and -then go down steps, many steps, which descend into narrow winding -streets and _viali_ with most alluring names, as Via Curiosa, Via -Deliziosa, Via Bontempi, and the like. Angela says that the last sounds -delightfully convivial and suggests no end of a good time; but it -probably means nothing less prosaic than good weather. - -After winding in and out of narrow streets and up and down steps, -all exquisitely picturesque if somewhat fatiguing, we came out on -the Piazza del Municipio and before a beautiful thirteenth-century -fountain with three basins, which are richly decorated with scriptural -and mythological figures. The many slender columns which support these -basins give to the whole a charming lightness and grace. This lovely -fountain of Fra Bevignate was without water for centuries until, -in 1899, the new aqueduct, which comes directly from the springs -of Nocera, was opened, whereupon it played gayly in the sunshine, -as it does to-day. The Nocera water, for which, bottled, we paid a -considerable price in Rome, is free as air on this favored hill-top. - -Facing the fountain is the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. To the left of -the doorway is a bronze statue of Pope Julian III., who restored some -ancient privileges to the Perugians, and on the right is a handsome -Gothic pulpit from which St. Bernardino once preached to the faithful -in the square. Inside the cathedral we saw the beautiful tomb of Bishop -Baglioni, a fine Deposition by Baroccio, and a miraculous picture of -the Madonna delle Grazie by Manni. - -San Lorenzo claims the distinction of being the burial-place of three -popes, Innocent III., Urban IV., and Martin IV. Here, too, is the -betrothal ring of the Virgin. This precious relic is preserved in a -silver casket guarded by fifteen locks, the keys of which are entrusted -to fifteen persons of distinction, and is only to be seen five times -during the year. The mystery and exclusiveness with which this relic -is guarded whetted Zelphine's curiosity, and she insisted that it was -in a certain sense our right to see the precious ring, having been -shown the hair of the Blessed Virgin in Rome. Angela said that as -American travellers we had a right to see anything and everything, -but, as the next date for the exhibition of the ring was the second -Sunday in July, the real question at issue was, were we willing to -stay in Perugia so long, and, even if the Perugians were disposed to -make an earlier date for us, was it likely that the fifteen persons of -distinction with their fifteen keys could be collected on short notice? -From my own observations, I was inclined to doubt the existence of -fifteen Perugians of distinction at any date. However, distinction is -a descriptive quite as subject to variations as the clear or cloudy -day of the scientific gentleman who arranges our weather for us in -America, and some of the men whom we passed on the piazza this morning -may be lineal descendants of the ancient lords of Perugia, and now in -possession of the important keys. - -The celebrated Sposalizio of Perugino--a unique conception of the -Virgin's espousal--which should be here with the betrothal ring, has -unfortunately been carried off to France; but there are still many -more treasures in painting and sculpture in San Lorenzo than we could -appreciate in one morning, among the latter a statue of Leo XIII., -who was Archbishop of Perugia. Over across the piazza is the Episcopal -Palace, where this Prince of the Church lived for many years, preparing -himself by study and reflection for the great future in store for -him. We passed from the church into the cloisters, which are ruinous, -but charming, as are all the ruins here, with their bits of lovely -sculpture and flowers growing in the "crannied walls" and on the little -balconies above our heads. - -Retracing our steps along the Via Bontempi, and losing ourselves -several times, after the fashion of travellers who will not consent to -have their pleasure interfered with by guides, we reached the quaint -covered Via della Stalla and suddenly emerged upon a gay scene--the -Piazza Garibaldi on a market-day. Here were flowers and fruits heaped -upon wagons, and booths gay with colored prints, gorgeous kerchiefs, -and endless lines of small stockings of all colors, which the Perugians -doubtless buy even if the feet of their children are as guiltless of -covering as those of the Venus and Adonis. The stockings are probably -for Sundays and high holidays. Here above all were the peasants from -the surrounding country, not wearing the elaborate, gayly colored -costume of the Italian peasants of our childhood, but something more -picturesque than the work-a-day costume that has disappointed us so -much through Italy. The older women had brilliantly colored kerchiefs -on their heads, while some of the younger women wore nothing upon -theirs except their own glossy, luxuriant hair, which is always neatly -and tastefully dressed. - -We have often wondered why there are so many _old_ women in Italy. Is -it because they live long in this favored clime, or, sadder thought, do -the young grow old early under the heavy strain of bread-winning, where -wages are low and the mouths to be filled numerous? - -Angela, who is an enthusiastic shopper, suggested that we should stop -and buy some of the native products, urging that a little shopping -would be good for us all and relieve our minds from the strain of -cathedrals, statues, and tombs. Indeed the fruit, flowers, and gay -handkerchiefs displayed upon the booths were sufficiently alluring to -detain us. - -Most interesting were the color, movement, and chatter of the sunlit -piazza against the gray background of the old Palazzo del Podestà, -which is built on the ancient Etruscan wall. It is just such contrasts -that make these old Italian towns so charming. - -At one of the booths, presided over by a pretty young peasant girl -with eyes of brown velvet, Angela found a gay red and yellow bandana -which she insisted that the _contadina_ should try on. The effect -was so charming that Zelphine took the girl's picture on the spot, -to her evident delight. Nothing but a brush and colors, the latter -well mixed with the atmospheric transparency of Perugia, could give -you any idea of the lovely effect of the girl's soft, dark eyes and -the peach-like bloom of her cheeks, both enhanced by the brilliant -head-dress. Then the signorina must try on a kerchief. "Ecco! ecco!" -Carefully selecting one of dark blue with a yellow border, with -many exclamations and more gestures the deft peasant fingers removed -Angela's hat, and adjusted the kerchief over her golden crescent of -hair. I must confess that the bandana became Angela well enough to -excuse the chorus of admiring expressions that arose from a circle of -voluble crones gathered around us. "Bella donna! Bella signorina!" was -heard on all sides. Some of the women pressed near Angela to kiss her -hand, saying that she looked like the pictures of the Madonna over -there in the cathedral. The child was a little frightened, and drew -closer to me for protection. Zelphine cleverly diverted the attention -of the group by taking Angela and the pretty young Rosa Maria across -the piazza to the large door of the old Palazzo del Podestà, to take -their photographs against this fine background. Nothing could have been -more charming than the blonde and brunette heads and graceful girlish -figures against the old palace gateway. After taking two or three -pictures Zelphine thanked Rosa Maria, pressing a silver coin into her -hand; upon which she, with charming ingenuousness, intimated that she -would take it as a wedding-gift, and, beckoning to a handsome young -peasant whom we had noticed standing over in the shadow of the statue -of Giuseppe Garibaldi, she presented him to us with smiles, blushes, -and courtesies. Then, as we gathered from the few words that we could -understand and by the pair standing hand in hand before Zelphine, -Umbrian etiquette demanded that she should take a photograph of the -_fidanzati_ together, which congenial task Zelphine set about with -alacrity before shyness should overcome the happy couple. - -We all hope that the pictures may prove a success, as copies are to -be sent to Rosa Maria and Battista, whose names we have in full, their -address being the Central Post Office of Perugia, where they are always -to be found on market-days. - -The groom elect was so manly and gentle and the little bride so -sweet and confiding that they both won our hearts. We left them with -good wishes on our part and _molte, molte grazie_ on theirs. These -expressions were in view of our small contributions toward a little -household soon to be established over near Spello. Angela, in a sudden -enthusiasm over this charming picture of young love, unfastened a -pretty chain that she wears around her neck, and linked it about that -of Rosa Maria. We shall long remember the lovers as we left them, -standing hand in hand on the sunlit Piazza Garibaldi under the shadow -of the ancient Gateway of Justice, and they, I am sure, will never -forget the _forestieri_, above all the _bella signorina_. They will -show their children the pictures and tell them they were taken on the -old piazza; and, to be quite foreign in my prophecy, I am certain that -they will name their first daughter Angela. - -From this "charming bit of local color," as Zelphine catalogues our -little adventure, we returned to Rosa Maria's booth, now presided -over by her mother, and bought many other bits of local color in the -form of kerchiefs--Angela more than any of us. As she succumbed to -the temptation of each one, she excused herself by saying, "These -people are so poor, Margaret!" or "That gay red one will make a fine -bandana for old Susan!" or "This will cover the little table in my -morning-room." As we are travelling with only dress-suit-cases, which -are crowded with the bare necessities of life, I know not how we are -to dispose of these new possessions, to which Zelphine has added a -number of books about Perugia and Assisi. She is still lugging around -the beloved Narcissus, from Pompeii, because she will trust him to no -trunk. - -After our delightfully vagrant forenoon and a substantial breakfast, -for which we were quite ready, we decided to dedicate the afternoon to -tombs. We had intended to visit the famous Etruscan tombs on our way -to Assisi, driving thither after the conventional fashion of Perugian -tourists, but, hearing from some of our countrymen who sit near us -at the table d'hôte that there are two or three fairly good inns in -Assisi, we have decided to go there by rail to-morrow, and thus have a -Sunday in the good company of the blessed St. Francis. - -Angela flatly refused to go on the afternoon expedition, saying -that she had taken a full course on tombs in Rome and would have no -more of them, so Zelphine and I drove alone to the ancient Etruscan -Necropolis of Perugia, a drive of not over an hour from the Porta -Romana. These tomb chambers of the Volumnii are most interesting, -with their portrait figures in terra-cotta and carvings of sun-gods -and dolphins, quite different from anything we have seen except in -Orvieto, and, as Angela says, we have had experience in tombs. Zelphine -and I were much impressed by the fact that these massive stone tombs -of the third century B.C. should have been buried under the earth -until the middle of the last century, when a peasant discovered them -while ploughing. Another story is that the tombs were unearthed when -the new road was being made, but Zelphine and I prefer the tale about -the peasant ploughing. After all, it matters little which tradition we -adopt; the wonder remains that these richly adorned sarcophagi still -testify to the wealth and artistic ability of the Etruscans of more -than twenty-five centuries ago. - -So much history lies underground in this land of the past that we do -well to tread softly lest we be, at any moment, walking over graves, -pagan or Christian; and yet these devout Italians are far less jealous -of the desecrating foot of the stranger than the "heathen Chinee." - -When we returned from our drive we found Angela in the gayest of moods, -having evidently enjoyed her respite from sight-seeing. She had met -some American acquaintances, and had afternoon tea with Mrs. Allen and -her fascinating children in the charming hall at the Brufani, where one -may sit under the shade of palm-trees all the year round. - - May 1st. - -Our modest luggage is in the hall in charge of several porters and -_facchini_, and while we wait for the cab that is to take us to the -station, I jot down a few impressions before they are dimmed or quite -swept away by the interests of our next stopping-place. One should -really have two or three days in an absolutely dull and unattractive -place, if such a spot is to be found in Italy, after each one of these -entrancing cities and towns. Our minds are steeped with the beauties -and associations of Perugia, and now Assisi will overwhelm us with its -own charm. - -Our way this morning was down the Via Marzia and the great stone steps -of San Ercolano, by the church of the same name, which is built against -the Etruscan wall. I wondered why Hercules should have been canonized; -but we learned afterwards that this curious octagonal church was built -in honor of Perugia's patron saint, the heroic Bishop Ercolano, who -defended his city against the Goths thirteen hundred years ago. From -the Church of San Ercolano we passed on to the Corso Cavour and the -Church of San Domenico, which has the distinction of possessing the -largest Gothic window in Italy. Here also is one of the most beautiful -tombs we have seen anywhere, that of Pope Benedict XI. This fine -monument, designed by Giovanni Pisano, represents Benedict asleep, -guarded by two angels. Above the face and figure, which are lovely in -their perfect repose, is a lofty canopy supported by graceful spiral -columns. Bits of the fine mosaic with which this tomb was once enriched -are to be found here and there, the greater part having been carried -off by Napoleon's soldiers, who seem to have played much the same rôle -in the destruction and sacking of Italian churches as that enacted by -Cromwell's army in England. Indeed I never before realized the ruthless -manner in which the French army ravaged this land of beauty and art; we -hear so much less of its depredations than of those of the Roundheads. - -Zelphine, who, for some unaccountable reason, includes the conqueror of -Europe among her heroes, undertook to defend him, while Angela, who, -perhaps with more justice, reckons Cromwell among hers, resented my -mentioning the French and English soldiers in the same breath, which -led to an animated discussion, in the midst of which we passed through -the beautiful and richly decorated Porta San Pietro, and so on to the -old Benedictine monastery, which is now used for a very practical -purpose, that of an institute for experimental agriculture. Seeing -large bunches of millet and other cereals over the fine old doors, we -thought we had made a mistake, but some peasants at work on the road -assured us that San Pietro was just beyond. - -After passing through the agricultural school we crossed the courtyard, -and entered the great doorway of beautiful carved stone-work, and so -found ourselves in the basilica, which, with its flat, elaborately -decorated ceiling, its high altar adorned with lapis lazuli, agate, -and other colored stones, and its many columns of granite and marble, -is wonderfully rich in depth and harmony of color. Around the sides -of the church are a number of large paintings by Vassilacchi, two by -Guido Reni, and some charming little paintings by Sassoferrato. But the -crowning glory of the basilica, the great Perugino of the Assumption, -has been carried off to France, although the five saints that once -surrounded it still hover above the altar. - -The exquisitely carved choir-stalls of San Pietro, attributed to -Raphael, are the most beautiful that we have seen anywhere. The lovely -traceries, the infinite variety of faces and figures, the quaint -masks interspersed with carvings of beasts, birds, and flowers, could -only have been designed by an artist of delicate fancy and marvellous -genius. - -The verger opened the great doors at the back of the church, thus -disclosing a noble panorama of distant hills and fertile valleys. - -On the opposite side of the road is the Giardino del Frontone, and -beyond, the Porta San Costanzo, inside of which is a church of the -same name, dedicated to the patron saint of all Perugian lovers. Here -many happy couples are to be seen wending their way along the hillside -park, to gain the blessing of the unlovely Byzantine Madonna who -presides over the marble doorway of San Costanzo. Beyond the garden -and the church lies the wide-spread Umbrian plain, girt about by the -ample belt of the Apennines. Off to the north and west are Cortona and -Siena, with Lago Trasimeno between, quite near, although shut off from -us by a screen of green hills. To the south, following the windings of -the Tiber, lies Rome, where our hearts still linger, and to the east, -so near that we can see the twinkling of their lights at night, are -Foligno and Spello and Assisi, which last, we are told, we shall end by -loving more than any other spot in Italy. - - - - -XIII - -A SUNDAY IN ASSISI - - - ASSISI, Saturday Evening, May 1st. - -As we first beheld Assisi from the railroad station at sunset, the -delicate mauve pink of her towers and walls glowed with a more rosy -hue and it seemed as if the old town for a brief moment must have worn -something of the grace of her long-vanished youth. - -On one side of the station is the little village of the plain, Santa -Maria degli Angeli, with the church from which it takes its name, -so christened by St. Francis in memory of the angelic visions here -granted him. On the other side of the road, across a sweep of green -meadows, is the town, built upon terraces half-way up the hill, Mount -Subasio towering beyond it to a height of over three thousand feet -above the sea-level. The crowning glory of Assisi is the great basilica -of San Francesco, with its remarkable substructure--a vast colonnaded -monastery standing guard over the happy valley beneath. - -Our approach was by winding roads bordered by hedges, with fields -beyond green as England and bright as Italy alone, all abloom to-day -with poppies and buttercups. Up and up the shining way climbed the -shabby _vettura_ with its lean horse, until we seemed to be getting -near the blue of the sky, so close does the arch of heaven lean to -these hill towns of Italy. - -We all felt that we had left the world of to-day far behind us when we -drove through the ancient Porta San Francesco, so entirely does Assisi -belong to the past. Here where everything is ancient one ceases to -make comparisons, and it seemed no more remarkable to find a Temple of -Minerva standing beside twelfth-century buildings, than that we three -twentieth-century Americans should be driving about these old streets, -hearing the _vetturino_ talk about St. Francis as if he had lived but -yesterday. - -You really must not expect an ordinary letter of to-day from this -place, where we are so absolutely dominated by the twelfth century. -Zelphine, who is in a state of rapture and quite lifted above the -ordinary affairs of life, is probably writing a poem at this moment, -having been incited thereto by the history of Assisi's celebrated -poet, Propertius, which she has just read to us from a charming little -book which she found in Perugia. The story runs thus: Propertius, who -was a contemporary of Virgil and Horace, relinquished the congenial -atmosphere of Rome and the friendly companionship of the author of the -"Metamorphoses" for the love of his Umbrian birthplace, where the Muse -had first visited him. Recognized in his own day as the leader of a new -school of poetry, Propertius appreciated his own powers sufficiently to -write of himself in connection with his native town: "Ancient Umbria -gave thee birth, from a noted household. Do I mistake, or do I touch -rightly the region of your home, where misty Mevania stands among the -dews of the hill-girt plain, and the waters of the Umbrian lake grow -warm the summer through, and where on the summit of mounting Asis -rise the walls to which genius has added glory?" His own genius! And -yet, to prove to us that he was not wanting in modesty, Propertius has -placed this charming compliment in the mouth of a soothsayer. If this -is all familiar to you, O most learned, it is so fresh to me that you -must allow me to repeat it, because it reveals once more the truth of -the Scriptures--that a prophet is not without honor save in his own -country. Propertius would not have been forced to sing his own praises -if his contemporaries had sung them in the right key. - -The little inn at which we are stopping, with its bare, stone floors -and whitewashed walls, is quite primitive enough to have suited St. -Francis and his brothers. We are told that there is another and larger -hotel, which is more modern in its appointments. - -"The idea of caring for a modern hotel or anything modern in Assisi!" -exclaimed Zelphine, walking with me toward the window of one of the -rooms offered us. - -A single glance out of that window decided us to stay. The Albergo -Giotto is built on a cliff, and literally overhangs the valley. From -our windows we look out upon green slopes billowing beneath us until -they break away into the long reaches of the plain, where the dome of -St. Mary of the Angels stands out against the sky. - - HOTEL GIOTTO, ASSISI, Sunday, May 2d. - -A May-day in Assisi!--could anything be more delightful? - -Last night, after dinner, or supper, or whatever the nondescript meal -is called which was served to us in the chilly _salle à manger_, a -little lady, unmistakably American and evidently fresh from a study -of the hotel register, joined us, and asked Zelphine if she were Miss -Vernon, and did she happen to know Dr. Vernon of New York? Zelphine, -who adores her brother, Dr. Vernon, and is immensely proud of him, was -quite ready to fall upon the little lady's neck when she found that -she was one of his admiring patients, and we all adopted her at once, -she, Miss Horner by name, being alone and glad to be adopted, as lonely -women usually are in remote places. - -I spoke to a bright-faced girl who sat on my right at table, and after -some conversation learned that she had come from an old Pennsylvania -town in which we have many friends and acquaintances. Miss Morris is -also alone, and we have adopted her. Angela says that our party is -growing too rapidly, and that we really must stop attaching waifs and -strays, even if their precious lives have been saved by our brothers, -and their social status established by the most irreproachable -visiting-lists. Angela may be right; but after all we found it so -cheering to gather around the table in the reading-room and talk over -friends at home that we quite forgot that we had intended to spend this -evening in storing our minds with the history and traditions of Assisi. - -As I was drifting away into dreamland to the sound of some sweet, -distant bells (the bells are always ringing in Assisi), Zelphine -called in to me from her room, "Do you think there is a spot on the -habitable globe where one would not be likely to meet some person -who had known some one who had met a friend of our friends?" With -this puzzle floating through my mind, rather hazily I confess, I fell -asleep, soothed by a pleasant sense of the smallness of the world and -the friendliness of the inhabitants thereof. - -This morning we banished from our minds all irrelevant present-century -associations, and have spent our Sunday in the goodly company of the -early Franciscans. An enthusiastic party of five, for even Angela has -succumbed to the influences of Assisi, we made our way to the Church of -San Francesco, which we approached across a wide piazza framed on both -sides by long arcades. Through the great Gothic portal, with its rich -carvings, we passed into the twilight beauty of the lower church, for -even on a bright May morning the light in this vast basilica is "dim -and religious." The arches of the nave and chapel are richly decorated, -as you will see from the pictures that I send you; but it was not until -we reached the south end of the eastern transept that we realized the -full beauty of these decorations, whose color glowed like jewels in the -light that reached them from three windows in the far apse. Over the -vaulting above the high altar are the wonderful frescoes of Giotto. In -one of the most beautiful of these paintings the artist has represented -the marriage of Francis with Lady Poverty. The cold, pale bride, her -white robe torn by the acacia thorns around her, draws away from her -lover as if to warn him of the trials and hardships that are in store -for him who links his life with hers. She, who, as Dante says, - - "slighted and obscure, - Thousand and hundred years and more remain'd - Without a single suitor, till he came," - -is now crowned with love and honor by the adoring Francis. Dante's face -appears among the many representative and mythological spectators who -are gathered around the altar, where Christ himself gives the hand of -the saint to the Lady Poverty, while the angels above rejoice over the -holy marriage. A wonderful conception is this, rich in color and in -devotional feeling, worthy of the hand and mind of the realistic and -imaginative Giotto. - -After studying the four symbolic compositions above the high altar we -turned to Cimabue's work in the western transept, of which in many -places only the lovely lines remain, as much of the color has faded -out. If only something could be done to save the noble, sincere work of -those who are now recognized as early masters and regenerators of art! -The colors are fading so fast from the walls of San Francesco that very -soon these valuable frescoes will be lost to the world. - -As we turned to enter the sacristy, from which a stairway leads to the -upper church, Miss Morris called our attention to a very interesting -fresco of the Madonna and Child near the door of the sacristy. In this -charming little painting the Madonna, instead of gazing upon the Child -with adoring love or placid content, as in so many pictures, looks into -his uplifted face with a wondering, questioning look in her eyes. Miss -Morris, who is not only an artist of some merit but an investigator of -no mean order, stood before the painting and looked her questions, upon -which our guide explained, partly in English and more in Italian, that -in this picture, by Lorenzetti, the Bambino is represented as speaking -for the first time. The figures are a bit stiff and wooden, but the -face of St. Francis, on the left, is full of devotional feeling, and -there is something indescribably touching in the attitude of the Child -as he turns lovingly and confidingly toward his mother, with words upon -his baby lips that all Christendom would gladly hear. We missed Miss -Morris an hour later, when we were crossing the piazza, and found that -she had returned to the little fresco, drawn to it by an irresistible -fascination. - -From a narrow winding stairway we stepped into the lofty, spacious -upper church, lighted by large, three-storied Gothic windows which -flood the interior with sunshine. Here in twenty-eight great frescoes, -executed by the pupils of Giotto, more or less faded and in some places -badly restored, we followed the life of St. Francis from the early days -when he is represented as giving his cloak to a beggar to his final -parting with his brothers. - -When we at last emerged from the upper church and made our way down -the outside stairway to the piazza, the scene which met our eyes -seemed strangely modern and bizarre to us whose minds were filled -with thoughts of St. Francis and his holy life. All along the side -of the piazza were long tables filled with relics, rosaries, and -the ubiquitous postal-card, which represents everything, real or -imaginable, that has been seen or could be seen in Assisi. Old women -and little girls were spreading out their wares under the very shadow -of the sanctuary, and we, noticing the pinched, careworn faces of -the women and the poor, scanty clothing of the pretty little girls -who helped them, could not grudge them the limited revenue that comes -to them from their Sunday sales. The little money that reaches these -Assisian peasants is chiefly from tourists, and from a lace-making -industry that has recently been established here. Miss Morris says -that these old women were intoxicated with delight over the brilliancy -of their financial prospects when they were told that they could make -ten cents a day by lacework, if they plied their needles and shuttles -industriously. Does not everything in life depend upon the point of -view? - -When we finally turned from the piazza, we accepted the eagerly offered -guidance of a lad of fourteen or fifteen, who led us through steep, -narrow streets and under heavy stone arches to the Chiesa Nuova. -Within the walls of this so-called new church is the house of the -once prosperous cloth-merchant Pietro Bernardone, the home in which -St. Francis spent his early years. A peasant woman unlocked a heavy -wooden door and showed us with reverent pride the stable in which -St. Francis was born, and our young guide spelled out with care the -inscription upon one side of the church wall which records that here -the Madonna Pica, the mother of Francis, had a vision of the future -greatness of her long-desired son. The sacristan opened the door of -a cell in the wall where Francis was confined by his father in the -hope of disenchanting his son with his chosen bride, the Lady Poverty, -and perhaps, as Angela suggested, to punish him for having taken good -cloth from the paternal storehouse and given it to the Church. Zelphine -was shocked at the idea of any one thinking that St. Francis could -ever have done anything wrong; but as the gift of cloth figures quite -prominently in the narrative and involves a nice question in ethics, we -discussed the question, with some warmth, on our way to the Church of -Santa Chiara, which is at the eastern end of the town. - -This church, handsome as it is, with its pink and white stone, vast -flying buttresses, and beautiful rose-window, interested us far less -than Santa Chiara's convent, the San Damiano, which we visited later -in the morning. We all regretted that we had gone down into the crypt -at Santa Chiara to see the tomb of the founder of the Poor Clares and -the friend of St. Francis. We would so much rather think of the gentle -abbess at San Damiano than lying under a glass case in the dark crypt, -the once beautiful face, which is quite clearly outlined against her -veil, darkened by time and no longer beautiful. We turned hastily from -the crypt, and were glad to be again in the open air and under the blue -sky wending our way to Clare's hillside convent, which is only second -in interest to the basilica of San Francesco. - -It was after Clare, the daughter of Count Favorino Scifi, had listened -to the preaching of St. Francis, and decided to devote her life to -works of love and mercy, that he prepared the San Damiano as a retreat -for her and other noble ladies who desired to accompany her. From the -hour when the high-born maiden, Clare Scifi, yielded to the burning -eloquence of Francis Bernardone, to the day of her death, her story -is surrounded by all the charm of mediæval romance. The door of the -Palazzo Scifi is still shown through which Clare escaped at night -and made her way to the Portiuncula, where, in the presence of her -aunt Bianca Guelfucci and several companions, she took upon herself -the vows of poverty and obedience. The picture of the beautiful girl -kneeling before the altar in the dim light of the Portiuncula, while -the golden glory of her fair hair is shorn from her head, is one -that has captivated the artist as it does the traveller. Every part -of the Convent of San Damiano is associated with the lovely young -abbess. Standing in the tiny terrace garden, with its few straggling -wallflowers, we imagined Clare taking the air in the bloom of the -lilies, surrounded by her nuns. Here is the cell where she lay ill, -when tidings reached the quiet convent that a detachment of Saracen -troops was advancing toward Assisi. The sisters gathered around the -abbess like so many frightened doves; the bold invaders were already -scaling the walls, when Clare, who was endowed with the high courage -of her race, appeared at an upper window, holding aloft the chalice -containing the Blessed Sacrament, which she was allowed to keep in a -little chapel near her cell. At the sight of the holy and beautiful -vision, so runs the legend, the soldiers upon the walls dropped to -the ground and fled across the plain. As we saw the little convent, -peaceful and bathed in the bright sunshine of May, it was difficult to -imagine the confusion and terror that reigned there seven hundred years -ago. - -Still under the spell of Francis and Clare, whose story seems to be -on the lips of all Assisi, young and old, we spent the long spring -afternoon in the basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. The brother -who showed us about the church, a namesake of Assisi's saint, spoke -fairly good English, of which he was as proud as a Franciscan could -venture to be, and took pleasure in relating to us some quaint and -homely tales of the early days of the order. More especially did the -good brother delight in speaking of the love of his Father Francis for -the wild creatures of the wood, which instinctively turned to him for -protection. One day a leveret hid itself in the folds of his gown, and -upon another a timid hare sought shelter in his breast, still returning -into the father's bosom, he said, "as if it had some hidden sense of -the pitifulness of his heart." - -When Angela spoke of the story that we had just been reading of Brother -Juniper and the chickens, the brother laughed heartily, and said: -"Chickens is goot; but Brother Juniper spoiled his by cooking the two -weeks' portion of chickens in one day, and with the feathers on, to -save much time for prayer; but it was not goot, and the brothers was -angry." - -Do you remember the story, Allan?--how Brother Juniper set the stew -upon the table, "crying up his wares to find a customer for his -unsavory dish, when," as the chronicler quaintly added, "there was not -a pig in all the land of Rome so famished as to have eaten it." - -"But he was goot," said our guide, "Brother Juniper was goot, and the -guardian forgive him, and he was goot when he cut off the pig's foot -and cooked it for to make the sick man well, and the herdsman forgive -him this time and brought the maimed pig all killed and roasted for the -brothers at St. Mary of the Little Portion to eat of it." - -"This must have been the occasion," said Miss Morris, "when St. Francis -exclaimed, 'Would to God, my brothers, that I had a whole forest of -such Junipers!'" - -"Yes, yes," said the brother, "roast pig is goot," leading us, as -he talked, from the modern pictures that adorn the many chapels of -this large church to the most interesting object within its walls, -the Portiuncula. Here, surrounded by much that is too modern to be in -harmony with the old, is the simple little Portiuncula, within whose -walls many pilgrims, Protestant and Catholic, kneel feeling that -this is a holy spot, for here were born the high purposes and noble -aspirations that led to a great movement for purer religion in the -Christian world. Near the Portiuncula, under the same roof, is the -rude hut in which St. Francis spent his last days, and here, opening -out from the cloisters, is the little rose-garden which witnessed -his earlier struggles with the powers of darkness. The rose-bushes -are still free from thorns, a miracle, the good brother tells us, and -spotted with blood. The green leaves _are_ covered with brown spots, -the stems are thornless. We look at them as we listen to the earnest -words of our guide; the spell is still upon us, we offer no word of -dissent; for whether the thornless rose-tree is natural or miraculous, -whether the spots on the leaves are from blood or rust, the truth -remains that this little garden witnessed the struggle of a human -soul, and from its soil there arose something more wonderful than the -greatest miracle over material forces ever recorded--a soul born from -clouds and darkness into life and light eternal. - -An overwhelming sense of Italy, of what it means to be in this old -hill town, with its remains of Etruscan occupation and pagan Roman and -Christian Roman life, has possessed my mind to-day. You will never -quite understand what Mr. Emerson means by the oversoul until you -stroll through Italian highways and by-ways, knowing that what you -tread upon is only common earth and stone, well worn by many feet, and -yet among the many feet there were some whose footsteps seem to have -turned the common earth ways into paths that lead to the stars. But why -should I try to explain that which is unexplainable, and to you, who -have read more books about Italy than I shall ever read, and yet, here -I triumph over you, no books, no, nor even letters of mine, can make -you understand the compelling charm of this - - "Woman-country, wooed not wed, - Loved all the more by earth's male lands." - -Some day you must come here, Allan, and see and feel it all, while I, -off in some prosaic spot, will envy you the penetrating joy of first -impressions, the grace of a day that can never quite come back again. - -The long twilight had deepened, the shadows of the hills had lengthened -upon the wide-spread plain, when we turned from the church and the -little town to retrace our steps along the hillside road. Upon the -stillness of the evening air, seldom disturbed except by the ringing -of church-bells, there broke forth a sound like a fog-horn, and a large -red object suddenly appeared upon the crest of the hill. There followed -a whizz and a whirr, a rush through the air, and a flutter of blue -and white veils, as a great automobile sped past us along the white -windings of the road. - -"Is there any spot too sacred for the intrusion of an automobile?" -asked Zelphine. - -"No," exclaimed Miss Horner, "not even the tomb of St. Francis!" - -"And yet," said Angela, her eyes wistfully following the brilliant -auto car and its gay company, "I should like to be in it, this moment, -speeding along these perfect roads." - -"Of course," said Miss Morris, "everything depends upon the point -of view, and the only one from which an automobile is entirely -unobjectionable is when you are in it, with all its machinery in -perfect order." - - HOTEL GIOTTO, ASSISI, May 4th. - -You will be surprised to learn that we are still in Assisi. Yesterday -afternoon, on our way to the station with our adopted companions, we -spent an hour at St. Mary of the Angels to take a last look at the -Portiuncula, the rose-garden, and Della Robbia's fine terra-cotta, and -then repaired to a little tea-house near by for a parting love-feast, -as we were all about to start for different places. Miss Morris was on -her way to Perugia, Miss Horner was bound for Florence, and we three -for Siena. In the midst of an exchange of cards, addresses, and quite -sincere hopes of meeting again, Bertha Linn and Mrs. Robins surprised -us by walking in, having driven over from Perugia. - -You will laugh at me, I am sure, when I tell you that those two women -persuaded us, three in number, with our luggage at the station, to go -back with them to Assisi and stay over another day. In justice to our -steadfastness of purpose I must tell you that we only yielded when we -learned, what the _padrone_ had not been clever enough to tell us, that -on the following day the feast of the Holy Cross was to be celebrated, -and the great basilica lighted with scores of wax candles. - -We are truly glad that we yielded to Bertha's persuasions. Consistency -in adhering to a schedule is not always a jewel in one's crown, -especially when one is rewarded by such a view of the frescoes in San -Francesco as can only be had by the light of many long candles and -tapers. - -It is just such incidents by the way, such turning back and retracing -of steps at one's pleasure, that make for the happiness of the -freeborn American traveller who carries her luggage with her and is -not dominated by trunks--I say _her_ instead of _him_, because most -of the travellers we meet are women; and, as if to give weight to my -reasoning, Bertha adds, "In a land where one reckons time by hundreds -of years, what difference does one day more or less make?" - -"Especially," said Angela, "if you are not hampered by a hard and -fast schedule, or a conscience about disappointing our landlady at the -Pension Riccoli in Florence." - -"She will not be disappointed," said Mrs. Robins, oracularly, and Mrs. -Robins, having travelled much, knows the ways of Italian landladies. - - - - -XIV - -THE CITY OF FLOWERS - - - LUNG' ARNO DELLE GRAZIE, - FLORENCE, May 6th. - -Do you realize that your letter in answer to mine of March 18th from -Rome was not quite within the pact? I found it awaiting me at Siena, -with a number of others. I thought my explanation quite clear and -eminently sane, but you seem to have strangely perverted my meaning; -then you revert to an earlier letter from La Cava, and are pleased to -imagine that we are taking risks all the time and leading a reckless -life generally. I shall really hesitate to tell you again of any of our -adventures such as that drive home from Pæstum, which I merely related -as an amusing incident. There is no danger of brigands in these days -and we did not "need a protector," especially as kind Providence looked -after us. That drunken driver would not have surrendered his reins to -you or to any one except the _padrone_; and then "all's well that ends -well," and we returned from our excursion with nothing worse than a -grievance. - -I was so vexed with you for two whole days that I wrote you not one -line from Siena or Pisa. Now your indiscretion is partially atoned -for by a letter which has just reached me here, and I am trying to -forgive you and "be friends again," as we used to say when we were -children. But the charms of Siena are already so eclipsed by those of -Florence that it is quite impossible for me to give you an atmospheric -description of its streets and churches, above all of the shining -cathedral, rich from dome to pavement with colored marbles, frescoes, -and mosaics. This may be no loss to you, who are doubtless well tired -of my Italian rhapsodies; but your respite is only temporary, as I -quite missed writing you that letter. I wanted to tell you that the -campanile at Pisa leans quite as much as the little Parian model -on your desk, and about the famous Campo Santo with its interesting -paintings, and many other things. The habit of relieving my mind of the -burden of surplus impressions, or of what I might call my "oversoul," -has become second nature. Do you remember, Allan, the man in Frank -Stockton's story who, on his return from abroad, found his friends and -acquaintances so much interested in their own affairs that he engaged -a young man at twenty-five cents an hour to listen to his traveller's -tales? You seem to be all unwittingly playing the rôle of that youth, -less the twenty-five cents, and I, alas! shall never know whether you -prove yourself more worthy than that faithless one, who fell asleep in -the midst of the most thrilling adventures. - - [Illustration: A Street in Florence] - -I must explain to you for your benefit, when you travel this way, that -we did what is discouraged by Baedeker and most of the guide-books; -we changed cars at Empoli and took a train to Pisa, where we spent a -night and day. The usual plan is to go directly from Siena to Florence, -and make a separate day-trip to the city of the Leaning Tower. One of -Zelphine's pet economies is to save the retracing of steps or railway -journeys by doing all that we can _en route_. In this case I think her -plan was a good one, as we shall never be willing to spend one whole -beautiful day in any other city, no matter how long we may tarry in -Florence. I overheard Zelphine, this morning, telling Katharine Clarke -that she intended to stay here indefinitely and stifle the promptings -of conscience with regard to Venice and all the rest of Italy, adding, -in her earnest way, "After all, Katharine, the true pleasure of -travelling is to settle down in one place and let its charms sink into -your mind." - -Katharine was so much amused at Zelphine's novel definition of the -joys of travel that she repeated it to an English acquaintance, who -exclaimed, "Really!" with a delicious rising inflection, "would not -that be rather unpractical?" Refreshingly English, was it not? The -truth is, we are all well tired of short journeys, and look forward -with pleasure to a whole month of Zelphine's kind of travelling, living -in Florence and making half-day trips to Fiesole, La Certosa, and some -of the lovely villas on the hillsides near by. - -We reached Florence last night so late that the long twilight had quite -faded, and darkness veiled the charms of this most beautiful city. -As we drove along the Lung' Arno, its lights revealed glimpses here -and there of the shining river and picturesque bridges, with a line -of dark mountains rising beyond and above them. There is something -fascinating and stimulating to the imagination in such a first view -of a strange city, especially when, as in this instance, she discovers -fresh beauties when she lifts her veil to the morning light. - -We were not able to get into the delightful pension that Katharine -Clarke told us of. Madame had not received my note from Assisi advising -her that we would be two days later than our appointment, and had -promptly rented our rooms, believing, like all Italian landladies, in -the proverbial "bird in the hand." "Never mind," said Zelphine, as we -turned sadly away, "what is any pension, even the Pension Riccoli, -whose feasts are said to rival those of Lucullus, compared with -that incomparable last day in Assisi with St. Francis or that other -red-letter day in the cathedral at Siena?" - -"And then," said Angela, "the Pension Riccoli is a paradise reached by -many purgatorial stairs." - -Being both tired and hungry by this time, we consulted our note-books, -and directed our _vetturino_ to the nearest pension. An indifferent -hostel it proved to be, with the one charm of being directly on the -Arno. Our windows opened on the river, and we were lulled to sleep -by the music of its rushing waters. These rivers, fed by springs from -neighboring hills, are widely different from the sluggish streams of -the plain; the spirits of Undine and her kind seem to inhabit them -and sing their lullabies in storm and calm. Zelphine evidently had the -same thought, as she told me that she had been dreaming all night of -Undine and Sir Huldebrand, and that it would not have surprised her -to have the lovely sprite appear at her window and dash water in her -face. Instead she awoke to find Angela standing by our window, in the -freshest of pink and white morning-gowns, the warm sun lighting up -every thread of her blonde hair to pure gold. She begged us to come to -the window and look out. The Florence of the left side of the Arno, -the Florence of "Romola" and Mrs. Browning, lay before us, with its -churches and palaces, connected with the Lung' Arno delle Grazie by the -oldest bridge in the city, the Ponte alle Grazie. Off to the south are -the heights of San Miniato, and still further the commanding Fortezza -di Belvedere, and beyond, hill upon hill of blue velvet spanned to-day -by a sapphire sky. Behind us are the Duomo, Santa Croce, San Marco, and -a whole world of architectural wonder and entrancing interest, the old -streets through which Dante, Michael Angelo, and Raphael walked and the -churches that resounded to the voice of Savonarola. - - PENSION C., VIA SOLFERINO, - Saturday Evening. - -Among surroundings of so much interest it seemed almost a desecration -to devote an hour to a search for a pension, and yet even this -practical business was illuminated by glimpses of beauty by the way. -We passed through the Loggia dei Lanzi, with its many statues, where -Cosimo's German lancers were once quartered, across the Piazza della -Signoria and by the Strozzi Palace. This middle-age castle, with its -rough-hewn stone walls unbroken by windows except on the upper floors, -must have proved an impregnable fortress in days when war was the -chief occupation of the Florentines and a man's house was primarily -and emphatically his stronghold. Although the Palazzo Strozzi was built -by a merchant, its exterior is decorated by the handsome iron _fanali_ -which were used only by the most distinguished citizens, and here are -the rings to which the party standards were once attached. We passed -the Palazzo Strozzi on our wandering way to Thomas Cook's office, which -is on the same street, the Via Tornabuoni, with its alluring cafés, -confectioners', modistes', and bric-à-brac shops. The massive walls -and huge bulk of the old palace form a picturesque background for -the bright, varied modern life and tourists' life of the Florence of -to-day. - -Katharine told us of an excellent pension on the Via Solferino near -the Cascine, which she feared would be full, like every other place -that we had looked at, as all America seems to have come up here -from the Eastertide in Rome to spend May in Florence. We meet more -acquaintances on the Via Tornabuoni and under the arcades of the -Piazza Vittorio Emanuele than on Fifth Avenue, and almost as many as -on Rittenhouse Square. Zelphine says that it would be pleasant to meet -some Florentines once in a while, "or even some Romans," suggested -Angela. - -"Romans never travel," replied Zelphine, in her most encyclopædic tone; -"like Parisians, their own surroundings satisfy them entirely." - -"Never travel! How strange, how dull!" exclaimed Angela, shaking her -head, incredulously. Was she thinking of Ludovico or of the Marquis -de B., I wondered, this apparently frank but absolutely inscrutable -Angela? She had a letter handed her at Cook's office this morning, with -a Roman postmark, which she put in her pocket without a word or a sign -of interest. It was not in Ludovico's handwriting, I know; whose then? -Do I seem to be watching straws to find out which way the wind blows? -You must remember, Allan, that I am the appointed chaperon of this -party, and that Angela's father, like the "Father of his Country," has -a great objection to entangling foreign alliances. Indeed, my task is -no light one, as there are times when Zelphine needs a chaperon quite -as much as Angela; her _beaux yeux_ draw many admiring glances in our -direction. But pray do not whisper this above your breath, as Zelphine -is absolutely unconscious of the admiration that she excites, and would -accuse me of gross exaggeration, and then a certain widower of our -acquaintance might become alarmed and feel it his duty to join us "as a -protector," which would certainly interfere with Angela's pleasure and -mine, however it might affect Zelphine's happiness. - -To return to our quest, we found the Pension C. crowded, as Katharine -had feared, but Madame assured us that she would have rooms for us in a -few days, if we would only be content with lodgings in the dépendance -for the present. The rooms shown us were altogether captivating, with -their long windows and balconies overlooking a garden full of roses. -When Zelphine learned that in addition to their other attractions -these rooms were presided over by a maid named Assunta, wild horses, -buffaloes, or even the more probable menace of mice would not have -drawn her from the Pension C. "Think of it, Margaret!" she exclaimed, -"to sit on a balcony overhanging a rose-garden, and have our coffee -and rolls brought to us by Assunta! And then," added Zelphine, in her -most persuasive tone, "she seems to understand my French, although -she speaks nothing but Italian!" Although Katharine laughed heartily -at Zelphine's argument, and said that it reminded her of a sign in -one of the shops on the Via Tornabuoni, "French spoken and English -understood," I felt this to be an important consideration and one that -would affect our comfort even more materially than the balcony, the -rose-garden, or the pleasing name of our _femme de chambre_, and after -some conversation with Madame we concluded to await her pleasure. We -are now lodged in the dépendance, a dismal apartment-house on the Via -Montebello, connected with the pension by a tunnel-like gallery. Here -we and our belongings hang between heaven and earth until our promised -rooms in the main house are vacant--to-morrow, or the next day, or -the next; nothing is quite certain here, and dates do not seem to be -reckoned with or upon. - -After our first dinner at the Pension C. Angela showed her satisfaction -with her new surroundings by exclaiming, "I am glad that you two -romantic creatures have decided upon a place where the food is so good, -as we cannot be expected to live on antiquities for many days." Angela -is quite right: we are fed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream, while -succulent asparagus, and peas as sweet as those from your garden at -Woodford, have replaced the artichokes and fennel, of which we had -grown a bit tired. I saw Angela tremble this evening when the dish of -green peas was offered to her right-hand neighbor first, according -to the undeviating blindfold justice of table d'hôte rules; for -although Madame provides most liberally for her guests, this woman -would create famine in a land of plenty. Our youngest made a grimace -over the small portion left for her on the platter, and then with -resolute cheerfulness essayed to open a conversation with her neighbor, -remarking that we had spent a delightful morning at the Annunziata, to -which the lady, whose thoughts evidently never rise above her plate, -asked, naïvely, "Why, what's going on there?" - -In view of all that has "gone on" at the Annunziata, especially in art, -the masterpieces of Andrea del Sarto and Ghirlandajo and the lovely -Della Robbias, we were all reduced to silence. - -Although there are some charming people at the pension, we are not -particularly well placed at the table d'hôte. Zelphine is not more -fortunate in conversation than Angela, as her neighbor is an Italian -gentleman who, although charmingly polite, is deaf and dumb in every -language save his own. Angela and I have concluded that this Signor -A. is preternaturally dull, as Zelphine can say enough with her eyes -to make most men understand; beside which her adroitly pronounced and -cleverly emphasized French usually appeals to the intelligent Italian -imagination. Occasionally she touches the roses on the table, and -says "Bella," when there follows a rapid flow of conversation on the -part of Signor A., through which Zelphine smiles sweetly. She scored -quite a point this evening when Madame made her appearance, after an -indisposition of a couple of days, and Zelphine bowed in recognition -of the return of our presiding genius, and, turning to her neighbor, -said "Benia." "Benia" may not be the very best Italian equivalent for -"better," but it evidently conveyed Zelphine's idea to Signor A., who -nodded his head in approval and beamed upon her like a sunburst. He has -been her devoted slave ever since, passing everything at his end of the -table to her, evidently quite incapable of helping himself first, and -urging wine upon her until I tremble for her sobriety. Zelphine is of -a yielding nature up to a certain point, of course, beyond which she -is a rock of steadfastness, as Angela and I have learned in the course -of our travels together. We trust that she may discover the rocky side -of her character if Signor A. fills up her glass too often, or makes -her an offer of his heart, his hand, and his fortune. This latter we -are disposed to think is inconsiderable, as one of his chief sources of -revenue is, as we have incidentally gathered, the keeping of Madame's -books. - -Angela looks discontentedly at her own insatiable neighbor and then at -Zelphine, so tenderly cared for by hers, and remarks in the crude slang -of the day that "Zelphine has a soft thing of it, all right!" - -A blooming widow opposite, with a daughter of twelve at her side, -wastes the sweetness of her smiles upon the unrequiting feminine -company of the pension. The only available man, available, I mean, for -excursions and strolls in the Cascine, left this morning for Venice, -wearing a bright red necktie which the lady has been knitting for days -while he sat by her side in the rose-garden. Angela thought it very -unbecoming, because it did not match his hair exactly, scarlet not -being the color one would choose for a red-haired man, but then our -youngest is overcritical in the matter of color. - -Further down the table d'hôte are several widows with daughters, one, -two, or three. Zelphine and I have been wondering when the great -mortality among American men occurred, as most of the women whom -we meet are too young to be relicts of the Civil War. The widow _en -voyage_ with grown daughters is the rule. Some few wives are here who -have husbands at home; the exception is when paterfamilias accompanies -the party, and when he does, I must frankly admit that he looks -excessively bored, especially in picture-galleries. - - Sunday, May 9th. - -Katharine came in this morning, bright and early, with her hands full -of roses and her head full of plans. She had been modelling steadily -for ten days, and, having reached a convenient stopping-place, -announced her intention of taking a vacation of three days, which she -would be glad to devote to us and our sight-seeing. Would it please -us to go to Fiesole for the day or to Vallombrosa? Zelphine says that -we must see Vallombrosa if we would know something of the beauties -of Paradise in advance. Milton is said to have drawn his description -of the Garden of Eden from the lovely slopes of the Pratomagno. You, -ardent lover of the English classics, may recall a passage in the -first book of "Paradise Lost," in which Milton speaks of Fiesole and -Valdarno, and of - - "Vallombrosa, where the Etrurian shades - High overarch'd embower." - -As Katharine is a delightful cicerone, intelligent and appreciative, -her enthusiasm well balanced by common sense, we were charmed by the -prospect of three days in her good company, and when she asked us -what we would do to-day, I was about to say, properly and politely, -that we would go wherever it would please her to take us; but -Zelphine interposed, and solemnly protested that it would be quite -impossible for her to spend another day in Florence without visiting -the grave of Mrs. Browning. Being of a cheerful temper and not given -to haunting graveyards, Katharine seemed to have a rather vague idea -of the location of the Protestant Cemetery, but she readily consented -to Zelphine's request, and by dint of considerable questioning we -found it. Not an ideal Campo Santo is this, like that at Rome, where -tall cypresses shut it in from the outside world, and where the vast -pyramidal Tomb of Caius Cestius overshadows it grandly. Just outside -the Porta Pinti is this Protestant burial-ground of Florence. The old -walls that once framed it in have been removed, and it now stands in -the midst of dusty highways where noisy trams pass to and fro with -their freight of eager-eyed tourists. Once inside the enclosure, we -found trees and shrubbery, and roses blooming everywhere. Katharine -and Angela stood under a tree to rest beneath its grateful shade, -while Zelphine walked on and on as if drawn by a magnet, I following -her, until we stood before a square marble sarcophagus, simple and -dignified, with the initials E. B. B. on one side and the date June 29, -1861. A cedar-tree stands guard by the poet's grave, one branch leaning -over it protectingly, roses climb all about it, and as we stood there, -silent and reverent, a bird sang from one of the branches overhead, -and, like Browning's "wise thrush," he sang his song - - "twice over, - Lest you should think he never could recapture - The first fine careless rapture!" - -Standing by the grave of the English poetess in the beauty of a May -day, with the blue sky above it, the air filled with the fragrance of -flowers and the songs of birds, it seemed to us that they were wise who -decided that Elizabeth Browning's tomb should be here, in this Italy -that she loved, and among the Florentines who adored her, rather than -in the vast gloom of the abbey where her husband lies and where she is -by right entitled to rest among the great of England. - -Two other English poets sleep in this cemetery, Arthur Hugh Clough and -Walter Savage Landor. Landor died in Florence in a house on the Via -Nunziatina, in 1864. As we stood by his grave, Zelphine softly murmured -Swinburne's lovely lines to his brother poet: - - "So shall thy lovers, come from far, - Mix with thy name, - As morning-star with evening-star, - His faultless fame." - -This afternoon, returning from Katharine's studio, which is beyond the -Porta Romana, as we passed the vast monotonous façade of Palazzo Pitti -and entered the Via Maggio, we were attracted by a tall gray house -with a white tablet above its first-floor windows. "The Casa Guidi!" -exclaimed Zelphine, reading the words in which the Florentines recorded -their love and gratitude to the woman poet who had by her golden ring -of verse linked Italy to England. The well-known lines by the poet -Tommaseo are inscribed in letters of gold upon the marble tablet, in -Italian of course, but I am quite sure that Zelphine could read an -inscription to the Brownings in Hindustani. After lingering long before -the windows of the _primo piano_, which will always be associated with -the Brownings, we walked around the corner to the Piazza Santa Felicità -and looked up at the terrace where Mrs. Browning spent so many days, -and up and down which she described her husband as walking with the -third Browning in his arms. - -I must frankly confess that we were disappointed in the terrace, as we -had expected to see one of the charming garden terraces, adorned with -blooming plants and even trees, in which the Italians delight to find -rest and seclusion above the noise and dirt of the street; instead -we saw only a balcony overhanging the piazza, with a few straggling -plants in pots. So small is this balcony that Mr. Browning's goodly -proportions must have filled all the available space, even if it was -quite large enough for the fairy-like lady who sat there through long -summer days. Do you remember that she wrote to Miss Mitford that she -was so happy despite the intense heat that she could quite comprehend -the possibility of St. Lawrence's ecstasies on a gridiron? In another -letter Mrs. Browning wrote, "Here we can step out of the window on a -sort of balcony terrace which is quite private, and swims over with -moonlight in the evenings, and as we live upon watermelons, iced -water, and figs, and all manner of fruit, we bear the heat with angelic -patience and felicity which are really edifying." - -It is not strange that, with new happiness and renewed health, -everything in Florence was glorified to Mrs. Browning, and that the -Casa Guidi apartment, with its windows looking out upon the Pitti -Palace on one side and on the other "toward the gray wall of a church, -called San Felice, for good omen," seemed a bit of Paradise. - -Near the Casa Guidi are several classic spots. On the right of the Via -Maggio at the corner of the Via Marsili is the house where Bernardo -Buontalenti lived when the great Tasso came from Ferrara to embrace -him and thank him for the beautiful scenery painted by him which had -contributed so much to the success of his "Aminta." The story runs, as -told by Baldinucci, that after thanking Buontalenti and kissing him on -the neck and forehead Tasso mounted his horse and rode away, leaving -the painter as amazed as if he had beheld a vision from the world of -spirits. - -A little way beyond on the same street is the house of Bianca Capello, -from whose windows her delicate, fascinating face looked forth for -men's undoing. Whether or not Bianca looked out from these windows "to -see the Duke go by," as Mrs. Browning says, it was from her balcony -here that she attracted the admiration of her first husband, Pietro -Bonaventuri, with whom she eloped, and near this house he was murdered -to give place to a princely suitor. The story of Bianca's marriage -with the Grand Duke Francesco, of which we found accounts in several -books at the all-embracing Vieusseux's, reads like a chapter of the -"Arabian Nights." Never, surely, were wrong-doing and shame so gilded -and glorified!--gilded literally, as the bodies of men and women were -painted with gold that they might represent the deities of Olympus -in the nuptial procession of Bianca, whose own car was drawn by real -lions, while to other chariots were harnessed horses and buffaloes -dressed in the skins of wild animals to represent griffins, unicorns, -and elephants. - -At the corner of the Via Toscanella an old wall marks the site of "the -darksome, sad, and silent house" where Boccaccio lived and wrote. - -As we regained the Piazza Pitti and turned for one more look at the -Casa Guidi windows, Angela was indiscreet enough to say what I had -been thinking all the time: "After all, it does not look much like -a palace, although Mrs. Browning dated some of her letters from the -Palazzo Guidi. It's just like an ordinary apartment-house." Zelphine -vouchsafed no word in reply to this irreverent criticism, but with a -withering glance at Angela strode before us along the Via Guicciardini -and across the Ponte Vecchio, her head in the air and her thoughts -doubtless "commencing with the skies," which were of Italy's bluest -this evening. The emotions of the day had evidently been quite too much -for Zelphine. She left us abruptly after dinner, and shut herself up -in her own room, "to think great thoughts," Angela said, while we more -practical travellers turned to our Hare and our Baedeker to plan out a -campaign for to-morrow. - -I forgot to tell you that we went across the river this afternoon to -the little American Church on the Piazza del Carmine, where there was -a short service, after which we had quite enough daylight to study -Masaccio's interesting frescoes in the Cappella Brancacci of the Church -of the Carmine near by. There is something intensely realistic and -hopelessly sad in Masaccio's Expulsion from Paradise. Here despair -and anguish are portrayed in every feature and line; our first parents -really suffer, as Masaccio represents them being driven by an avenging -angel from the Paradise in which, according to Filippino Lippi's panel -near by, they seem to have lived in a placid and rather dull content -before the Fall. - -Angela reminds me of the lateness of the hour and of our early start -for Vallombrosa to-morrow, whither we have elected to spend two of -Katharine's holidays, thus breaking through our resolve at the very -start, you see, and leaving Florence for two whole days; but as you are -already familiar with my sentiments on the subject of changes of plans, -I offer no apology, especially as Katharine says that one really cannot -do justice to Vallombrosa in a hurried day's journey. - - - - -XV - -AN EARTHLY PARADISE - - - HOTEL CROCE DI SAVOIA, - VALLOMBROSA, May 10th. - -The day has been spent in driving, walking, and climbing hills, yet we -seem to feel no fatigue, so invigorating is this air, "mountain air, -sheathed in Italian sunshine," as Mrs. Browning aptly described it. -Vallombrosa is three thousand feet above Florence--small wonder that -we have been ascending skyward since we drove away from Pelago this -morning! - -Zelphine's pet project was to stop over night at the hermitage of Il -Paradisino, which is on a rock more than two hundred feet above the old -monastery of Vallombrosa; but here again Katharine's common sense stood -us in good stead. The inn at Il Paradisino is, she says, wretchedly -kept, so we have adopted her plan and are spending the night here in -comfort. We climbed up to the hermitage and chapel this evening for the -sunset view of the valley of the Arno, in which Florence lies. In the -far distance we could see the strangely indented line of the mountains -of Carrara, with Mount Cimone, and other remote peaks of the Apennines. - -Zelphine found a copy of Mrs. Browning's letters _chez_ Vieusseux, that -good friend of all English-speaking travellers. We have brought the -first volume with us, and are thus enjoying, in Mrs. Browning's good -company, the charms of this region which she described so vividly. - -Although we did not set out from Pelago at four in the morning, nor -journey in a sledge drawn by white oxen, but in a carriage, even in -this less picturesque conveyance we felt that we were ascending the -heights of Paradise, and were awed into silence by the rugged grandeur -of the scenery, the hills with their heads among the clouds, the dense -pine forests and the beech and chestnut woods hanging from the mountain -sides. We were at times reminded of Switzerland, although some of our -fellow-travellers found a stronger likeness to Norway in the black -ravines, gurgling waters, and mountain torrents; but alas and alas! as -we drew near the summit, instead of Milton's - - "Shade above shade, a woody theatre - Of stateliest view," - -we found that most of the fine trees which once adorned the ascent -had been ruthlessly destroyed. They tell us that a public-spirited and -beauty-loving Englishman offered to pay a fair price for some of the -goodliest trees if they might only be left standing in their places; -but the offer was refused, and the vandalism continues. How you will -mourn these noble trees when you come here!--feeling, as you do, that -the wanton destruction of trees is a crime near to that of homicide in -the category of sins. Yet, in the midst of this wholesale destruction, -a school has been established for the training of foresters. It is -to be hoped that this Foresteria, which occupies the old monastery -buildings, may disseminate so much light that in the future trees may -be preserved as well as planted. We were told that thousands of trees -had been planted within a short time. - -With the suppression of the monastery many of the characteristic -features of Vallombrosa have disappeared, and so we may not see the -place as the Brownings saw it when they came here in the summer of -1847. Do you remember how they were ingloriously expelled from the -monastery at the end of five days, as Mrs. Browning says, "by a little -holy abbot with a red face, who was given to sanctity and had set his -face against women"? We could well understand what it would have been -to those lovers of nature to spend two months, as they had planned, in -the midst of the majestic beauty of this mountain paradise. We long -inexpressibly to stay a week here and then take a couple of days for -La Verna, where again one comes upon footprints of St. Francis and his -brothers, but we all learned from our school copybooks that "time and -tide wait for no man," and we have promised to be in Florence to-morrow -night to meet Bertha and Mrs. Robins, who are to join us in a trip to -the Certosa on the following day. Zelphine and I make solemn vows, -as we have done in many other entrancing spots, that we will return -to Vallombrosa some day and stay as long as we wish. These resolves -comfort us, and yet--and yet--do we ever have "the time and the place -and the loved one all together," especially the time? To-morrow we -shall be up betimes to enjoy the early morning view from Il Paradisino, -with the clouds rolling away beneath our feet to show us once again -the dome of our beloved Santa Maria del Fiore above the shoulder of a -hill, a sight which it is worth while climbing mountains to see, and -if the day is fine, and here days usually are fine, we may even catch -a glimpse of the glistening sea beyond Florence and its hills. - - PENSION C., FLORENCE, May 12th. - -We found Ludovico's cards on our return from Vallombrosa. He had come -quite unexpectedly on military business, so he says, for of course -he returned later in the evening and we had a long talk with him. -He proposes to act as our guide here, as in the old Roman days, and -is planning a number of delightful excursions for us. As the sun is -very hot now we are glad to spend our mornings in the galleries and -churches, which are delightfully cool. - -This morning, to our surprise, and also, I think, to Ludovico's, -the Marquis de B. appeared. He also has come upon military business, -being in the army, like most young Italians of good family. Indeed, -as Ludovico ingenuously remarked, the other day, "There is nothing -else for us to do, unless we go into the Church or marry an American -heiress; and neither of these," with perfect sang-froid and not a trace -of embarrassment, "is to my taste." - -Although there is nothing in the least alarming in the appearance of -these sons of Mars, I must confess that their arrival has filled me -with misgivings. Ludovico still bears himself with the air of frank -camaraderie that charmed us when we first met him. The Marquis is -formality itself, his manners simply perfection as such; what lies -beyond and beneath an exterior so impressive I have never been clever -enough to discover. Both of these young men address much of their -conversation to Zelphine and me, after the polite Continental fashion, -yet neither one misses a glance or a movement of Angela's, and they -both furtively watch each other. It is interesting and exciting, and -would be amusing were I not the chaperon and temporary guardian of this -apparently unconscious charmer. - -It is not easy for such good Americans as we are to adapt our tongues -to foreign titles, and for some inexplicable reason "marquis" is much -more difficult for us "to handle," as Angela says, than "count," and -the Italian "marchese" is quite impossible. Ludovico has relieved our -embarrassment by telling us that it is quite immaterial whether we -call his friend "marquis" or "count," as they have both titles in his -family, and several others beside. - -This morning we spent in the Church of San Lorenzo, where the first -Cosimo de' Medici is buried. In one of the chapels are some statuettes -by Donatello and in the other the world-famous Medici tombs, the -thoughtful Lorenzo, the most expressive of all marbles, and beneath -him, the Dawn and Twilight, the former the finest of the four statues, -the effort of waking from sleep being plainly revealed in every line. -The narrow niches in which these masterpieces are placed are so out of -all proportion to their size and grandeur that, as Ludovico pointed -out to us, they seem to be slipping off the pitiable pedestals which -support them. Do you remember what Ruskin said of these impressive -figures? To him they spoke "not of morning nor evening, but of the -departure and the resurrection, the twilight and the dawn of the souls -of men." Zelphine and I think that those few lines give the _motif_ -of the statues better than any of the elaborate descriptions that have -been written about them. - - May 13th. - -Ludovico and Count B. accompanied us to-day on our morning stroll -through the galleries. Ludovico has the excellent taste in art that -seems born in these Latins, and draws our attention to the best -pictures in each gallery without recourse to guide or catalogue. -Count B. doubtless has good taste also, but it is not in the line of -antiques at present, as he seldom withdraws his eyes from Angela's -face, except when she expresses admiration or asks him some question, -when he reveals his knowledge of Florentine history and tradition by -long, erudite, and somewhat tiresome explanations. This morning when -I expressed my preference for the Raphael Madonnas over and above all -others, the Count delivered himself quite sententiously of Vasari's -opinion of Andrea del Sarto's work, especially of the Madonna del -Sacco, which we saw again yesterday at the Annunziata, that "for -drawing, grace, and beauty of color, for liveliness and relief, no -artist had ever done the like," after which he repeated Vasari's story -of Michael Angelo writing to Raphael that there was "a certain sorry -little scrub of a painter going about the streets of Florence who -would bring the sweat to his [Raphael's] brow, if he had his chance." -You know the tale; Browning refers to it in his "Andrea del Sarto." -The Count told this story with a glint of humor in his handsome eyes -that I have never seen there before. Zelphine says that I am not quite -just to Count B. I am willing to admit that he is taller and handsomer -than Ludovico and has more the air of a _grand seigneur_; but then I -like Ludovico far better, and no matter what the Count says or whom he -quotes to support his arguments in favor of the Del Sarto Madonnas, for -tenderness and motherliness we must always come back to the Raphaels. -Our two companions found us this morning lingering before the lovely -Madonna with the Cardinal-bird, which in its sweetness and domesticity -is, I think, only equalled by the Belle Jardinière of the Louvre. -Zelphine agrees with the Count in his estimate of Del Sarto, but Angela -and Ludovico are quite in sympathy with me in their loyalty to Raphael. -When the work of both these great masters is so supremely beautiful, it -seems absurd to be discussing their comparative merits so hotly. Which -side would you take, I wonder? - -We crossed the Arno by the picture-gallery of the Ponte Vecchio, a -passageway lined with portraits of dead-and-gone kings and queens, -dukes and princesses, many of these latter proud Spanish ladies with -whom the crafty lords of Tuscany allied themselves. How luxurious -and beauty-loving were those Medici princes! Not content with a -noble gallery of paintings on each side of the river, Cosimo spanned -the distance between them with a third, having already turned the -Florentine butchers out of the lower part of the Ponte Vecchio and -given their stalls to goldsmiths, whose successors still display their -wares here. Half-way across we stopped before the large windows cut in -the sides of the bridge, which frame in a fine view of the heights of -San Miniato upon one side and on the other of the windings of the Arno -and the Cascine with its trees and shrubbery. From the bridge, by many -stairs, we reached the vast salons of the Pitti Palace, which contain -priceless treasures of art with which photographs and engravings have -made us all familiar. We passed from one glorious Raphael to another, -pausing before a superb Del Sarto or Murillo in a state of rapturous -delight, until, as we stood before Fra Bartolommeo's Marriage of St. -Catherine of Siena, beautiful in composition, drawing, and relief, a -pleasant English voice at our side said, "Rather nice, is it not?" - -We turned to see a fresh-faced girl, who addressed this remark to the -typical John Bull _en voyage_. We waited, like her, for the reply which -came slowly, in a gruff voice. - -"Yes, rather. A pastel?"--and in just such a tone as one might have -spoken of a chromo. An Englishwoman standing near, from the London -cockney district but evidently with an appreciation of art, looked -at the girl compassionately, and ejaculated, "Poor lidy!" Whether -the pitying tone was in consequence of the girl's art-limitations or -because the pretty creature was the bride of the dull, red-faced giant, -with whom she walked away, hand in hand, we shall never know, for just -at this moment we heard a clock striking one. How the morning had sped -away! - -"It will be quite impossible to get back to the pension in time for -luncheon," said Angela. Upon which Count B., with elaborate courtesy, -begged us to honor him by breakfasting with him in a little garden-café -near the entrance to the Boboli Gardens. The luncheon had all been -ordered in advance, this being, as we afterwards discovered, a cleverly -arranged plan of the Count's and Ludovico's, and there was nothing to -do but accept the invitation as graciously as it was given. - -The little garden had been converted into a bower of roses, and the -table was a dream of beauty, covered with exquisite flowers, sparkling -glass and silver, and, not less important to hungry sight-seers, the -menu was delicious. It was all like a fairy feast to which we had -been bidden by Prince Charming himself. Zelphine said she would not be -surprised to see a white cat or a genie appear at any moment. - -"Priest and book are what we are in more danger of than white cat -or genie," I whispered, as I bent over the table to admire some rare -lilies that adorned its centre. - -I feel as if a spell of enchantment were being spread around Angela's -path, and yet she talks and laughs and is as free as air, never by word -or look revealing which of her suitors she prefers, or whether she has -a penchant for either. The modern girl is a study, as you well know, -and Angela is not the least interesting one that I have met. - -After luncheon the Count proposed that we should stroll over to the -Boboli Gardens. Here in one of the marvellous pergolas, where, by the -careful clipping and training of the ilexes, a refreshing twilight -shade is to be found at high noon, we sought refuge from the scorching -heat of the sun. Again it appeared that our host's thoughtful care had -preceded us, as camp-chairs awaited us in this green bower, and here -coffee and ices were served to us as if by magic, which we enjoyed -in the coolness of our pergola, from which we looked forth upon the -terraces beneath us, where the horse-chestnuts are covered with pink -feathery bloom, and upon the old amphitheatre, the fountain, and the -"cyclopean massiveness" of the walls of the great Palazzo Pitti. - -The amphitheatre was filled with children at play and nurses with -babies, as it always is on the free days at the Boboli. - -"Why are the boys catching so many crickets and putting them in cages?" -asked Angela of Ludovico. - -For several days we have noticed the children in the Cascine busily -engaged in catching crickets, on the grass and among the bushes. Some -of the boys go off with dozens of them, sometimes in large cages, but -more frequently in a number of pretty little cages of wire or wood, all -strung on a stick, a single cricket in each one. - -"Yes," added Zelphine, "what is the meaning of all this catching of -crickets?" - -"For Grilli Day, of course," said Ludovico, laughing heartily at the -idea of our not knowing anything so well known. "On the feast of the -Ascension, to-morrow, you will see what the boys do with the _grilli_, -and you will be buying _grilli_ like the rest." - -"And why should I buy crickets," asked Angela, "especially as I don't -like them at all?" - -"For luck, of course, signorina; everybody buys the _grilli_ for luck." -And then Ludovico sang, in his light, gay Italian fashion but in a -voice in which a minor chord seemed to dominate the gay notes: - - "'Grillo, mio grillo! - Si tu vo' moglie dillo!'" - -To our surprise, the Count joined in Ludovico's song, in a rich bass -voice that resounded through the little pergola and brought a crowd of -urchins to our retreat with their hands full of _grilli_ in cages. The -Count laughed good-humoredly, and presented each one of us with a caged -_grillo_, saying, "For luck, ladies; if the _grilli_ live, the luck -will be good; if not," with a shrug, "it may be good all the same." - -He then insisted that Angela should buy him a _grillo_ in a cage, which -she did laughingly, but which he received quite seriously, looking as -if he intended to guard it with his life. - -Zelphine, her thirst for knowledge still unsatisfied, asked for -information as to the origin of this curious custom. - -"It is a custom of great antiquity," replied Ludovico, which, as we -have learned by experience, is his method of silencing troublesome -American questions that he is unable to answer. The Count, who appeared -to be in an especially genial mood, then told us many stories and -legends about the _grilli_, in which fairies and princesses figured -quite prominently and goodness was rewarded and wickedness punished -after the charmingly judicial fashion of fairyland. One of the -prettiest of these tales we found afterwards in Mr. Leland's "Legends -of Florence," in the form of a poem called "The King of the Crickets." - -About four o'clock a delightful breeze sprang up, and Ludovico proposed -that we drive to San Miniato. The suggestion was made apparently on -the spur of the moment, and yet when we descended from our airy height -to the street below, carriages were awaiting us, not ordinary cabs but -fairy coaches fit for princesses. - -The drive through the Porta Romana and along the hillside road of Le -Colle was enchanting. The church which Michael Angelo called "La Bella -Villanella" is beautiful in its simplicity. After we had admired _some_ -of the frescoes on the walls--not all of them--and the exquisitely -wrought marble screen and pulpit, and explored the crypt with its -twenty-eight columns, we were glad to go out upon the marble steps -and enjoy from thence the view of Florence in the distance, and the -intervening hills covered with olive-groves and vineyards. Count B., -who had lingered with Angela in the lovely cypress avenue that leads -to the church, joined us on the terrace and took us back into the nave -to show us the chapel tomb of young Cardinal Jacopo of the royal house -of Portugal, with its beautiful low reliefs by Luca della Robbia. -Descanting eloquently upon the virtues and charity of the Portuguese -cardinal, who died at an early age, Count B. led us down the steps -of the church and out upon the Piazza Michelangelo, where the David -stands, as best becomes him, _en plein air_. You know that the original -marble, of which this is an admirable copy in bronze, was sculptured -for the Piazza della Signoria. It is now carefully guarded from the -elements in the Belle Arti. This noble figure is the embodiment of -glorious, inextinguishable youth and strength, and is to me the most -inspiring of Michael Angelo's statues. - -Zelphine and I walked around the piazza to view the statue from all -sides, while Count B. and Ludovico took turns in trying to keep the -sun off Angela, whose complexion seems to require unusual care in these -days! - -"Is there any other American girl who could resist all this devotion -and a title to crown it?" asked Zelphine. - -"You seem to have decided this important question for Angela," said -I. "What makes you think that she will turn a deaf ear to Prince -Charming's suit?" - -"I cannot say just why. Angela is charmingly polite and appreciative, -and yet----" - -At this moment, having suddenly recalled the fact that we existed, -Ludovico came over to point out to us the beauty of the Duomo from this -hill-top, Giotto's pink tower glowing to rose in the warm sunset light. - -Ludovico looks rather sad and distrait, to my thinking; his views may -differ from Zelphine's, whose "and yet--" may be variously construed by -the three onlookers who anxiously await developments. - - Ascension Day, otherwise Grilli Day. - -Zelphine and Angela, with the two cavaliers of the party, started off -early this morning in a great stage-coach to breakfast _al fresco_ -in some pretty garden after the Florentine fashion. The idea of a -festival here seems to be to breakfast or to dine anywhere in space -except at home; consequently all Florence seems to be breakfasting -abroad. The little dairies in and about the Cascine are surrounded by -so many tables filled with family parties and gaily dressed folk that -they look like huge bouquets of many-colored flowers. It is delightful -to see people take their pleasure after so natural and simple a -fashion as they do in these Latin countries. To be out of doors, with -ever so simple a menu before them, seems to make a _festa_ for these -light-hearted people. - -Although I admire the Florentine custom, I was glad to stay at home -to-day to write letters and to sit in the Cascine, as I am doing this -minute, where the great trees spread "their webs of full greenery" -above me and the children are playing all around on the grass. - -I was rejoicing in the beauty and restfulness of this lovely spot, -having up to this time escaped the vendors of _grilli_, when several -boys approached me with their crickets in especially pretty cages. -"Quanto?" I asked, pointing to a dainty wire cage. "Una lira," was -the reply. This was too much by half, and having managed to reduce -the price to the proper sum, I handed the boy a lira, and waited for -the change with the cage in my hand. The small salesman seemed to have -considerable difficulty in finding the desired change, turned out his -pockets, questioned his companions, and finally rubbed his eyes hard -and began to weep piteously. At this moment a policeman appeared, and -asked the boy what troubled him, when he, accomplished actor that he -was, pointed to the cage in my hand, and explained that I had taken -his wares and not paid him the half lira demanded. To prove this he -pointed to his empty pockets. What he had done with my lira, whether -he had swallowed it or deposited it with a confederate, I know not. -The policeman, looking very stern, asked me for an explanation, which -I gave in the best Italian that I could muster, feeling quite sure -that had Zelphine been there, her ready tongue and eloquent gestures -would have convinced that distrustful policeman of my innocence. An -Englishwoman who had witnessed the transaction approached, and gave in -her testimony in much better Italian than mine, all to no purpose. - -By this time quite a crowd had gathered around us, all deeply -interested. The boy, encouraged by a sympathetic audience, wept -copiously and repeated his tale of woe; the big policeman looked at -me threateningly. My English ally repeated her explanation, and seeing -that it made no impression, and the lira not being in the boy's hands, -she whispered to me, "You had better pay him again for the cage; the -policeman is evidently on the boy's side, and between them they may -make a disagreeable scene for you." "Never," I replied, resolutely, -"but he shall have his cage again," handing it to the little gamin, -saying, "I have paid for it twice already, but you may have it." - -The scene was already sufficiently disagreeable, and, supported by -my English friend, I made my way to another part of the Cascine, with -visions of a Florentine court and jail floating through my mind. - -"That is one of the stock tricks of these gamins," she explained. "It -would have been all right if you had given him the half lira at once, -but with the whole lira in his hand there came the temptation to keep -it all. These people see so little money, a lira is quite a fortune to -them." - -The _grilli_ had certainly brought me no luck, and I now carefully -avoid looking at a cage, although I do want one of the pretty little -wire ones to take home with me. Perhaps Ludovico will get me one. When -he joined me later and heard of my experience, he was so indignant that -if he could have laid hands on that small actor it is doubtful whether -his histrionic powers would have been allowed to develop to maturity. -The humor of the situation did not appeal to him, as it did to Angela -and Zelphine. - - May 16th. - -As Ludovico and Count B. do not speak of leaving Florence soon, we -conclude that the military affairs that keep them here must be of a -rather protracted nature. They do not, however, complain of the delay, -nor do we. To be escorted by two devoted cavaliers through palaces and -villas and gardens of delight is an experience that one might wish to -prolong indefinitely. Halcyon days are these, truly, and if storms and -rain come, it is only at night, as we awake each morning to find the -sun shining upon the rose-garden beneath our windows and a new day of -pleasure beckoning us on. - -We have had some charming afternoons in the villas near Florence. -Yesterday we went to Sesto in a tram that starts from the Piazza del -Duomo, and from Sesto a short walk brought us to Castello. This royal -villa, which once belonged to the Medici, is full of family portraits, -and some of its beautiful rooms look really home-like--"as if one -could live in them," Angela said, which remark seemed greatly to amuse -Count B., who has, I fancy, spent all his days in such cold, formal -apartments as are to be found in most of these palaces. It was in the -gardens, however, that we were tempted to linger. Those of Castello are -elaborately laid out and adorned with fountains and statues, and now -with the orange and lemon trees in blossom are filled with delicious -fragrance. We stopped so long on the terrace under the great ilexes -and beeches that the twilight had begun to fall and the nightingales -to sing before we started homeward. _Usignuoli_ Ludovico calls these -birds of the night. He and the Count were so pleased with Zelphine's -delight over Castello and its nightingales that they insisted upon -taking us this afternoon to Petraja, an even more elaborate villa on -the heights above Castello. In this villa, which is on the southern -slope of the Apennines, Scipione Ammirato wrote his celebrated history -of Florence. In the last century Petraja was elaborately fitted up by -Victor Emmanuel II. for Madame Mirafiore, for which reason, probably, -it has not been a favorite residence of the royal family of Italy, -and its lovely gardens and terraces are enjoyed only by tourists and -occasional visitors. - - - - -XVI - -FIESOLE - - - FIESOLE, Tuesday, May 17th. - -We women, in the absence of our cavaliers, who will be away for two -days upon some special military service, have planned to spend a day -in fairyland and an evening in Bohemia. Is not that a sufficiently -sensational beginning to please one of our own newspapers at home? This -morning, Bertha and Mrs. Robins having joined us, we all set forth in -a tram from the Piazza della Signoria for Fiesole. Half-way up the -hillside we stopped at the Domenico, where Fra Angelico lived as a -monk, gathering here, as one of his brothers relates, "in abundance -the flowers of art which he seemed to have plucked from Paradise." -One of the richest of these treasures, the Coronation of the Virgin, -has been carried away to the Louvre, but there is still in the choir -of the Domenico a lovely memorial of him--a Virgin Enthroned between -St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. Behind the group -are five guardian angels with tributes of flowers in their hands. -This and a Baptism of Christ, by Lorenzo di Credi, are the treasures -of the Domenico. We stopped at La Badia and enjoyed the fine view -from its terrace, and walked slowly past the Villa Landore, now shut -in by tall cypresses, where Walter Savage Landor once lived. Here -in these beautiful grounds described by Boccaccio in his "Valley of -Ladies," surrounded by his little children and his many pets, Porigi -the house-dog, the cat Cincirillo, whose original sin showed itself in -a decided taste for birds, the tame martin, and the leveret, Landor -spent the most peaceful years of a life that was far from happy. -"Aerial Fiesole" he might well name this lovely hillside garden, in -which he promised Mr. Francis Hare and his bride "grapes, figs, and -nightingale concerts galore." At the Medici Villa, a favorite residence -of Lorenzo the Magnificent, we admired once again the unerring taste of -old Cosimo, who chose for a summer residence this favorite spot which -overhangs Florence. Brunelleschi's superb dome, Giotto's belfry, Santa -Maria Novella, beautiful as a bride, Santa Croce, San Marco, and San -Spirito, all stood out in fairy-like beauty this lovely May morning. - -After stopping at the cathedral on the Piazza of Fiesole, and at Santa -Maria Primerana to look at a tabernacle by one of the Della Robbias -and a painting by Andrea da Fiesole, Angela insisted that we had done -our whole duty as sight-seers and might now begin to enjoy ourselves -in earnest. To this Bertha heartily agreed, suggesting that as we had -come to Fiesole for a day of rest and recreation in the open, we should -lunch on the terrace of the little hotel, and spend the afternoon in -the ancient theatre. - -We have learned in Florence, even better than in vast Rome, whose -historic past appealed to us so insistently on all sides, that it is -not in the galleries and churches, interesting as they are, that we -find the most pleasure, but in the market-places and on the streets, -with their chatter and life, or in sitting, as we sat to-day, on -the hotel terrace, with the fertile plain spread before us and the -garden at our feet, in which the peasants were singing at their tasks. -Beyond are villa-dotted hills, and still beyond, the chain of distant -mountains veiled in purple light, which melts into the azure sky with -an indescribable charm of its own. - -Florence is on the other side of Fiesole, and from the terrace we had -a rural view, with nothing but hill, valley, and mountain, excepting -the villas, of course, among these Vincigliata, which Katharine says -we must see if we would know what a castle of the middle ages is like. -Vincigliata is built on the ruins of a castle of the Bisdomini, and -contains great collections of ancient furniture and armor. We shall -drive out to Vincigliata in a coach and four some day, as this is a -favorite afternoon excursion from the Pension C. - -Having finished our luncheon, which was quite Italian and really -delicious, we strolled down to the old amphitheatre, where we sit on -the stone seats and look away toward Florence while Mrs. Robins reads -to us Browning's "Old Pictures in Florence" and "Andrea del Sarto," -both poems so full of the atmosphere of the beautiful city. - -The other day when we were at the Annunziata, at the corner of the -Via della Mandorla, we saw the little house where Andrea and his fair -and false Lucrezia sat in the evenings and looked over toward "yonder -sober, pleasant Fiesole." We seem to see the old-world pair sitting -there - - "Inside that melancholy little house - We built to be so gay with," - -Andrea with the face of an artist and dreamer, a trifle weak withal, -and she with the - - "Perfect eyes, and more than perfect mouth, - And the low voice my soul hears, as a bird - The fowler's pipe, and follows to the snare." - -How beautiful this Lucrezia was we know from many a picture of -Andrea's. Zelphine and I think that the Madonna del Sacco must have -been likest to her. The superb beauty of flesh and blood, line and -color, so satisfies us that we do not miss the soul that seems to have -been wanting in the original; or did Andrea, artist-like, give to the -pictured Lucrezia graces with which his imagination endowed her? We -hope so, for if he saw her as Browning represents her in his poem, he -must have been indeed the most unhappy of men. - -While I write, Angela and Zelphine try to get snap-shots of us as we -sit under the trees, and Katharine warns us that we shall soon have -to turn our faces homeward, if we wish to be in time for the dinner in -Bohemia to which she invites us. - - PENSION C., Tuesday Evening. - -Our evening in Bohemia was, in its way, quite as much of a success -as the day in fairyland. Katharine conducted us through winding -streets, whose twistings and turnings we shall never be able to follow -without Ariadne's thread, to a café in a cellar, where artists most -do congregate. A friend of Katharine's, an exceedingly pretty and -vivacious Englishwoman, joined us at table, and amused us very much by -telling us that she had sometimes been taken for an American and was -said to talk like an American, which evidently pleased her very much. -Did I think so? I laughed, and said that she would have to talk many -different ways in order to verify the description, as that was a part -of our infinite variety. She said that she had recently met a unique -American man. - -"Why unique?" asked Bertha. - -"In being selfish," was the prompt reply. "All the American men I -had met before were unselfish, chivalrous, ready to do anything and -everything for the comfort and pleasure of the women of their party; -but this man, this unique specimen, seemed to forget that we existed." - -Now was not that a pleasant hearing, and are you not proud of the -reputation of your compatriots? - -While we were discussing national traits the cook, in white cap and -apron, was broiling our beefsteak and cooking vegetables over his -little charcoal fire; these he served to us smoking hot and delicious. -The wine was brought on the table in a huge bottle, which was weighed -before and afterwards, like the unfortunates who are fattened on -cereals and predigested foods, with this difference, that the bottle -lost in weight instead of gaining, and we paid for the shortage. We had -an _omelette soufflée_ of the lightest for our dessert, after which a -man in a white paper cap handed around a tray of sweets, all manner of -delicious confections on sticks, for each of which we paid one soldo. -It was all delightfully novel and Bohemian, and as we strolled home by -the Arno, with the sound of its rushing water in our ears, its shining -breast gleaming like silver in the moonlight, we sang old songs, like -college-girls, and were so happy that one drop more would have caused -our cup of content to overflow in tears--and if tears had been shed -it would have been because some of those we care for were not here -to share with us the pleasure of this day of days and this night of -perfect beauty. - - May 18th. - -If we think of Dante and Savonarola as we cross the Piazza of the -Signoria and walk through the narrow winding streets that lead from it, -every old building and quaint corner recalls some line or verse of the -Brownings, husband or wife. In the Via Belle Donne we naturally thought -of them, as it was in this little street, which opens into the Piazza -di Santa Maria Novella, that the poet lovers first made their home, and -in the Cascine, where we saw some of the lovely Florentine beauties, -as Mrs. Browning described them, "lean and melt to music as the band -plays," and above all at the Belvedere, that crowns the many terraces -of the Boboli Gardens, from which height Florence, with her domes and -towers and palaces, framed in by hills of blue velvet, answers to the -poet's own picture of the beautiful city, and - - "Of golden Arno, as it shoots away - Through Florence' heart beneath her bridges four!" - -To-day has been devoted to Browning pilgrimages. An American woman -at our table rashly asserted that Mr. Browning had made a mistake -in his "Statue and the Bust" by placing the lady with the "pale brow -spirit-pure" at the window of the Riccardi Palace, as it would be quite -impossible for the great Duke Ferdinand to look up from the Piazza -of the Annunziata at the casement of the Palazzo Riccardi, now the -Prefettura, which is way over on the Piazza San Lorenzo. This statement -may seem to you a trifle confusing; but it was sufficiently clear to -rouse Zelphine's ire, and after breakfast we set forth determined to -clear up the seeming inconsistency. In the Piazza of the Annunziata -Duke Ferdinand still "rides by with the royal air," as John of Bologna -has represented him, "in subtle mould of brazen shape," his face turned -directly toward the one window of the palace, from which a terra-cotta -bust should look forth. - -"This all answers perfectly to the description," said Angela, "except -that there is no bust of the lady at the casement; it seems as if Mr. -Browning had made a mistake this time. I really don't care very much, -but I can't stand having that flippant, red-haired woman get the better -of you, Z." - -"She shall not," said Zelphine, with determination in every line of her -lithe figure. "Vieusseux to the rescue!" - -Zelphine set forth to gain what information might be had from the -library shelves, while Angela and I crossed over to the Piazza San -Lorenzo, and spent a delightful hour in studying the wonderful frescoes -that adorn the chapel of the debatable Palazzo Riccardi. - -Here is that most remarkable procession of the Magi winding along a -rocky hillside, the perspective of the most original character: Cosimo, -Pater Patriæ, well in the foreground, the Three Kings represented by -the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Emperor of the East, and, youngest -of the three, Lorenzo the Magnificent, on a white charger. You know -the painting well, but no photograph can give you any conception of the -richness of color and exquisite details of this impossible, fairy-like -landscape, in which distant mountains, hovering angels, birds, beasts, -and flowers unknown to this lower world, add to the variety and charm -of Gozzoli's great work. It is of this fresco that Mr. Ruskin wrote, -"Bright birds hover here and there in the serene sky, and groups of -angels, hand joined with hand and wing with wing, glide and float -through the glades of the unentangled forest." - -Angela and I were so absorbed in the beauty of the painting that we -had quite forgotten about Zelphine's quest, when a voice at our side -exclaimed, triumphantly: - -"I have solved the riddle. The palace on the Square of the Annunziata -was a Riccardi palace at the time of Mr. Browning's poem, and at -the window toward which Duke Ferdinand's eyes are turned there was a -bust of a lady as late as 1887. The present Palazzo Riccardi, now the -Prefettura, was once a Medici palace; it was sold many years later to -the Riccardi family. Here Duke Ferdinand made his feast on the night of -the wedding, the one and only time that the lovers met: - - "'Face to face the lovers stood, - A single minute and no more, - While the bridegroom bent as a man subdued-- - Bowed till his bonnet touched the floor-- - For the Duke on the lady a kiss conferred, - As the courtly custom was of yore.' - -"Cannot you see it all?" continued Zelphine, breathlessly, quite -regardless of the interest that her animated face and eager words were -exciting in the little group around us, - - "'the pile which the mighty shadow makes, - For Via Largo is three-parts light, - But the palace overshadows one, - Because of a crime which may God requite!' - -"This crime was the murder of Duke Alessandro by his distant cousin -Lorenzino, and this, you see, fixes the fact beyond dispute that the -feast was given by the Duke in this great Riccardi palace on the Square -of San Lorenzo. Isn't it all wonderful and thrilling, and is there any -place in the world so filled to the very brim with interest and romance -as Florence?" - -"No place except Rome," said Angela, true to her first love. - -"Yes, but the history seems less remote here; everything seems nearer -and closer, more intimate--you understand what I mean, Margaret." - -When Zelphine appeared at the lunch table, flushed with the joy of -victory and quite ready to annihilate her scoffing adversary, whom -Angela disrespectfully designated as "Red-top," she found, to her -dismay, that the lady had left for Venice before noon. This is surely -one of the incompletenesses of life. To think of that misguided -woman proceeding on her way to scatter misinformation broadcast, when -Zelphine could have set her right in five minutes! - -When Bertha heard of Zelphine's disappointment, she was most -sympathetic, and proposed, as a congenial and solacing occupation, that -we should return that afternoon to the Square of San Lorenzo and try to -find the old stall where Mr. Browning, on a memorable June day, bought -for a lira the little volume that contained the whole story of "The -Ring and the Book." - -The piazza, a market for old clothes, old furniture, and all manner -of cooking-utensils, still answers to Mr. Browning's description, -and here, close to the statue, which is of Giovanni delle Bande Nere, -father of the first Cosimo, is just such a table full of nondescript -rubbish as the one upon which the poet found the parchment-covered -book which furnished him with his plot. Then at Bertha's suggestion, -to humor our fancies as to the associations of the time and place, we -followed in the poet's footsteps, as he described himself, walking and -reading, - - "on, through street and street, - At the Strozzi, at the Pillar, at the Bridge; - Till, by the time I stood at home again - In Casa Guidi by Felice Church, - Under the doorway where the black begins - With the first stone-slab of the staircase cold, - I had mastered the contents, knew the whole truth - Gathered together, bound up in this book." - -To my surprise, when we reached the doorway of the Casa Guidi, Bertha -also entered "where the black begins," and began to ascend "the -staircase cold." - -"Where are you going?" we called after her, standing within the doorway. - -"Follow me," said Bertha. "I have some friends who live in an apartment -in the Casa Guidi, and we are all invited to afternoon tea here." - -"Why didn't you tell us before?" asked Angela, "so that we might have -made ourselves a little smart?" - -"Because I wanted to give you all a surprise. My friend asked me to -bring you any afternoon, so I sent a messenger to tell her that we -were coming, to make sure of her being at home, as she often spends the -afternoon up in the Boboli Gardens with her baby." - -Alas! Bertha's artist friends do not live in the Browning apartment, -as that, by some irony of fate, is in the possession of an Austrian -family; but as Zelphine said, with a rapturous look in her eyes, it was -worth much to pass over the stairs that had known the footsteps of the -two poets. Mr. and Mrs. Cobbe's apartment is on what we should call the -fourth floor, which here they more encouragingly designate the third. -Charming airy rooms, at the top of many stairs, we found the home -of the two American artists, where a warm welcome awaited us. Later, -refreshments were served to us in the large room that corresponds to -Mrs. Browning's drawing-room on the floor below; but whether we ate and -drank ordinary cakes and tea, or were regaled with nectar and ambrosia, -Zelphine and I cannot tell you. It was all so delightfully homelike and -yet so filled with associations that this afternoon in the Casa Guidi -will always be one of our most cherished memories, and we parted with -our compatriots feeling that the old palace was an appropriate setting -for artist as well as for poet lovers. - - PENSION C., FLORENCE, May 20th. - -What will you say when I tell you that since writing my last letter -to you I have received a proposal of marriage? M. le Marquis de B. di -T., of ancient Roman lineage and irreproachable family connections, -laid his heart, his hand, and his fortune at my feet--for Angela. Are -you amused at my rôle? I assure you that it was not in the smallest -degree amusing at the time, and the fact that the _prétendant_ acted -in a highly honorable manner, and did not consult Angela definitively -before speaking to her stern guardian, added to the difficulties of -my position. I explained, at some length, that affairs of the heart -are arranged by the young people themselves in America, always, of -course, with the consent of their parents and guardians--for this last -unqualified statement I trust that I may be forgiven--to which I added -that if Miss Haldane returned the Count's affection, we would both -write to her father. After delivering myself of a series of appropriate -phrases I sent for Angela, and awaited the result of the interview -between the two young persons with some anxiety, as you may believe. -You will be laughing at me and reflecting upon the inconsistency -of women when I tell you that I felt quite disturbed over Angela's -absolute and unequivocal dismissal of the Count's suit. He has been -growing in favor with me ever since that fairy-like afternoon at the -Boboli Gardens, and when he came to take a solemn and ceremonious -farewell of me, assuring me that he had spent the happiest hours of his -life in _our_ society, and was so exquisitely courteous, so evidently -anxious to save me from embarrassment, I found myself liking him -almost as much as Ludovico. We shall miss him sadly, and, to add to our -sorrows, Ludovico, loyal friend that he is, has gone with the Count. - -"Did you send him away, too, heartless one?" I asked Angela. - -She looked at me reproachfully, her lovely blue eyes full of tears, and -replied, with gentle dignity, "How can you be so unkind, Margaret? You -know very well that I did not." - -It appears that this is all that Zelphine and I are to hear on -this most exciting subject, although we are naturally devoured with -curiosity to know more. If only Count B. had not declared himself just -at this time, when we were all so happy together in this beautiful -Florence! I am quite sure that the affair was brought to a crisis by -Angela's charming appearance last Sunday in a ravishing costume of -pale blue muslin, her golden crescent of hair adorned with one of the -Tuscan hats that we buy for next to nothing at the Mercato Vecchio. -This particular hat was of silvery blue turned up with white roses, -and became her almost as well as a coronet--so I am sure the Count -thought. To-day there is nothing gay in the heavens above or on the -earth beneath, as the skies, suiting themselves to our mood, are heavy -and gray, and the Arno is dull green instead of lovely blue. - - [Illustration: The Michael Angelo Well at the Certosa, Florence] - -The Convent of San Marco was decided upon as an appropriate place in -which to spend this morning, and there, walking through the cloisters, -adorned with their exquisite frescoes, Zelphine and I to some extent -renewed our interest in life. Angela has gone off on a sketching trip -to Certosa with Katharine Clarke. She has been wishing ever since -she first saw it to get a sketch of the Michael Angelo well in the -convent garden, and then I think that she is glad to be away from our -questioning eyes for a day. Poor child! she looks pale and wan; the -excitement of the last weeks has been too much for her. We are thinking -seriously of leaving for Venice soon. Of course we have not seen half -the things we wish to see in Florence, but we can never be quite as -happy here as we have been, and Miss Morris writes from Venice, urging -us to join her there for the full o' the moon. - -Zelphine and I talked over our plans as we strolled through the -cloisters, and in the little convent garden tried to fancy the great -preacher of San Marco sitting under the "damask rose-tree," with his -disciples gathered around him. The spirit of Savonarola dominates San -Marco as that of St. Francis holds one spellbound in Assisi. - -Some of the little cells of the brothers are adorned with exquisite -frescoes by Fra Angelico, which must often have cheered their sad -hearts. We stood in Savonarola's own small room, which is marked by a -memorial tablet, and here in the adjoining chapel are his rosary and -the crucifix before which he knelt in prayer. - -Curious and unexpected, savoring more of the pride of life than of -the humility of the spirit, in one of the cells of San Marco is an -elaborate genealogical tree giving the descent of the monks. It was -with some difficulty that we deciphered the name of Savonarola, now -almost obliterated by the kisses of the faithful. - -One of the most beautiful paintings in the convent is a Last Supper, -by Ghirlandajo, in the smaller refectory. This picture, with its -lovely details, decorated background, and well-spread board, does -not represent poor men or fishermen at meat; but in Italy one becomes -accustomed to the rich surroundings of Madonnas, saints, and apostles. -Realism is not demanded; it is enough if one finds reverence and -devotion; and as Mr. Henry James says of this picture, "the figures -in their varied naturalness have a dignity and sweetness of attitude -which admits of numberless reverential constructions." The grouping -is charming, and through open arcades one looks beyond at a garden of -full-fruited orange-trees, clusters of fruit are scattered over the -table, strange birds fly through the air, and a peacock perched on -the wall looks down upon the sacred feast. I shall always recall this -painting, so lovely in composition, so rich in color, when I think of -San Marco--this and Fra Angelico's beautiful Annunciation, which is -familiar to us all. We shall not see them soon again, or any of the -other pictures that we love so well in the Uffizi and the Pitti and the -Belle Arti; instead, we shall be studying the Carpaccios in Venice. - - May 23d. - -The skies have cleared to-day and life looks brighter, yet this is -the anniversary of a most tragic event, the execution of Savonarola. -The great Piazza della Signoria has been crowded with people all -morning; there have been processions, and services in the churches, -and hundreds of men and women going to offer their tribute of flowers -to the memory of the great martyr for conscience' sake, until the -tablet that marks the spot where Savonarola's body was burned is -heaped with wreaths, crosses, and bunches of roses of various colors. -Some of these offerings have cards attached to them with Savonarola's -name written on them; upon others are inscriptions and sentiments, -the one that most impressed us being "To Savonarola, a Martyr to -Democratic Christianity." If time has its revenges, it has also its -justifications! - - - - -XVII - -HAPS AND HAPPENINGS - - - BEAU RIVAGE, VENICE, May 25th. - -As we first saw Venice from the train, across a stretch of green -marsh, its domes, spires, churches, and bridges seemed to rise out -of the water just as you see them in Turner's pictures, with such an -atmosphere as that great artist knew how to paint, veiling the delicate -ethereal beauty of this bride of the sea. We were aroused from our rapt -contemplation of the scene before us by the bustle and commotion of -the arrival of the train and questions about luggage, hotels, and the -proper fees to be given to the men who pushed our gondola off from the -landing. If ever trunks are endurable it is when, as in Venice, one -glides away with them in a gondola over summer seas. - -There was some sort of a celebration last night, something special, -I mean, for Venice must always appear more or less _en fête_. When -we stepped into a gondola after dinner, the many boats with their gay -pennons of all colors and the skiffs with their rich brown and yellow -sails made the Grand Canal appear like a carnival of nations. And what -a background for a carnival is the Canalazzo, as the Venetians call it, -with its long vista of palaces, their _pali_ painted in various colors, -the Dogana surmounted by its curious weathercock, Fortune, aptly -typifying the vicissitudes of Venice, Santa Maria della Salute glowing -in the evening light with the shades of a bride rose, San Giorgio of -a deep red, the Doge's Palace with its long, low water-front, the -Bridge of Sighs spanning the dark canal that lies between a palace -and a prison, and out on the open Piazzetta the two huge granite -pillars which we see in so many pictures! One of these pillars is -surmounted by the statue of St. Theodore, an ancient and now deposed -patron saint of Venice, the other by the Lion of St. Mark, eager, -watchful, dominant, clearly defined against the blue of the sky--for -here the twilight lasts long, and far into the night the sky is of an -exquisite, translucent blue such as one usually sees far north, much -farther north than Venice. This is a part of the atmospheric charm, -which makes it as impossible to describe this city of pearl and opaline -tints and golden and crimson glows as it is to put the colors of a -sunset on paper. Later the moon rose, and we floated over a silver sea, -while strains of music, the cries of the gondoliers, and the songs of -pleasure-parties were wafted to us across the water. Zelphine's eyes -shone with rapturous delight; the excitement of the stimulating air -and the beauty of the scene sent the red blood to Angela's cheeks until -they flushed to as deep a rose as under the fire of the Count de B.'s -most extravagant compliments, and I--well, I have no idea of how I -looked, I only know that I felt as if every craving for beauty that I -had known in all my life was satisfied entirely. - -Miss Morris, who had already experienced her first thrills of delight -"upon such a night as this," watched us in silence and we were thus -spared the distraction of voluble enthusiasm; of deep, restrained -enthusiasm there was quite enough for one gondola. - - May 27th. - -We are lodged in a pleasant, airy hotel on the Grand Canal where it -begins to widen out toward the sea, and opposite the Island of San -Giorgio Maggiore. This hotel is not absolutely in the canal, like most -of the houses of this "water-logged town," as some Western traveller -dubbed it, but has a strip of pavement in front, just enough dry -land to make us realize that we still belong to the earth. On general -principles I should say that the Venetians never sleep, for over the -stone flagging between our hotel and the Canalazzo people are tramping -all night, laughing, chatting, and singing. And we, in sympathy with -them, sit by the windows for hours, feeling that the nights are too -radiantly beautiful to be devoted to so prosaic a business as sleeping, -which, as Angela remarks, "can be done in any old place." The child has -so considerately refrained from having "the time of her life" in Italy -and from measuring things generally by "galores," that we occasionally -allow her to indulge in an innocent bit of slang. - - May 28th. - -Our days glide by as swiftly as those of the "pilgrim stranger" in -the hymn that we used to sing at Sunday School. We spend our mornings -in churches or at the Accademia, revelling in the gorgeous canvases -of Tintoretto, Titian, Paul Veronese, and Carpaccio. The color in -Carpaccio's Presentation of Christ in the Temple is beautiful, and as -vivid as if it had been painted yesterday, quite equal to Ghirlandajo's -in his Adoration of the Magi, which we saw at the Foundling Hospital -in Florence. The Child in Carpaccio's Presentation is a happy, -smiling human baby, and the three little angels playing upon musical -instruments are charming. The most fascinating of these cherubs, -however, are in Giovanni Bellini's Madonnas at the Church of the -Redentore and at the Frari. Zelphine has bought a dozen photographs -of her favorite cherub in the picture in which the Madonna holds the -sleeping Babe upon her lap, while the two darling cherubs play to -him on mandolins. The little fellow on the right is not as pretty and -chubby as his brother; but to prevent jealousy between the two I have -bought some of his pictures for my collection. - -Of course we spend many hours in and around St. Mark's, for, like the -bride of the Scriptures, this church is beautiful within and without. -The day after our arrival, on our way home from the Posta and the -Rialto, through the Merceria, a part of Venice in which one may really -walk a considerable distance, we suddenly stepped into the Piazza of -San Marco, with its fluttering pigeons, its arcades, its Clock-tower, -and at the end the marvellous façade of the church, rich in color, its -gilded mosaics glittering in the sun and the "glorious team of horses" -dashing toward us. Since then, wherever we may be going, we always -seem to cross the Square of St. Mark, and by sunlight or twilight -or moonlight, or even electric light, by which we saw San Marco last -night when we went to Florian's for ices, it is always bewilderingly -beautiful. Rich and varied, "gorgeous in the wild, luxurious fancies -of the East," is St. Mark's; almost too gorgeous it would be, had not -time softened and mellowed its vivid colors, and if its setting were -not against a sea and sky of surpassing brilliancy. - - [Illustration: Palazzo Rezzonico] - -Our afternoons and evenings are spent on the water or at the Lido, -where we have tea in the garden, or with one of our Philadelphia -friends who has a cabin, after the Venetian fashion, on this narrow -strip of land that runs out into the ocean. It is hot now at mid-day, -and one needs to keep out of the sun between the hours of one and four; -but after that there is usually a breeze and always coolness at the -Lido. - -We spent some hours to-day in the Palazzo Rezzonico, which now belongs -to Mr. Robert Barrett Browning. One large room on the second floor is -filled with furniture and pictures from the Casa Guidi in Florence, -among other things Mrs. Browning's little table upon which she wrote -her songs for Italy, and her small, old-fashioned, green leather -writing-desk, which looked as if she had left it but yesterday, with -pen and paper and some pressed flowers inside. On one side of the room, -toward the canal, in a recess in the wall, is a little shrine that the -poet's son has placed here in memory of his mother. In gold letters on -a white ground are the well-known lines from the tablet upon the Casa -Guidi. - -The poet Browning spent the last weeks of his life in a suite of rooms -on the lower floor of the Palazzo Rezzonico, and here he died, which -fact is recorded upon a tablet on the outside wall. We stopped to -reread the inscription upon the gray palace wall. A young girl who was -with her mother in a gondola quite near was reading aloud in English -the Italian words upon the tablet, "Robert Browning died in this -house, December 12, 1889," and the impressive and quite untranslatable -"Venezia pose." With a questioning look at us she repeated the familiar -lines from "De Gustibus": - - "Open my heart and you will see, - Graven inside of it, 'Italy,'" - -adding, "But I don't see where the poetry comes in." - -Although Zelphine, amiable as she is, is quite capable of withering -and shrivelling with a glance any one who speaks slightingly of Robert -Browning's poetry, she turned to the girl and said quite pleasantly, -"No, there are no rhymes or jingles, only the deep thought of a great -poet who loved Italy truly." - -"Oh," exclaimed the girl, "I did not understand." - -"Evidently," said Zelphine, as we rowed out into the Grand Canal, "and -for the same reason that Kipling's girl of 'the rag and the bone and -the hank of hair' did not understand." - -We really should have become used to people who do not understand, we -meet so many of them. - - RIVA SAN LORENZO, VERONA, - Sunday, June 5th. - -You will be surprised to learn that we have quitted our beloved Venice, -and quite suddenly, which is, I believe, the only way that we could -have disentangled ourselves from the allurements of that fairy city. -In the last week quite a number of our friends arrived from Florence -and elsewhere, and there have been afternoon teas at the Lido and at -Mrs. Allen's little apartment on the Grand Canal nearly opposite the -palace of his superseded majesty, Don Carlos of Spain, water-parties -every night, and just as we were stepping into a gondola yesterday -morning, _en route_ for Padua, a note was handed to Zelphine containing -a charming invitation from Mrs. B., to take tea and spend the afternoon -with her at the Palazzino Tasso. She has been at Borca in the Dolomites -for a fortnight, and wrote that she would be at home in time to receive -us on Monday afternoon. So you see how difficult it was for us to -get away from this fascinating place; but having planned to take this -little _giro_ with Miss Morris, we set our faces resolutely westward. - -We spent a day at Padua, which is on the way to Verona, as there are -some frescoes by Mantegna, Titian, Giotto, and Palma Vecchio that Miss -Morris was particularly anxious to see. Our visit to the Basilica -of St. Anthony of Padua, which with its seven domes is larger than -San Marco, was not entirely satisfactory, as a high mass was being -celebrated before the altar above which are the Donatello bronzes, -and we were obliged to return in the afternoon or give up all thought -of seeing those superb reliefs. At the Scuola del Carmine we were -abundantly compensated for all other disappointments, as here we found -a series of frescoes representing events in the life of the parents of -the Blessed Virgin, as realistic in design and as frank in execution -as the Giotto paintings in Assisi. We wondered in what fertile brain -had originated the pathetic story here represented by Giotto and his -pupils. Miss Morris says that she intends to look up the story of -Joachim and Anna in the lives of the saints, assuring us that we shall -find a continuation of their domestic trials and experiences on the -walls of the Brera at Milan. No frescoes except those at Assisi have -interested us as much as these, not on account of their beauty, but for -their human feeling. These early Paduan masters treated sacred subjects -with realistic simplicity and yet with perfect reverence and devotional -spirit. - -On the piazza of the Cappella San Giorgio is Donatello's fine bronze -statue of General Gattamelata. This statue, the Marcus Aurelius in -Rome, and the Colleoni in Venice are considered the greatest equestrian -statues in the world. Beautiful as is this Gattamelata, which possesses -all the spirit and grace of Donatello, it does not compare with the -Colleoni. No man of bronze or marble ever sat his horse with the -strength and ease with which the grand, dominant figure of the Italian -_condottiere_ sits his superb charger and rides out boldly into space. -Miss Morris says that we may be pleased to know that Mr. Ruskin quite -agreed with us about the Colleoni. - -As Verona is only a two hours' ride from Padua, we reached here in time -to gain a general view of its fine old sculptured buildings, arches, -and bridges, and to see in the glow of sunset Diocletian's famous -amphitheatre, which looks almost as large as the Coliseum and is more -complete, as its stones have not been carted off so ruthlessly for the -building of palaces. - -This morning we saw the Casa di Romeo and the balconied home of -Giulietta, sorry-looking abodes for youth and beauty such as theirs, -although some of the carvings on these old buildings and the exterior -frescoes still suggest bygone grandeur. A beautiful outside stairway in -the Piazza dei Signori near the Scaliger tombs so charmed Miss Morris -that she stopped to sketch it, while we visited the cathedral and -several churches. - -We are now sitting upon a balcony--the place of all others to sit upon -a balcony, even if there is not a Romeo in sight--listening to the song -of the rushing Adige which flows beneath us, and looking out upon the -mountains beyond. Zelphine and I are writing, while Miss Morris and -Angela make water-color sketches of the scene before us, and try to -get on their brushes some of the soft, rich shades of brown and yellow -that time and the light of the setting sun have given to the ancient -palace of the Scaligers and to the fourteenth-century bridge that spans -the river a short distance from this hotel. On the terrace beneath our -balcony some Italians are dining and chatting gaily. When the lovely -sunset glow has quite faded out and the evening light has deepened to -twilight, we shall join them and dine _al fresco_. - -To-morrow we take a train for Milan, that is, if the sketches are -satisfactory; if not, we may stay here another day. - - HOTEL DE L'EUROPE, June 7th. - -Instead of writing to you from Milan, I am sending you another letter -from Venice. A strange thing happened yesterday, or, rather, two -strange things have happened. Zelphine came to my room at the Riva San -Lorenzo late on Sunday night, her face wearing the anxious look that -betokens an uneasy mind. - -"What is the matter, Zelphine?" I asked. "You look as if you were -trying to make up your mind." We have long since decided that this is -the mental process that is most wearing to the brain of the traveller, -and I was not surprised when she said, "Yes, that is the trouble. I -have attempted three separate times to answer Emily B.'s note, and I -simply cannot do it." - -"Oh, I took for granted that you had mailed that note on Saturday -evening." - -"No, Margaret, I have never written it at all. The truth is, I want -to see Mrs. B. so much that I have almost decided to return to Venice -to-morrow, instead of going on to Milan." - -"That is rather against your principles, Zelphine, you are so much -opposed to doubling journeys and retracing steps," I said, trying to -appear judicial in my tone, although I was delighted at the idea of -returning to Venice, even for an afternoon. - -"Yes, I know," said Zelphine, quite penitently, "but I may not soon -again have a chance of seeing Emily B. I could meet you in Milan in a -day or two." - -"No, Zelphine," I said, in the tone of one who confers a distinguished -favor, "I will go back to Venice with you. Angela may prefer to stay -here, if Miss Morris remains." - -"Angela will go with you," said our youngest, opening her door, which -was scarcely necessary, as the transom was already open. "There is -a blue necklace in one of those fascinating shops up on the piazza -near the Clock-tower that I have been regretting ever since we left -Venice. I thought it would be an extravagance to buy it, but nothing -is extravagant when you want it so much, and when this is the very last -chance to get it." - -"Nothing," said Zelphine, laughing at Angela's comforting sophistry, -"when your father's purse is always ready to honor your demands upon -it. But what will Miss Morris say?" - -That lady came to her door as if in answer to Zelphine's question, -saying, "I have been wishing that I had bought another of the pretty -lace collars that they are positively giving away in one of the little -shops opposite the Church of San Zaccaria. I shall not return to buy -it, but will commission Angela to bring it to Milan for me." - -With so many good reasons for returning to Venice, I am sure that you -will agree with me in thinking that it would have been flying in the -face of Providence and turning our backs upon the gifts of the gods not -to have retraced our steps. - -I must confess to a positive thrill of delight when I again beheld the -shining water-ways of Venice. Even the great warehouses, with their -heaps of gorgeous dyes and stuffs, have a picturesqueness of their own; -the palaces, no matter how dilapidated they may be, stand out rich and -sumptuous in the sunshine; luxuriant vines depend from their balconies -and drape the seamed and cracked walls; great barges heavy with their -golden freight of fruit and melons go by; and ever on the steps are -the children, "those untiring spectators of life." Why those children -playing on the very edge of doom do not all come to an untimely end -no man knows. The very small children are often fastened by a strap -to the arm of the mother or grandmother, who knits placidly while her -nursling plays on the steps near the water; but for those little boys -who hop in and out of boats and hang over the piers as they gaze into -the canals there must be an especially detailed guardian angel--the -same, probably, who saved Mr. Cross from instant death when he fell -into the Grand Canal. By the way, we are stopping at the Hôtel de -l'Europe, where he and George Eliot spent their honeymoon, and where -this accident occurred which might have ended so tragically. You may -remember that at the time there was some foolish talk about suicide; -but we, who stand on these balconies and terraces overhanging the -water, realize that drowning and suicidal intent do not need to go hand -in hand in Venice. - -Our afternoon at the Palazzino Tasso was delightful. We had tea and -much pleasant conversation with Mrs. B., in her pretty drawing-room. As -she has lived long in Venice, and in consequence of her own literary -connections has met most of the writers who have come here, she had -many pleasant and amusing recollections to relate of the Storys, Mr. -Browning, and many other great folk. - -We were afterwards taken into the large garden, where dear -old-fashioned pinks and tall annunciation lilies filled the air with -delicious fragrance. Mrs. B. generously broke off for us great heads -of lily-blooms, which we carried off with us, sweet mementos of an -afternoon that was well worth coming back to Venice for. - -As we drew near our hotel we noticed on the terrace a portly figure -that had a familiar look, as it stood there silhouetted against the -façade of the Europe. A strange light shone from Zelphine's eyes; but -it was Angela who broke the silence by exclaiming, "That gentleman on -the landing really looks like Mr. Leonard!" - -"It _is_ Mr. Leonard," I said, as we drew nearer, and thus we -recognized him first, although he was waiting there for us. He -naturally did not expect to see a gondola full of women bearing tall -lily-stalks in their hands, looking for all the world like part of a -Venetian pageant. The smile that irradiated Walter Leonard's face, when -he finally recognized the three Botticelli ladies as those he had come -to seek, was beautiful to behold. The mingling of surprise and delight -on Zelphine's face entirely exonerated her from any complicity in this -sudden appearance, although Angela and I chaff her unmercifully about -her determination to return to see Mrs. B., and ask her if she does not -believe more strongly than ever in telepathy. It was a rather curious -coincidence, was it not? Yet, to quote a very trite saying, "truth is -stranger than fiction." - - VILLA D'ESTE, LAKE COMO, June 15th. - -Since my letter of June 7th, telling you of Mr. Leonard's sudden -arrival in Venice, I have not sent you a line, not even an announcement -of the engagement which of course soon followed. How or when the -important affair was settled I know not. I can only tell you that the -happy pair came to me with shining faces and asked for my blessing, -which I freely gave. Angela has so far withheld her approval of -the match, and is evidently very jealous of the "suitor," as she is -pleased to call Mr. Leonard. She had begun to look upon Zelphine as -her particular property, and Mr. Leonard's attempts to propitiate this -unrelenting goddess are really quite pathetic. He offers her flowers -every time that he brings them to Zelphine, and then, as he is far too -polite to overlook my claims as chaperon-in-chief, I come in for my -share of votive offerings. - -Zelphine is so pleased with her own estate that she wishes to see all -her friends equally happy. When Angela is pale or tired, she looks -at her compassionately, and whispers to me that she is evidently -regretting the Count de B. If Angela regrets any one, it is not the -Count. She has long and frequent letters from Ludovico, from which she -reads me choice bits, and there is always a message for me. Angela and -I are naturally thrown very much upon our own resources, and the last -days in Venice would have been rather dull for her had they not been -enlivened by a number of entertainments given by our friends there -in honor of the _fidanzati_. At one particularly charming afternoon -tea, at the Lido, Angela was so much admired by a young Italian that -I should have had another Count de B. affair on my hands had we not -left Venice soon after. Zelphine and Walter Leonard would have been -satisfied to stay on indefinitely, spending their afternoons and -evenings floating about in gondolas and their mornings in the shops -buying presents for the children at home, whom the mamma elect has -already adopted with enthusiasm. We were, however, fairly driven away -from Venice last week by the heat and the mosquitoes, which are said to -be unusually venomous this year. We have noticed that in whatever place -we happen to be stopping, the disagreeables are always _unusual_. - -Having spent most of the beautiful springtime in cities, we concluded -to come directly to this pretty place on Lake Como, from whence we can -make day-trips to Milan, which is only a little over an hour from here. -The Villa d'Este, once a royal villa, now a delightfully comfortable -hotel, was for some years the home of the discarded wife of "the most -elegant gentleman in Europe." The entrance-hall and stairways are -handsome and imposing, and the rooms spacious and airy. We breakfast -in the _salle de conversation_ and dine in a great banqueting-hall. -The grounds of the villa are quite extensive, and during her residence -here Queen Caroline interested herself in improving them in every way, -so Dr. A. tells me, for, to add to our pleasure, my "Doctor Antonio" -from San Remo is spending the month of June here. He knows every inch -of this beautiful region and promises us many excursions in his motor -car. - -Picturesque as is the view of the lake and mountains from the front -piazza and terrace, the part of the grounds that we most enjoy is -the hillside behind the house, which abounds in mountain streams and -cascades over which rustic bridges have been thrown, and where many -wildwood paths lead to vine-covered pavilions, temples of love and -temples of fame, these latter adorned with busts of distinguished -men--all so odd and foreign, and so different from our idea of -pleasure-grounds! - -Adjoining the grounds of the Villa d'Este are those of the Villa -Maximilian, which was the home of the unfortunate Archduke Maximilian -and his wife during the early and happy years of their married life. -The estate now belongs to a wealthy Milanese gentleman, who has had the -good taste to make few changes in the house and gardens. This afternoon -we all rowed across the lake to the Villa Pliniana on the opposite -shore. This really classic spot owes its name to a remarkable spring -of water near by, which Pliny speaks of in his letters. To-morrow we -expect to make an all-day excursion to Bellagio and Cadenabbia. There -are so many attractive resorts on the shores of this lake that we have -not yet planned for a day in Milan at the Brera, whose wonders we hope -to enjoy in the good company of Miss Morris. - - June 17th. - -I have a most humiliating confession to make: yesterday, in getting -off the boat at this landing, I made a misstep and sprained my ankle. -It is not a serious affair, I fancy, "pas grand chose," as Dr. A. -says, but it is most vexatious, as we may be obliged to stay here -for a fortnight, and we really need a couple of weeks in Paris to get -Zelphine's trousseau and make other preparations for the wedding, which -is to be in London the second week in July. I think the groom elect is -secretly rejoiced over this delay, although openly most sympathetic -and considerate, as it gives him a longer time here with Zelphine, -and really, if I had looked all over Europe for a fitting scene for -an accident, and with a view to lovers, I could not have found a more -suitable place than this. Mr. Leonard says that I apologize so abjectly -for what is not my fault, but my misfortune, that I remind him of a -story that Dr. William H. Furness used to tell of a saintly old lady -who frequently and formally apologized to her assembled family for -being so long a-dying. - -It is inglorious, as Zelphine says, to have had an accident here that -I might much more conveniently have had stepping off a ferry-boat in -New York or Brooklyn, to which Angela adds, "Yes, it would have been so -much more up-to-date to have been thrown from an auto car, and it would -certainly have been more dangerous." - -I retail these bits of conversation to prove to you that my companions -are disposed to be patient and even merry over my misfortune and their -delay. And I, aside from the inconvenience, have nothing to complain -of. I suffer little pain, under Dr. A.'s skilful treatment, and here -I am, laid up in lavender on a sofa, in a room so spacious and elegant -that I think it must have been Queen Caroline's boudoir. The walls and -ceiling are decorated with Loves and Graces, and the long windows open -out upon a balcony from which there is a fine view of the lake and the -mountains beyond. I have more books than I could read in a month, sent -me by the English people in the house. Zelphine and Angela bring me -flowers and fruits, delicious great black cherries and a fruit unknown -to us which they call _nespole_. These last I fear were stolen from -Maximilian's garden, as the _nespole_ hang most temptingly over the -terraces there. - -Dr. A. entertains me with interesting traditions of the neighborhood. -This morning he brought me an old French book which gives a history -of this villa, which was not, as I had supposed, a former possession -of the princely house of Este, one of whose villas we saw at Tivoli. -The name seems to have been purely a fancy on the part of the Queen. I -am to have some passages translated for my benefit from a recent book -written by an Italian upon Queen Caroline and her life at the Villa -d'Este. - -"A swallow without a nest, which for many years flew from city to city -in Europe, Africa, and Asia," this author calls the unhappy Queen, -upon which Dr. A. shrugs his shoulders, and says that bad as her -husband was, he, for his part, has little admiration for Caroline of -Brunswick. I have always entertained the most profound sympathy for -this unfortunate lady, and we naturally have animated discussions over -her rights and wrongs. I fancy that Signor Clerci is entirely on Dr. -A.'s side of the argument, otherwise he would not so cheerfully offer -to read me passages about the Queen's life at the Villa d'Este. - - June 19th. - -Last evening, to our surprise and joy, Mrs. Coxe arrived. She had -learned that we were here, and of my accident, from Miss Morris, whom -she met in Milan, and came at once, like the good Samaritan that she -is, to cheer and comfort me. Now that I have so agreeable a companion, -the rest of my party will not hesitate to go to Milan for a day at the -Brera. - -Mrs. Coxe is a perfect dear, and entertains me immensely; but, with all -the blessings that I have been recounting to you, I feel a bit homesick -to-night. Am I not unreasonable? The truth is, I shall miss Zelphine -sadly if she and Mr. Leonard sail in August and if Angela and I do -not return until October. Is there any chance of your getting over to -England this summer? You had better come in time for the wedding. - - - - -XVIII - -ANGELA'S LETTER - - - VILLA D'ESTE, LAKE COMO, June 27th. - -DEAR MAMMA: - -When you next send your only daughter abroad, I advise you to choose -for her guardians and companions the young and giddy rather than -the mature and sedate. Here am I, the youngest of the party and -"the likeliest," as Aunt Lyddy would say, in the curious position of -chaperon to my elders and betters, which is not easy, as I have never -learned the art of being in two places at one time. If it were not for -Mrs. Coxe I really do not know what would become of me, as my happy -couples usually choose to be in different places. I generally attach -myself to Z. and Mr. Leonard, who treat me with studied politeness, -although I am quite sure that they would rather have me in the lake -or anywhere else than just where I am, tagging after them. It seems -more important to chaperon Z. thoroughly, because she attracts so -much attention. Her white hair and dark eyes always give her quite an -air, and now, since Mr. Leonard's appearance upon the scene, she has -dropped ten years from her shoulders and developed into a pinkness and -whiteness of complexion that might cause grave doubts on the part of -her chaperon were she not generally in attendance at her toilet. Why -Z. should be any happier than she was before Mr. Leonard claimed her -for his own I fail to understand. She had everything that heart could -desire--health, good looks, plenty of money, and freedom to travel to -the ends of the earth with Margaret and me, and the certainty that she -could have Mr. Leonard at her feet whenever she wished, which Margaret -and I think is quite an ideal position for a lover. If he had not -followed Z. over here and taken advantage of her being in a strange -country, with no one but two helpless women to protect her, and made -love to her in gondolas by moonlight, and sighed for her under the -Bridge of Sighs, and talked of their future happiness under the Ponte -del Paradiso and other perfect places, I doubt whether she would have -accepted him, for several years at least--and then the children! Mrs. -Coxe says that Z. had better take all the pleasure she can get out of -this trip, as she will not be able to get away soon again, with all -those children hanging around her. But I must tell you the rest of the -story, as it is simply thrilling and as good as a novel. - -For some time I have had my suspicions about Margaret. I told you how -sad and depressed she was when we sailed, and what an effort she made -to appear cheerful. I suppose she really did care for that Mr. Grant, -although you and papa thought him a rather poor affair and not at all -worthy of her. In the last two months she has been quite different, -and positively gay at times, especially so on mail days. Z. and I -both noticed this, or, rather, Z. did notice it before she gave up her -interest in the things around her. We didn't think so much of the long -letters that Margaret was always sending off to Mr. Ramsay, because, -as Z. said, they were old friends, and she was quite frank about the -letters and assured us that they were for his mother's entertainment -as much as for Mr. Ramsay's. This sounded very nice and proper, and -as Margaret always seemed a truthful person, I believed her, and so -did Z., but then Z. believes in every one until they are proved to -be thieves and pickpockets. What really aroused my suspicions was -Margaret's absent manner, on occasions. Several times, when I have come -upon her suddenly, sitting in one of the romantic seats up on Queen -Caroline's terrace, with a book in her lap and her eyes gazing off into -space, she has started, blushed, and begun to read her book diligently. -This was of course before the accident. Since then she has been in a -constant state of apology for keeping us here so long, and spends her -days studying maps and guide-books to find out how fast we can travel -when we are once fairly started. Mr. Leonard and Z. both assure her -that they could not be happier anywhere else, and their looks certainly -do not belie their words; and I tell her that nothing could please me -better than to stay in this lovely, cool place, where we may make a new -excursion every day, and Dr. A. is always ready to take me in his motor -car if only Z. and Mr. Leonard will sit in the back of the car to do -propriety. He seems to forget that I am chaperoning them; but it really -doesn't make any difference so long as the proprieties are attended -to--you know how much more exacting they are over here than at home. - -Count B.'s ideas of propriety used to amuse us so much when we were in -Florence. He would pay me compliments by the yard about my cheeks and -my hair, speeches that we should think rather bad form at home, and -yet when he was walking with me, he would never by any chance go out -of Margaret's or Z.'s sight. At first this made me feel uncomfortable, -as if he really was afraid that I should do or say something improper. -Ludovico Baldini, who has been in America long enough to know something -of our ways, was much amused when I said this, but insisted that the -Count was quite right, as a _jeune fille_ must be rigidly shadowed by -her chaperon on the Continent. - -Dr. A. is a really delightful person. We generally call him "Doctor -Antonio," because he reminds Margaret of the Doctor in that queer, old, -deadly romantic novel that you are so fond of, and then his Italian -name is so difficult to twist around our American tongues! He and -Mrs. Coxe have an occasional tilt, which helps to liven us up. She is -perfectly dear and the best fun in the world, but she is a bit bossy, -all the same, and sets up her opinion against the Doctor's, because, -as she is so fond of saying, "Having brought up a family of eight -children, of course I know more than these young physicians." - -Yesterday when Dr. A. had Margaret out on the terrace in a rolling -chair, he said, "To-morrow we will have a little turn in the auto car." -To this Mrs. Coxe objected quite decidedly, said that it was madness -to attempt so much exertion, etc. The Doctor listened to all that she -had to say, with the most angelic patience, and when she was suddenly -called away to receive a visitor, Margaret smiled, and said quite -apologetically, "It is quite evident, Dr. A., that Mrs. Coxe is the -daughter of a major-general." - -"Yes, yes!" exclaimed Dr. A., shrugging his shoulders, "I quite -understand. I knew the daughters of General Garibaldi, and they were -just the same." - -"And," said Margaret, "we shall have our trip in the auto car?" - -"Yes, yes, I never allow any one to interfere with my practice." - -"Even the mother of eight grown children, all well brought up?" - -The Doctor is bright and quick at catching on to our little jokes -and asides. I like him so much that I had almost made up my mind to -Margaret's marrying a foreigner, when--but I must not run ahead of my -story, and of course I have no reason to think that he has asked her to -marry him. - -This afternoon (it really seems as if two whole weeks had passed since -yesterday) Dr. A. said that he thought Margaret could stand the ride to -Varese, which is about eighteen miles from Como. We were all delighted, -and after _déjeuner_ we set forth in gay good spirits, Margaret on the -front seat with Dr. A. and I behind with Zelphine and Mr. Leonard. - -Our way lay through a fine farming country with fertile fields and bits -of woodland here and there, quite different from the rocky hillsides -covered with grape-vines and olives that we have seen so much of all -through Italy. The roads are fine, and a rush through the fresh air -is so intoxicating to me, as you know, that even the company of two -lovers, so absorbed in each other that they probably did not know -whether they were in Italy or in Ireland, was quite powerless to -take off the keen edge of my enjoyment, beside which I could talk to -Margaret and Dr. A., who pointed out all the places of interest to -us as we sped along. We did not stop in the town of Varese, as the -Grand Hôtel on Lake Varese was our destination. Here we sat out in the -garden overlooking the lake, with a fine view of the whole chain of the -Western Alps spread before us, "a fine panorama," as the Doctor calls -it. We had tea on the terrace and enjoyed ourselves generally, Dr. A. -and Mr. Leonard trying which could tell the most amusing stories. - -We flew home from Varese on the wings of the wind, far faster than -we made the trip there, and as we drew up before the villa, Margaret -laughing and talking to Dr. A., by far the gayest of the party, whom -should we see standing on the piazza but Mr. Ramsey! - -Such a curious expression crossed his face when he saw -Margaret--surprise, wonder, something like pain; and she grew so pale -that I expected her to faint the next minute. Dr. A. whisked a bottle -of something out of his pocket and called for water and gave Margaret -some drops, all in such a professional manner that Mr. Ramsay's -spirits revived as quickly as if he had taken the dose himself, and -by the time the invalid was ready to get out of the car both their -faces were as red as peonies. The Doctor and Mr. Ramsay then shook -hands in a friendly manner, which was a relief to my mind, as for the -first few minutes visions of pistols and coffee at five o'clock in -the morning floated through my brain. They really did glare at each -other at first. As they helped Margaret out very carefully, a question -suddenly occurred to me: how did Mr. Ramsay know anything about the -sprained ankle? Papa always said that I would make a good detective. I -turned suddenly to Mr. Leonard with my question. From his confused and -unsatisfactory answer, and a quizzical look in his eyes when he met -Mr. Ramsay's, I am almost certain that there has been some collusion -between the two. I have been counting the days since Margaret's -accident, and I find that Mr. Ramsay sailed two days after it. He took -a fast steamer and landed at Southampton, all of which confirms me in -my suspicion that Mr. Leonard sent him a cablegram. You don't approve -of betting, mammy dear, but I am quite willing to wager my new Leghorn -hat, which Margaret says is very becoming, against Z.'s fine pearl -necklace, that Mr. Leonard gave her, that he had a hand in this, having -learned by experience that sudden appearances are sometimes the most -satisfactory ways of settling difficulties of long standing. I shall -probably know all about this some day, and whatever Mr. Leonard did or -did not do, he will doubtless be forgiven, as from present appearances -I should say that Margaret is incapable of cherishing anger against any -living thing. - - June 30th. - -And now, dearest mammy, what do you think of my two frisky chaperons, -who planned this trip for their own improvement and mine? - -There is to be a double wedding, of course. Z.'s date is postponed -until some time later in July; as soon as the happy day is named I will -let you know. - -Before I close this long letter I must tell you of the wedding journey -that Margaret and Mr. Ramsay are planning--nothing less sentimental -than to come back to Italy and visit all the places that she has been -writing about in her letters. They, the places, will not look half -so pretty in the autumn as in the spring, but that won't make much -difference to them. If they invite me very cordially, I may go with -them. You see, I shall be reduced to the necessity of tagging on to -one of these couples, or of marrying some one myself for the sake of -having a travelling companion, unless you and papa come over here and -look after me a bit. Another reason for your coming: there is no proper -person to give Margaret away. Mrs. Coxe says that I shall have to do -it, as the dignified chaperon of the party. I really think that this -and my unprotected position are sufficient reasons for papa's coming to -the wedding, so make your plans, like a dear, and work papa up to the -starting-point. Dr. Vernon is to join us in Paris, so Z. will be given -away by her natural protector. - -Mrs. Coxe is going up to London for the wedding, and I am quite certain -that Margaret's young Italian friend, Ludovico Baldini, will be there, -and perhaps the Marquis de B.--who knows? I for one do not. - -Margaret's ankle is almost well; she walked the length of the piazza -to-day, with the Doctor on one side and Mr. Ramsay on the other. The -Doctor is delighted with the improvement in his patient, and yet he -looks quite serious when we talk of leaving next week for Lucerne, _en -route_ for Paris. Here he comes to ask me to take a spin in his auto -car. As Margaret and Z. are both up on the hillside with their suitors -(I have given up all attempts to chaperon them), I shall have to look -up Mrs. Coxe and make her go with me. She hates automobiles, poor -soul!--says they take away her breath and make her heart thump, but she -will have to go all the same. I shouldn't in the least object to going -with Dr. A. alone, but he would be scandalized at the mere mention -of such a reckless proceeding, so Mrs. Coxe must be sacrificed to the -proprieties. - -I wish you knew Dr. A. He is a perfect dear. I am sure that you would -like him. - -This is the longest letter that I have ever written, but then there -was so much to tell you, and as Margaret seems to have forgotten how to -write, some one must do it for the party. Hoping to see you and papa in -Paris or London, believe me - - Your affectionate daughter, - ANGELA. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have - been preserved. - - The text uses the spelling/punctuation Sant' Angelo, Lung' Arno, and - bell 'alma, which have been retained. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS*** - - -******* This file should be named 44418-8.txt or 44418-8.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/4/1/44418 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at <a -href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> -<p>Title: Italian Days and Ways</p> -<p>Author: Anne Hollingsworth Wharton</p> -<p>Release Date: December 13, 2013 [eBook #44418]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS***</p> <p> </p> -<h4 class="center">E-text prepared by Ann Jury, Melissa McDaniel,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> - from page images generously made available by<br /> - Internet Archive<br /> - (<a href="https://archive.org">https://archive.org</a>)</h4> <p> </p> <table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> <tr> @@ -10675,360 +10659,6 @@ bell 'alma, which have been retained.</p> </div> <p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 44418-h.txt or 44418-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/4/1/44418">http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/4/1/44418</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed.</p> - -<p> -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Italian Days and Ways - - -Author: Anne Hollingsworth Wharton - - - -Release Date: December 13, 2013 [eBook #44418] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS*** - - -E-text prepared by Ann Jury, Melissa McDaniel, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made -available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 44418-h.htm or 44418-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44418/44418-h/44418-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44418/44418-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/italiandaysways00wharuoft - - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - - - - -ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS - -[THIRD EDITION] - - - * * * * * * - -_By Anne Hollingsworth Wharton_ - - - Italian Days and Ways. Decorated title and 8 illustrations. - Crown, 8vo. Cloth, extra, $1.50 _net_. - - Social Life in the Early Republic. Profusely illustrated. - 8vo. Buckram, gilt top, uncut edges, $3.00 _net_; half levant, - $6.00 _net_. - - Salons, Colonial and Republican. Profusely illustrated. 8vo. - Buckram, $3.00; three-quarters levant, $6.00. - - Heirlooms in Miniatures. Profusely illustrated. 8vo. Buckram, - $3.00; three-quarters levant, $6.00. - - Through Colonial Doorways. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, $1.25. - - Colonial Days and Dames. Illustrated. 12mo. Cloth, $1.25. - - A Last Century Maid. Illustrated. 4to. Cloth, $1.25. - - * * * * * * - - - [Illustration: Castello Sant' Angelo] - - - - -ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS - -by - -ANNE HOLLINGSWORTH WHARTON - -With Illustrations - - -[Illustration: Church of S. Damian, Assisi] - - - - - - - -Philadelphia and London -J. B. Lippincott Company -MCMVII - -Copyright, 1906 By J. B. Lippincott Company - -Published, November, 1906 - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - I LA SUPERBA IN THE CLOUDS 9 - - II ALONG THE RIVIERA 27 - - III CAPTURED BY A CABMAN 39 - - IV AN EXCITING DRIVE 53 - - V BELLA ROMA 76 - - VI A POET'S CORNER 93 - - VII ANTIQUITIES AND ORANGE-BLOSSOMS 102 - - VIII VIA APPIA 116 - - IX TU ES PETRUS 129 - - X VALE ROMA 145 - - XI SHORT JOURNEYS 158 - - XII AN UMBRIAN IDYL 173 - - XIII A SUNDAY IN ASSISI 192 - - XIV THE CITY OF FLOWERS 211 - - XV AN EARTHLY PARADISE 232 - - XVI FIESOLE 253 - - XVII HAPS AND HAPPENINGS 272 - - XVIII ANGELA'S LETTER 295 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - CASTELLO SANT' ANGELO _Frontispiece_ - THE BAY OF NAPLES. _Photographed by Dr. Bertha Lewis_ 41 - ON THE ROAD TO PAESTUM. _Photographed by Dr. Bertha Lewis_ 59 - AN AMAZONIAN TRIBUTE, CAPRI. _Photographed by Dr. Bertha Lewis_ 71 - CYPRESS WALK, HADRIAN'S VILLA 87 - A STREET IN FLORENCE 212 - THE MICHAEL ANGELO WELL AT THE CERTOSA, FLORENCE 269 - PALAZZO REZZONICO 277 - - - - -ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS - - - - -I - -LA SUPERBA IN THE CLOUDS - - - GENOA, February 19th. - -Your most interesting letter, Sir Philosopher, reached me at Gibraltar, -and served to give me a homelike feeling in that alien land of Spain. -Any one who can write letters as interesting as yours, from your -library, with the mercury at zero outside, and nothing more refreshing -to look upon from the window than snow and sleet, does not need to -wander in sunny lands and among ancient ruins for an inspiration. No, -travel would be absolutely wasted upon you, who require only a cigar -and a wood fire to encourage your "reveries of a bachelor." - -You wish to know what are my first impressions of Italy, and how -we three women get on together? To be perfectly candid with you, we -ourselves are not wandering in sunny lands at present, and the cheerful -blaze of your library fire would prove most welcome to benumbed fingers -and pinched noses. - -Our welcome to Genoa was not particularly cheerful. It had been raining -for days; the sky was heavy with clouds, and the air chilly and damp. -We can well understand why the prudent and all-informing Baedeker -advises invalids visiting Genoa at this time to guard against raw winds -and abrupt changes of temperature. - -We enjoyed coming into the fine harbor, around which Genoa is built -upon its hills and terraces in the form of a half-circle, the city -widening out toward the ends of the arc. On the hills, we know, are -many beautiful villas, seen to-day but dimly through veils of mist, and -beyond are the mountains, which in clear weather must add much to the -charm of this old fortress as seen from the sea. - -Zelphine says that it would be very ungrateful of us if we were to -complain of cloudy weather, as the skies might be pouring down upon -us instead of only threatening, and, after all, we are having the same -good luck that we had in Madeira, Granada, and Algiers in coming after -the rain instead of before it. - -And how do we get on together? Really, monsieur, you display courage -when you ask that question, as I might here and now unburden my mind -of a long list of grievances. As it is, however, I have so far no -woes to relate, although I know that a sojourn on the Continent has -wrecked many a friendship. We three must appear to those who meet us -an ill-assorted trio; but because of our individualities we may be the -better fitted to stand the crucial test of a tour of indefinite length, -whose only object is pleasure. - -Zelphine is the encyclopaedia of the party, and, as Angela says, -her information is always on tap, besides which she is amiable and -refreshingly romantic. It is inspiring to travel with a woman, no -longer young, to whom the world and its inhabitants still wear "the -glory and the dream." On the other hand, when one is suffering from -the discomforts of travel to such an extent that it would be a luxury -to moan and groan a bit and find fault with the general condition of -things, it is a trifle irritating to see Zelphine sailing serenely upon -the seas of high content, apparently above such trifling accidents as -material comfort. You, being a man and consequently a philosopher of -greater or less degree, may not be able to understand this; it is just -here that Zelphine and I might quarrel, but we "generally most always" -do not. - -Angela you have scarcely known since she was a little girl, when she -was a prime favorite of yours. In the half-hour in which you saw her, -just before we sailed, you must have realized that in appearance she -had fulfilled the promise of her beautiful childhood. She is a spirited -creature, but with a fine balance of common sense, and with her -delicate, spirituelle beauty is astonishingly practical--an up-to-date -girl, in fine. Have you ever wondered, among your many ponderings, -why the girls of to-day, with the beauty of their great-grandmothers, -should be utterly devoid of the sentiment that enhanced the loveliness -of those dear ladies as perfume adds to the charm of a flower? This -question I leave with you for future solution. - -Here in Genoa we meet the narrow, precipitous passages, streets by -courtesy, which interested us in the Moorish quarter of Algiers, dating -back in both cases to remote antiquity. They are to be found, we are -told, in every old Italian town. Many of them answer to Hawthorne's -description of the streets of Perugia, which, he says, are "like -caverns, being arched all over and plunging down abruptly towards an -unknown darkness, which, when you have fathomed its depths, admits you -to a daylight that you scarcely hoped to behold again." - -Old palaces overshadow these narrow, crooked streets, built many -stories high and close together for protection against enemies without -and factional feuds at home; such as those between the powerful -houses of Doria, Spinola, Fieschi, and the like. The majority of these -buildings have fallen from their ancient glory, and look, as Angela -says, like tenement houses. This plebeian association is carried out -by the squalid appearance of the inhabitants, and by the clothes-lines -stretched across the streets from window to window, on which are hung -garments of every size, degree, color, and ingenuity of patch, the -predominant red and white lending a certain picturesqueness to the -motley array. - -Turning a corner, we suddenly found ourselves in the midst of a -quarrel, or a violent altercation at the best, between a pretty signora -at a fourth-floor window and a vendor of fruits and vegetables on the -sidewalk below. The language which the lady used, as she leaned far -out of the window, was so vigorous that no interpreter was needed to -make her meaning plain: the merchant was a charlatan and a villain; -the saints were all called upon as witnesses to his depravity. He, the -so-called vendor of over-ripe fruit, pointed to his wares, beating his -breast and spreading out his hands in token of his spotless innocence. -He sell over-ripe oranges? All his neighbors would testify to his -poverty and that of his family because he, honest one, daily sacrificed -hundreds of oranges to satisfy his unreasonable customers! - -The signora's dark eyes flashed, the Spanish mantilla upon her head -shook in sympathy with the violence of her emotions, as she repeated -her vocabulary of epithets. We were thankful that four stories -separated the combatants, and retiring under the shadow of a doorway we -anxiously awaited results. Something happened, we know not what; the -fruit may have been reduced the fraction of a penny; whatever it was, -a truce was declared, during which the signora's basket, filled with -fruit and artichokes, was drawn up to the window by a rope. After the -lady had carefully inspected each individual fruit and vegetable, she -smiled blandly, lowered some money in her basket, and the pair parted -with bows and compliments. Juliet on her balcony could not have been -more graceful, nor Romeo on the pavement below more gallant than this -shabby _venditore_, as he swept the ground with his cap, one hand upon -his heart! - -Feeling that we owed something to somebody for the pleasure that this -little drama had afforded us, we crossed the street and bought from the -chief actor some fresh dates such as we had first tasted in Algiers. -As we paid the asking price without protest, we felt quite sure that -the valiant little merchant was making off us anything that he may have -lost in his previous transaction; but the dates, of a delicate amber -color, as sweet as honey and almost as transparent, were worth whatever -price we paid for them. - -After much turning and retracing of steps, and laughing over being lost -and not having the power to make inquiries with any certainty of being -understood, we finally gained wider and more open streets, and on the -Piazza Banchi found an exchange, where we were able to get some money -on our letters of credit. - -After attending to this practical detail we turned into the little old -Via Orefici, Jewellers' Street, with its many goldsmiths' shops. Over -one of the doors is a Virgin and Child, so beautiful that it cost the -artist his life. Pellegrino Piola's master, insanely jealous of this -work of his pupil, rose up in wrath and killed him. Even the patron, -St. Eloy, was unable to save poor Piola's life, but the guild of -smiths, who revere St. Eloy as their patron saint, invoked his aid to -preserve this lovely fresco from the ruthless hands of Napoleon when he -would have carried it off to France. - -As we passed window after window, some with their display of exquisite -gold and silver filigree and others containing lofty pyramids of the -most delicious-looking candied fruit, Angela said that after a few -hours' stay in Genoa she was quite sure of two characteristics of the -Genoese: a passion for jewelry, especially of the filigree sort, and an -inordinate appetite for sweets. The pretty, delicate ornaments, I am -inclined to think, are only spread forth to tempt the unwary tourist; -but the Italian taste for sweets is proverbial, whetted, doubtless, -by the high price of sugar and the exquisiteness of the native -confections. - -Strolling along the fine, wide Via Vittorio Emanuele, eating our dates -like true Bohemians and gazing about us upon the sights of the strange -city, we turned, almost involuntarily, into the busy thoroughfare of -the Via San Lorenzo, where we were confronted by the great facade of -the cathedral of the same name, with huge stone lions standing guard -at the door. Above the entrance--grewsome and realistic spectacle--is -poor St. Lawrence broiling away on his stone gridiron! We shall -doubtless behold many such spectacles during our travels, and may, like -Mark Twain, become quite hardened to the sight of St. Sebastian stuck -full of arrows, and of lovely young St. Anastasia and of many others, -of whom the world was not worthy, smiling amid the flames; but this -realistic thrusting of St. Lawrence and his gridiron into the life -of to-day, as an ornament to a church, impressed us as unworthy of a -people credited with a sense of beauty and fitness. - -We were thankful to turn from the cathedral, whose interior we may -explore to-morrow, and, like good Americans, wend our way along the -Via Balbi, with its many palaces and handsome university buildings, -to a lovely little square called Acquaverde, where there is a handsome -modern statue of Columbus. Beside the really fine figure of the Genoese -navigator is a woman who represents either Columbia or an Italianized -American Indian, we were not sure which, to whom Columbus is offering -the Catholic religion and other blessings of civilization. From the -benevolent expression of the donor it is evident that he is making -the presentation in good faith, although the lady appears singularly -indifferent to the gifts offered her. - -Some children with large, dark eyes and round, rosy cheeks, beautiful -enough to serve as models for the Holy Child and St. John, were playing -in the little green square some rhymed game in which their high, clear -voices rang out joyously. It was probably an Italian equivalent for -"ring-around-the-rosy" or "hot butter-beans." We longed to know just -what the words meant. Zelphine bribed the singers with soldi to an -encore; but, alas! the song fell upon ears dull of understanding. This -was the merriest scene that we have found in Genoa, which does not -impress us as a gay city at all; but what mature and sane community -could be merry under skies as leaden as these? - -We are lodged in an old palace, which opens out on those most -disappointing arcades of which we have read such fascinating -descriptions. We see no pretty young Genoese women in thin muslin veils -nor handsome matrons in veils of flowered chintz; probably the rain -keeps them and their finery indoors. We remind ourselves, from time -to time, that we are dwelling in marble halls for the first time in -our lives, and yet some of the appointments of this rather expensive -_albergo_ are not equal to those of a second or third class hotel in -America. My room is spacious, with windows opening to the floor and -commanding a fine view of the harbor, where many ships lie at anchor, -among them the floating city in which we came hither. It makes us feel -at home to-night to see the lights of the Augusta Victoria, and we wave -friendly greetings to her and our fellow-voyagers across the bay. - -"We were far more comfortable in our little state-rooms on the ship -than we shall ever be in this damp palace!" said Angela, shivering. -"This room feels like a cellar. Do they never have any fires here?" - -"Yes, behold the fireplace!" I replied, drawing aside a screen and -revealing a small hole in the wall. "We will bask in the warmth of -a cheerful blaze this evening, and toast our toes before the glowing -coals." - -As luck would have it, the chimney did not draw well, probably not -having been used in this century, and so instead of a cheerful blaze -we had clouds of smoke, and went to bed to dream of snow-storms and -icebergs. - - February 20th. - -I awoke to hear the rain beating against my window and Angela's merry -voice at my side, saying, "Such an experience! Zelphine rang our bell, -thinking that she would have a fire or smoke or something to take off -the deadly chill from our room. In a minute there came a knock at the -door, and instead of the chambermaid there stood a grand gentleman in -a blue coat and brass buttons, with a breakfast-tray--the proprietor -or head waiter, I should say. We hadn't the courage to say a word -about fire to this dignified person. Indeed, he gave us no time to say -anything, as he set the tray on a table beside the bed, and vanished -with 'Madame est servie.' Of course Z. is the madame; I don't count, -being _jeune fille_. Such manners Z. says she has seldom seen in a -ballroom at home. So now, Margaret, the breakfast is there and must be -eaten. Do order yours, and let us breakfast together." - -"A kimono _dejeuner a trois_," I said, laughing over Angela's ignorance -of Continental ways, to which I had become quite accustomed during my -art winter in Paris with Katharine Clarke. - -"A second ring may fetch the maid and fire," said Angela, pressing the -button. - -This, however, only served to bring the blue-coated waiter, with -another tray of coffee and rolls. It was some time before we were able -to get the maid, who, in turn, sent for the _facchino_ who attends to -the fires, and he, assisted by another _facchino_, finally succeeded in -fanning into a blaze the infinitesimal quantity of wood used here for -a fire. This "house that Jack built" distribution of labor is rather -puzzling to the uninitiated. We are wondering how we shall ever compass -the problem of fees, so many people are serving us. - -"I don't wonder that Eugene Field sang with longing of the 'land of -stoves and sunshine,'" said Zelphine, as she held her hands over the -feeble flame, "if he ever stayed in Genoa in February." - -This is the nearest approach to a complaint that Zelphine has uttered -since we left New York. She accepts everything that comes to us, good, -bad, or indifferent, as a part of the game. We breakfasted heartily, -calling for more rolls and boiled eggs, to the evident but entirely -well-bred astonishment of the presiding genius, who was not accustomed -to such early morning appetites. - -The rain continued to pour in torrents; and here let me confess, -with more or less contrition, that we were all three most desperately -homesick. Whether it was that we missed our pleasant fellow-travellers -who were steaming off for Nice to-day, or because of the persistent -rain, we, one after another, fell a prey to the depressing malady. -Angela, first of all, with eyes full of tears, wondered many times, -in language more or less strenuous, why she had ever left her happy -home for these inhospitable shores; and I--well, it matters little -what I said. Zelphine surprised me weeping over my travelling-hat, -which, although it did present a rather dilapidated appearance after -yesterday's rain, failed to afford sufficient cause for my tears. She, -the heroic one, who had never told her woe, in attempting to console -me broke down herself, and we wept in each other's arms, which had -the good result of bringing Angela to our side and making her laugh -heartily. Finally, in desperation, I proposed that we should order a -cab and drive over to the Hotel de Londres and try to find some of our -steamer friends who expected to stay here a few days _en route_ for -Florence. - -We were cordially welcomed by Bertha Linn and Mrs. Robins, who received -us in their rooms, one of which was comfortably heated by a porcelain -stove. Despite their more favorable surroundings, we soon discovered -that our two countrywomen were as down-hearted as ourselves. Bertha, -seated upon a trunk, looking about as cheerful as Miss Betsey Trotwood -when she came up to London in pursuit of her scattered fortune, -expressed herself to the effect that foreign travel might be of -advantage educationally and enlarging to the mind, but for her part -she preferred her own country, and would gladly take the next steamer -back to New York. Angela heartily agreed with Bertha, while Zelphine -begged her to remember the enchanting days we had spent in Madeira -and Granada, and that even more delightful experiences lay before -us, assuring them that Italy is not a proverbially rainy country, -et cetera; in the midst of which profitable conversation Mrs. Robins -suggested that we should take cabs and drive to the Campo Santo, by way -of a diversion. - -"We certainly are in a proper frame of mind for a visit to a cemetery," -said Angela, laughing a cheerless laugh, with a minor chord in it -suggestive of tears near the surface. - -No place could be more admirably adapted for a rainy day excursion -than the Campo Santo of Genoa, as that vast cemetery is nearly all -under cover. Our first impression of the long galleries with their -monuments and low reliefs, many of them decorated with photographs of -the dead and overhung with the tasteless wreaths of tin flowers dear -to the Continental mourner, was of something hopelessly inartistic -and artificial. Among the many shockingly realistic and inappropriate -monuments we found a few simple and beautiful statues and low reliefs. -You remember how many of the monuments in Westminster Abbey are in bad -taste and overweighted with carved ornaments; the majority of these are -not less artistic, but one has a right to expect more beauty and grace -in Italy than in England, and then the grand old abbey lends a certain -dignity to everything within its walls. The Campo Santo looks more like -a picture-gallery than a necropolis; but _chacun a son gout_. This is -evidently the _gout_ of the Genoese, and the name of their cemetery is -so beautiful that I, for one, am inclined to overlook lack of taste in -other matters. - -The tomb of the patriot Giuseppe Mazzini is in this Campo Santo, above -the rotunda and over against the steep hillside. It did not impress us -particularly; but we found ourselves turning again and again to the -figure of an old woman in a fine brocade gown, with a ring of bread, -which here they call _pain de la couronne_, over her arm, and what -seemed to be strings of large pearls depending from her waist. - -"It is evidently the statue of some great lady who sold her pearls to -raise money to feed the poor," said Zelphine. "Here are the pearls, -and she carries the bread on her arm just as the peasants do in Spain -and in all these southern countries. I wish we could find the story -somewhere and the lady's name. This statue may have been erected by a -grateful people in recognition of her generous aid." - -"She certainly has the face and bearing of a peasant, rather than of a -grand lady," said Bertha. - -Just then we heard a low, infectious laugh behind us, and turned to -find General W., one of our ship's company, who was evidently much -amused by our discussion, and made haste to tear Zelphine's romance -into shreds by explaining that her Lady Bountiful was a peasant woman -who made quite a sum of money by selling bread and nuts on the streets -of Genoa. Having an ambition to rest with the rich and great in the -Campo Santo, under a fine monument, she bought the right to be buried -here for three thousand francs, and had the pleasure of ordering her -own monument, for which she paid six thousand francs. Nine thousand -francs, in all, for glory--quite a fortune for a peasant! - -"The pearls are only nuts, after all!" exclaimed Zelphine, "and----" - -"The cake is dough," said Bertha, laughing; "but it is all very -interesting as a study in human nature. I don't doubt the poor woman -found great satisfaction in looking at this fine figure of herself." - -"She did not have even that satisfaction," replied General W., "for she -died soon after she had ordered it, in a street brawl or something of -the sort. _Sic transit gloria mundi._" - -"How you do break down our images and bowl over our idols!" exclaimed -Angela. - -We had dismissed our cabs on entering the Campo Santo, and, as the -rain had ceased for the time, we returned by the electric tram of -the Via di Circonvallazione a Mare, which runs close to the sea, and -which, as Angela says, besides circumambulating the city, is a clever -way of circumventing the cabman. Our homesickness had disappeared -amid the shades of the departed, and, a merry party, we made our way -to the Concordia, that most delightful garden-cafe. Here we lunched -upon _risotto_ (rice made yellow with saffron), spaghetti, and other -Italian dishes, with an accompaniment of bread in small sticks, crisp -and brown. - - February 21st. - -A note has just come from your cousin, Genevra Fuller, urging us to -make her a visit at her home in San Remo. This invitation, which is -most cordial, is a temptation to us all, but Zelphine and Angela have -promised to spend their time with friends in Nice, stopping for a day -at Monte Carlo, if their sporting tastes lead them so far afield, while -I yield to Genevra's blandishments. You know of old that she is not a -person to be lightly refused when she has set her heart upon any given -thing--a family trait, I believe. - - - - -II - -ALONG THE RIVIERA - - - February 22d. - -Of course the sun was shining when we left Genoa. We were glad to see -how fair La Superba could be, with her terraced gardens, many villas, -and noble background of blue mountains. Indeed, I confess to some -qualms of conscience, feeling that I may have given you a too gloomy -picture of the fine old city; but how can one give a cheerful view of -the attractions of a place where one's gayest hours were spent in a -cemetery? - -Our way lay along the sea by the Western Riviera, one of the garden -spots of the world. The railroad winds in and out among the rocks, -or into tunnels pierced through them, often running parallel with the -famous Cornice Drive, which was for many years the only road from Genoa -to Nice. The beauty of this drive, which lies sometimes between the -railroad and the sea and again ascends the rocky heights beyond, made -us wish that railroads had never been invented. A coach and four, a -Cinderella coach, would be the only suitable equipage in which to make -this journey into fairyland. - -"Why did we not drive?" I hear you ask, and you may well ask. Because -the railroad, dashing in and out of tunnels, often crosses the drive -most unexpectedly and on the grade. Even Zelphine, much as she wished -to drive over the self-same road taken by her dear Lucy in "Doctor -Antonio," hesitated about imperilling her neck, and I was quite -resolute upon this point. And if Zelphine and I were so reckless as -to be willing to risk our own lives, have we not under our care the -only and well-beloved daughter of the ancient and honorable house of -Haldane? - -Did I say that the train dashed? Really, that was a slip of the -pen--nothing dashes in Italy except a mountain torrent; but where there -are so many grade crossings, even a slow train may be dangerous. We -proceeded moderately and sedately upon our shining way, skirting the -sapphire sea, dotted here and there with green islands. Reaching far -out into the blue, one may see small towns which seem bent upon washing -their white houses to a more dazzling whiteness in the clear water, -painted towns against a painted sea and sky. Other hamlets and villas, -with their green jalousies and their luxuriant gardens full of flowers -and orange-trees, are on the heights above, and not seldom a solitary -sanctuary is seen, perched upon some sea-washed cliff, the cherished -guardian of the shore. - -Now indeed, looking up at the terraced olive-groves, we feel that we -are in Italy. For many miles the road lies beside these gardens, which -are monuments to Italian thrift and industry, as every square inch of -the scanty earth on the hillsides is held in place by stone walls, one -above another, until some are almost mountain high, olive-trees growing -to the very top. On the sunny plains between the hills are acres of -carnations, violets, stock-gillies, and mignonette, which fill the -air with their delicious fragrance. From these immense gardens the -large cities are supplied with flowers, and also the manufactories -of perfumes. Hundreds of the beautiful blossoms, they tell us, are -sacrificed to make a single drop of essence. - -We passed by Albenga and Alassio, over the suspension bridge at Porto -Maurizio, and so on to Taggia, which is near San Remo, where we three -were to part company for a few days. Off to the right we could see -the picturesque ruins of Bussana Vecchia, destroyed by an earthquake -as late as 1887, never rebuilt, and now standing silent and desolate -on the hill-top above its namesake, the little modern town of Bussana -Nuova. - -Our view of Poggio and Bussana Vecchia was suddenly cut off by an -inopportune tunnel, from which we emerged into the brilliant sunshine, -to see before us the pretty villas, the waving palms, and the general -air of cultivation and _bien-etre_ that belong to this favorite and -highly favored town. When Zelphine and Angela caught this glimpse of -San Remo from the train, and saw Genevra's children waiting for me at -the station, I am quite sure they repented them of their decision. - -I had not seen Roger and Phoebe since they were babies, but I knew -them at once, and we are already fast friends. Genevra's welcome, as -you may believe, was of the warmest. It is delightful to be in a home -again, after tossing about in a state-room and knocking around in -strange hotels, and in a home as charming as this! - - February 25th. - -Everything is delightfully foreign in this _menage_; Genevra lives in -an apartment, as most people do here; hers is on the second floor, with -a huge salon on one side of the hall, a _salle a manger_ on the other, -and the usual complement of bedrooms, kitchens, and the like. This is -quite different from anything we have in America, where the apartments -are on a scale of princely magnificence, with prices to match, or of a -simplicity so extreme that "flat" seems to designate appropriately both -them and the condition of those who inhabit them. This apartment is -really a house on one floor; the entrance and stone stairway are quite -palatial, and yet it is _a bon marche_. The drawing-room is spacious, -with windows to the floor, opening out on balconies on which we step -out to see the _bersaglieri_ drill in the evenings, as the children are -on the qui vive from the moment the spirited music reaches their ears. - -Genevra's large salon is heated by an open fire of olive-wood, which -she says makes it warm enough except when the winters are unusually -cold. The English ladies who come to tea in the afternoon throw aside -their wraps, exclaiming, "Ah, Mrs. Fuller's drawing-room is always so -very hot!" - -Hot is not exactly the word that I should apply to dear Genevra's -pretty drawing-room, although I know that Lucie and Marthe are piling -on extra wood all the time in compliment to Mademoiselle, the shivering -American. - -Everything in this house moves with a delightful smoothness and ease, -and the whole atmosphere of the place is indescribably restful. When I -awake in the morning I touch a bell, which soon brings to my bedside -the trim, neat-handed Lucie with rolls and coffee. This morning my -breakfast-tray was glorified with great bunches of dark purple and -light Neapolitan violets. - -"What is the meaning of this reckless extravagance?" I call out to -Genevra, whose room is next to mine. - -"Extravagance, _ma belle_!" replies Genevra. "Flowers are one of the -economies of San Remo. If I were to carpet your path with violets it -would be a cheap pleasure for me at the rate of two soldi a bunch!" -Wasn't that like Genevra?--like the old Genevra, yet with a certain -grace learned from these charming Italians! Only half believing her, -and yet comforted by her assurances, I enjoy the delicious fragrance -of the violets while I luxuriously sip my coffee and read the opening -pages of Ruffini's "Doctor Antonio." - -Yesterday we drove to Bordighera, and Genevra and I tried to find the -place near Ospedaletti where Sir John Davenne's coach came to grief by -the roadside. It was disappointing to find no trace of Rosa's little -inn, only great hotels, a casino, and all manner of extravagant and -unromantic modern innovations. The sea and the picturesque coast are -fortunately the same, and Genevra pointed out to me the great rock -near which Battista rowed Lucy's boat while Antonio told Sir John how -cleverly the valiant citizens of Bordighera had here outwitted the -British in their brig-of-war. And on this road the Doctor walked home -by moonlight, after an evening with Sir John and Lucy, singing "O bell' -alma innamorata!" Poor, dear, brave Antonio--love, dear love, treated -him shabbily enough! Your mother will remember reading this story to -me on one of my early visits to Woodford. Although I was but a child -then, my wrath rose hot against Lucy's treatment of Antonio. After her -marriage with Lord Cleverton I refused to listen to another word about -the faithless Lucy, until curiosity and a real fondness for the pretty -blonde heroine sent me back to this saddest of stories, over which I -wept as girls of an earlier time wept over "The Sorrows of Werther." - -This digression is all apropos of Bordighera, which is most interesting -aside from its associations with Lucy and her lover, with its -enchanting Coast Promenade ending at the Spianata del Capo. From this -promontory there is a noble view of Ventimiglia, Mentone, Monaco, -Villafranca and its light-house; beyond is the long, low line of the -French shore, and still beyond, the Maritime Alps, with flecks of -snow upon their sides, while near us, at our feet, lies the bay of -Ospedaletti, sparkling in the sun. Bordighera is literally framed in -by palm-trees--palms to right, to left, everywhere. No wonder that this -little town long had the exclusive honor of supplying the palms to St. -Peter's in Rome for Palm Sunday; but thereby hangs a tale which I may -not relate to-day, as Genevra bids me drop my pen and join her and her -friends over a cup of tea. - - February 26th. - -The days pass all too quickly in this charming place. My mornings -are generally spent in walking--sometimes on the Promenade du Midi, -which lies near the sea, a beautiful, palm-bordered terrace above the -beach--or in wandering through the old quarter of San Remo, with Roger -and Phoebe by my side. Here are narrow, precipitous streets like -those of Genoa, in strong contrast with the gay walk by the sea, which -has all the characteristics of a foreign watering-place. The _vive la -bagatelle_ existence of the Promenade du Midi is not without its charm -once in a while, but in the winding streets of the old town is the -typical life of San Remo. - -We watch the vendors of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and herbs displaying -their simple wares upon the sidewalk, or stroll down by the bank where -the washing is done, picturesquely, if somewhat laboriously, in the -open. The _lavandaie_ are, most of them, vigorous young creatures, and -as they beat the clothes against the stones or rinse them in the clear, -running water, their merry chatter and laughter suggest social joys -even beyond those of our voluble Bridgets at home. - -Your mother's favorite saw about the back being fitted to the burden -often recurs to me here. If these peasants are poor, their wants are -few, they live in a divine climate, the whole of the out-of-doors is -theirs, and, above all, they have dispositions and digestions that may -well cause them to be envied of princes. Dr. A., Genevra's physician, -tells me that the peasants here are usually healthy and the children -as robust as they are handsome. This Italian gentleman is one of the -interesting characters of San Remo. I always feel like calling him -Doctor Antonio, for although Dr. A. has travelled extensively, and -speaks English perfectly, he is quite Italian in appearance and manner, -and so loyally devoted to his Italy that I am quite sure he would have -sacrificed life and fortune to her cause had he lived in the stirring -times that developed Ruffini's heroic Doctor Antonio. - -On Sunday afternoon Roger and Phoebe drove me up to the little -sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia. Our road crossed that leading -to Bussana Vecchia, which picturesque ruin attracts me by its mystery -and its remoteness from the life of to-day. If you were here you would -certainly explore the remains of this old town, and perhaps you would -take me with you through its silent streets. Just now fate seems to be -against my seeing it. On Saturday, when we were all ready to set forth, -the rain fell in torrents, and on Sunday there was no time to stop -on our way to Capo Verde, so Bussana Vecchia seems destined to be my -"Carcassonne." - -The little sanctuary of the Madonna della Guardia is built, like the -home of the wise man of the Scriptures, upon a rock, crowning the -promontory of Capo Verde. From the heights there is a fine panorama, -as they say here, of sea and shore; Taggia and Poggio were at our feet -as we stood on the shelving rock, which overhangs a sheer declivity of -many feet. In the church there is a collection of curious pictures, -votive offerings, representing men and women in the midst of deadly -peril by field and flood: fishermen in boats tossing upon stormy -seas, and carriage-loads of pleasure-seekers pitching down precipices -or dashing along the road at the mercy of steeds as wild as that of -Mazeppa. All of these good people, as appears from the expressions of -gratitude recorded in the several paintings, were saved from sudden -and horrible death by the powerful intervention of the gentle Mother of -Sorrows and Mercies. - -I am finishing this letter while Genevra sings to the children their -good-night songs and tucks them into their beds. To-morrow will be a -full day, with some commissions to be attended to at the shops, which -are tempting here, two or three visits, and an afternoon tea with some -charming Scotch ladies at the Hotel de Londres. The day following I -leave here for Nice, having decided to meet Zelphine and Angela there -instead of at Genoa as I had intended. This change of plan is made in -order that we may take the famous drive from Nice to Genoa, which Dr. -A. assures me is not as dangerous as it appears, and in beauty more -nearly approaches the description of Paradise than anything else to be -seen upon earthly shores. If we make the trip in an automobile, which -we shall probably do, we shall have a couple of hours to spend here -with Genevra _en route_ for Genoa, which anticipation helps to console -her for her disappointment in losing two days of my visit. She will -then be able to judge for herself whether Angela is as pretty as I have -described her and whether Zelphine is as charming with white hair as -with brown, questions that may seem of little moment to the masculine -mind, but are deeply interesting to Genevra. She will be calling me -soon to join her at what Macaulay calls "the curling hour," which we -count the best in the twenty-four. Lucie heaps up the olive-wood on -the hearth until it blazes brightly, and places a tray with chocolate -before us. Thus cheered and sustained we gossip into "the wee, sma' -hours." Genevra asks so many questions about her old friends that we -should have to talk until the cocks crow if I were to answer them all. -By the way, do your ears ever burn these nights about twelve o' the -clock? She often talks of you, asks if you have grown more sedate with -added years and dignities, whether you have lost your habit of jesting, -and speaks of a certain merry twinkle in the corner of your eye which -used to betray you when mischief was brewing--on the whole Genevra -cherishes a very cousinly affection for your lordship. There! she is -calling me, so - - "Good-night!--if the longitude please,-- - For, maybe, while wasting my taper, - _Your_ sun's climbing over the trees." - - - - -III - -CAPTURED BY A CABMAN - - - NAPLES, March 2d. - -If Lady Morgan wrote of her beloved Irish capital "dear, dirty Dublin," -we may describe Naples less alliteratively in somewhat the same words, -except that to American eyes the Neapolitan city is even dirtier -and vastly more beautiful. Indeed, no words written nor pictures -painted give any adequate conception of the blueness of the sea, the -soft purple shades upon the mountains, and the fine transparency and -lightness of this air. One breathes in gayety with every breath, a -certain elasticity and _joie de vivre_ which the filth, the noise, the -bad odors, and even the hopeless poverty all around us are powerless to -dispel. - -From the Strada Vittorio Emanuele, where we are stopping, we look -down upon a series of terraced gardens, some of them very poor little -gardens with a few vegetables, among them the omnipresent and much -beloved artichoke, the fennel, like a coarse celery, and lettuce. Roses -are climbing all over the walls of these hillside gardens, and in many -of them orange-trees are blooming, spreading around them a delicious -perfume. Here on the heights we have none of the disadvantages of -Naples, the noise, the unsavory odors, or the uncleanliness. - -Above this _strada_, which is the name by which the Neapolitans call -their streets, the hills tower for many feet, and way up on their -crests are the Castle of St. Elmo and the old Carthusian monastery -of San Martino. We visited San Martino the day after our arrival, -because Zelphine had an irrepressible desire to get to the tip-top of -everything and view both the city and bay from the heights above us. -The ascent was made in one of the _funicolari_, cable trams, which are -used so much over here. They are rather terrifying at first, but are -said to be quite safe, and are, I believe, less dangerous than many of -our elevators. - - [Illustration: The Bay of Naples] - -The old monastery is now a museum, under the management of the Museo -Nazionale, and contains many paintings, porcelains, carvings, and other -antiques. We neglected the treasures within for the greater pleasure -of wandering at will through the charming, picturesque cloisters, which -are richly carved and of a stone warm and creamy in tone, so different -from the heavy, dark cloisters one sees in England and elsewhere. Most -of our morning was spent basking in the sunshine of the court; we could -fancy the old monks enjoying, as we did, the genial warmth that in the -Southern Italian winter is only to be found out of doors. The museum -itself was damp, as are all the galleries at this season. - -In this court are a number of handsome sarcophagi, with inscriptions -and coats-of-arms carved in the marble; from hence we passed into -the Belvedere, whose balconies command an exquisite view of the city -and bay. We gazed long at the noble panorama spread before us, from -Posilipo to the hill of Capodimonte. Over across the bay were Ischia -and Capri, blue as its own grotto, with Sorrento's long point of land -reaching out into the sea, and off in the far distance the snow-line of -the Apennines. To our left, Vesuvius, with its three peaks, was smoking -away as peacefully as a Hollander on his _hooge stoep_. Seeing them by -day it is hard to believe that these fair blue hills could have wrought -sudden destruction upon the cities of the plain; but last night, when -flames flashed up skyward from the smoking crater, I must confess that -we had some misgivings. When we beheld these danger-signals, as they -seemed to us, we carried our fears and our queries to the _padrone_ and -the concierge, who both assured us, to their own satisfaction if not -entirely to ours, that Vesuvius has never erupted in the direction of -Naples, evidently feeling that Italian volcanoes, like Italian people, -are not in the habit of changing their ways. - -Standing upon the Belvedere of San Martino, we were able to form some -idea of the great width of the bay, where just now "William's yacht," -as one of our English friends always calls it, is riding at anchor. The -Kaiser is making one of his rapid, semi-official, quite friendly, and -wholly diplomatic visits to Rome, and his yacht awaits him here. - - March 4th. - -We have spent the morning at the National Museum, where are so many of -the world-famous sculptures, the Hercules, a magnificent, strong figure -in perfect repose, a giant taking his ease, and the Farnese Bull, both -of them from the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, and a huge bronze horse -from Herculaneum. Most impressive and interesting to us is the statue -of Diana of the Ephesians, against whose worship Paul preached at -Ephesus. A curious statue is this, odd enough to have fallen down from -Jupiter, according to the tradition, or from any other heathen god! The -torso is of fine, variegated marble, and the head, hands, and feet, -the latter slender and delicate, are of bronze. This Diana is not a -huntress, like the Greek Artemis with the crescent above her brow, but -bears about her the symbols of abundance. We lingered long near this -statue of the great goddess of the Ephesians, marvelling wherein lay -the secret of her power. To Demetrius and the other silversmiths who -made her shrines she was valuable, as she brought them great gain; but -for beauty or grace there was no reason why this Diana should have been -worshipped by "Asia and all the world." - -Among the bronzes from Pompeii and Herculaneum we found the originals -of many of the exquisitely graceful figures with which we are all -familiar. We greeted as old friends the Dancing Faun, the Mercury, the -Flying Victory, the Wrestlers, Silenus, the Boy with the Dolphin, and, -above all, the lovely Narcissus, which they now call by another name. -Zelphine and I have decided that we will never acknowledge this to be -a Dionysus or anything less poetic than the Narcissus. This charming, -youthful figure with the bent head and listening ear is quite small, -not nearly life-size, and for that reason, perhaps, its beauty is -more delicate and spiritual. If that little figure could speak, what -could it not tell of pomp, luxury, love, and delight, all overtaken -and overwhelmed by sudden destruction in the buried city where it was -found! - -Now, indeed, if it were in my power to rhyme four lines and make sense -at the same time, which was my school-girl idea of poetry-making, I -should certainly be sending you a poem about the Narcissus; but why -cudgel my brains when Keats has, with his own sympathetic charm, told -the pathetic story of the beautiful youth?-- - - "Who gazed into the stream's deep recess - And died of his own dear loveliness." - -On our way home from the museum our _vetturino_ beat his horse so -unmercifully, although the poor nag was going as fast as a horse could -be expected to go up hill, that Zelphine remonstrated with him, very -tactfully, as I thought, paying his sorry Rosinante compliments and -calling the wretched beast _il buono cavallo_. The idea of any one -feeling compassion for a horse evidently touched the driver's sense -of humor, and, regarding it as a huge joke, he laughed and whipped -the poor animal still more unmercifully, making us understand, in the -gibberish of French and Italian peculiar to the cabmen here, that there -was no need to be merciful to a creature without a soul. We longed for -greater facility in some language that he could understand, to inquire -into his own spiritual condition. As, however, words were wanting, -we fell to wondering wherein such a being as this differs from the -beasts of the field. The cabmen of Naples would certainly afford our -friend Dr. C. an additional argument in favor of his pet doctrine of -conditional immortality. - -Our driver's attitude toward the animal creation is, we are told, that -of most Neapolitans. Even persons of more intelligence question the -advisability of caring for the comfort of dumb creatures, yet these -apparently cruel people have a most kindly custom. If parents lose a -child, and children are generally so numerous that it seems as if one -could scarcely be missed, they adopt an orphan, call it God's child, -and treat it as their own. - - March 6th. - -We have been wondering, ever since we came here, where the beauty -and fashion of Naples are to be found, having seen on the streets -only tradespeople and beggars. We put the question to our friend the -concierge at the Hotel B. At five o'clock in the afternoon, he told us, -the _beau monde_ could be seen taking an airing on the Chiaia, never -earlier. It seems that Neapolitans of quality do not drive while the -sun is shining. You remember that old Italian proverb about only dogs -and Englishmen liking the sun? To this I would add the wise peasants, -with whom its genial warmth takes the place of food, fire, and proper -clothing. - -Five o'clock on a March afternoon is a rather chilly and uncomfortable -hour for a drive; but we should have to go then or give up all idea -of a fashionable _promenade en voiture_ with the elite of Naples. -This afternoon was the time arranged for our drive. A _carrozza_, a -two-horse carriage, was to meet us at a favorite coral shop on the -Chiaia, whose exquisite wares draw Angela daily with a glittering -eye. Having arranged with Zelphine about this rendezvous, I left her -hanging over some Pompeian statuettes in a shop on the Toledo, copies, -of course, but very good ones, quite too tempting to be safely dallied -with, and made my way to Thomas Cook's office and to several glove -shops. When my commissions were finished, I had more than an hour on -my hands, so I lingered for some time before the tall monument in -the Square of the Martyrs, a memorial to the patriots who perished -during several Neapolitan revolutions. This monument has much of the -simplicity and strength of the Nelson memorial on Trafalgar Square, -having like it four colossal bronze lions at the base. The noble -shaft is surmounted by one of Caggiani's graceful figures, a Victory -delicately poised as if on tiptoe for a flight. - -After gazing long at the beautiful monument, I strolled down the Strada -Chiaia to the esplanade with the statues and fountains, a charming -place to walk on a cool afternoon. You know my fancy for wandering -alone through strange streets and byways. On and on I sauntered, -thinking that I might have time to walk as far as the Aquarium before -keeping my tryst at the coral shop, and not fully realizing how -deserted the place was until I heard a penetrating voice quite close to -me speaking rapid and almost unintelligible French, accompanied by the -cracking of a whip. "A cabman--I'll pay no attention to him," I said to -myself; "he'll be discouraged after a while and leave me." I soon found -that I had reckoned without my host: that vociferous, whip-cracking -Jehu followed me, dogged my steps, offered me his cab at absurdly low -rates, and finally cornered me in a recess of one of the large public -buildings. I looked around; there was not a person in sight to help me, -only a few beggars on the steps, who would naturally make common cause -with the cabman. You will laugh at me, I am sure, but so terrified -was I by the creature's language and gestures and whip-cracking that -I abjectly stepped into his cab, telling him to drive me for an hour -and set me down at the well-known coral shop on the Chiaia at five -o'clock, showing him the time on my watch-face. Was I not just a bit -like the woman who married a persistent suitor in order to get rid -of him? Her troubles probably began then and there; mine certainly -did. My _cocher_, with an irritating expression of triumph on his -face, set forth upon a tour of sight-seeing which threatened to be -of long duration. We passed from street to street, from building to -building, until to my dismay I found that he was driving toward the -upper town. I protested, knowing that there would not be time to get -back to the Chiaia by five o'clock. Would I like to see San Martino? -No, I answered, with decision, I had already been to San Martino; I -wished to go back to the Chiaia. Then--for astuteness commend me to -a Neapolitan _vetturino_--that irritating creature became suddenly -deaf, dumb, and blind, while his horse went on and on up the heights -toward San Martino. Fortunately, the road winds around the hill, and -as we reached one of its windings I saw, by a sign, that we were on -the Strada Vittorio Emanuele. Hope revived when I began to recognize -familiar buildings; we would soon reach our hotel. "Hotel B.! Albergo -B.!" I cried, with so much insistence and with gestures so like his own -that the creature finally listened to me, the horse slackened its pace -slightly, and then, oh joy! the Hotel B. appeared, the concierge at the -door. I called to him, he made a peremptory sign to the driver to stop, -and I was once again a free woman, standing on my two feet, with solid -ground beneath them. - -My Jehu now regained the use of his tongue, and unblushingly insisted -upon a two hours' fee for the drive of a trifle over an hour which I -had been coerced into taking. The sum was not extortionate, according -to American ideas, but no one wishes to be cheated, especially with -one's eyes wide open. I protested, explained the state of affairs to -the concierge, when, to my surprise, he, my ally and champion as I had -thought him, deserted me at this critical moment and joined the enemy, -saying, "The signorina would do well to pay the _vetturino_ what he -asks, as according to the signorina's own watch she has had the cab -over an hour." - -My humiliation was great when I handed the triumphant cabman his -ill-gotten gains, but greater still was my disappointment over the -defection of the concierge, whom we have all trusted. It seems, indeed, -as if every man's hand is against us in this beautiful city, from the -salesman who tries to sell us imperfect coral to the crafty vendor of -fruit who slips bad oranges into a paper bag for us, while he tries to -distract our attention by sentimental remarks on the weather and the -"bella vista." - -Rather than trust myself to the mercy of another cabman, I -ignominiously made my way down the many steps of the terrace to the -street below, where I took a tram to the Chiaia. Angela was seated in -the carriage, looking around anxiously, while Zelphine was walking up -and down the pavement, both evidently much disturbed, wondering what -had detained me. - -"There is still time to take the drive," I said, in reply to their -eager questions. "I saw a number of carriages coming down by the Square -of the Martyrs. Get in, Zelphine, and I will explain my delay as we -drive along." - -All Naples seemed to be _en voiture_, this afternoon, and it was -pleasant to be making a _course_ with the languid, dark-eyed ladies and -their attendant cavaliers, even if we were not intimately associated -with them. - - March 7th. - -This whole morning we spent in the Aquarium, which is down near the -sea, a part of the Villa Nazionale. Here we saw all manner of beautiful -and hideous creatures of the deep, some exquisitely colored fish from -the Mediterranean, living coral, medusae, crested blubbers, airy and -transparent as soap-bubbles, and the wonderful octopus. Angela insisted -on seeing these horrible creatures fed, and by the time that important -ceremony was over and we had walked through the shaded park enjoying -the flowers, which are blooming in profusion everywhere, it was time to -go home for our second breakfast. - -We went to Posilipo in the steam tram, this afternoon, and were shown -the old Roman columbarium on the hillside, popularly known as the Tomb -of Virgil. Whether or not the poet was buried there is now disputed -by scholars; however, Zelphine says that Virgil certainly wrote -his "Georgics" and "Aeneid" in his villa near by, and that Petrarch -considered this tomb sufficiently important to plant a laurel here. She -and I have no patience with the iconoclasts who take so much pleasure -in destroying our illusions, and we see no reason why the traveller -should not be allowed to weep over this tomb of Virgil, unless, indeed, -a more authentic one can be furnished him. - -Later we climbed up to the terraced garden that belongs to the -Ristorante Promessi Sposi--fancy an inn at home named The Betrothed! -Here we had afternoon tea, while our eyes were feasted with the -beauties of a gorgeous sunset. Vesuvius, Capri, Ischia, and all the -smaller islands of the bay were bathed in heliotrope light, a royal -array of purple velvet. Buchanan Read's lines on the Bay of Naples -must have been inspired by just such a sea and sky as this. Zelphine -evidently had the same thought, for she quoted softly: - - "'My soul to-day - Is far away, - Sailing the Vesuvian Bay; - My winged boat, - A bird afloat, - Swims round the purple peaks remote.'" - -We should have been in a boat on the purple bay instead of in a tram! - -I am finishing this letter rather hurriedly for to-night's mail, as we -shall be off to-morrow bright and early for a tour of several days, to -Pompeii, La Cava, and Paestum, returning by the coast drive and stopping -at Amalfi and Sorrento. It is the sort of excursion that you would -enjoy so much--would you like to be of the party? - - - - -IV - -AN EXCITING DRIVE - - - CAVA DEI TIRRENI, March 8th. - -We have spent the day in the streets and houses of Pompeii, living over -again in the buried city the thrilling scenes of Lord Lytton's novel. -His descriptions are still marvellously accurate, although so much has -been unearthed since he wrote "The Last Days of Pompeii" that the ruins -as they stand to-day are much more extensive than those pictured by -the novelist. The house of Glaucus is called by the guides the House -of the Tragic Poet, but the mosaic of the dog, with its inscription, -"Cave canem," apparently as perfect as in the days when Glaucus thus -whimsically greeted his friends and enemies, serves to identify it. - -Lord Lytton was in Naples during the winter of the most important -excavations at Pompeii, and his romance doubtless took form and shape -as he walked through these deserted streets, where the ruts made by the -chariot-wheels of the two rivals, Glaucus and Arbaces, are still to be -seen. The houses, as he tells us, still undespoiled of their exquisite -decorations and rich furniture, were much as their unfortunate owners -left them. Even now, despite the fact that many of the beautiful -frescoes, statues, busts, and other ornaments have been taken to the -Naples Museum, much is still left of the interior of the houses, enough -to give one a very good idea of how these luxurious Pompeians lived. -The lower floors of some of these houses, as that of the Vettii and -the Faun, are complete, with their vestibule, dining-room, parlor, -bedrooms, and kitchen. These rooms are all rather small, according to -our ideas, as the wise Pompeians lived out of doors, spending their -days in the large central court of their houses or in the gardens. -Of the gardens we saw the most perfect examples in the house of the -Vettii. The restoration seems to have been made most carefully here -as elsewhere; even the graceful bronze statuettes are not wanting, as -excellent replicas have been put in the places of the originals, which -are in the Naples Museum. - -Nothing brings the reality of that old life before us more forcibly -than to walk along the streets, where the bakeries and the wine and oil -shops are still to be found. In the latter are many great jars, which -are, as Zelphine says, not unlike those in which Morgiana entrapped her -Forty Thieves. - -Turning a corner, we were startled by seeing a roughly drawn sketch -upon a wall, such as any street gamin of to-day might draw upon a -tempting blank surface. Further along the same street we beheld a still -stronger evidence that the life of Pompeii was not altogether different -from that of our own time. Something corresponding to a modern poster -announced in red letters the name of a favorite candidate for the next -municipal election. We lingered long in the vast amphitheatre, in which -the Pompeians were wont to take their pleasure, protected in sunny -weather by an awning, whose usefulness we could appreciate to-day, as -the sun of March is intensely hot in this region. The barracks for -the gladiators, near the theatre, are not unlike the casemates for -soldiers in a fort, and are quite complete. Zelphine, who is sitting -near me, poring over Bulwer's novel, has just read me Pansa's lament -over what he considered an infamous law, that forbade a man to send his -own slaves to the wild beasts in the arena. Having seen the houses of -Glaucus and Pansa, one can more readily understand the point of view of -these luxurious, pleasure-loving ancients, who were probably not more -cruel than many of their contemporaries. - -We left Pompeii late this afternoon and came to La Cava, a pretty town -in the mountains, where we are stopping on our way to Paestum. Zelphine -has just been talking to the _padrone_, who speaks excellent English, -about the excursion to-morrow. Our tickets, which we bought of the -concierge at the Hotel B., entitle us to a drive or a railway journey. -The _padrone_ strongly advises the former. He says the trains are so -slow and the waits so long that we make almost as good time by driving, -and then it is much more interesting. The drive is between forty and -fifty miles, but by starting at eight o'clock in the morning, and -changing horses at Battipaglia, we shall have two hours at Paestum and -get back to this hotel in time for dinner. Another party of American -travellers, of the inconvenient number of five, go by coach to-morrow. -The _padrone_ asks us, in case we decide to drive, whether we will give -a seat in our carriage to the odd number. Having concluded to drive, we -are hoping that the fifth wheel of the other coaching-party may prove -to be Mrs. Coxe, a charming old lady who talks most picturesquely of -a drive to Paestum forty years ago, when the roads were so infested by -brigands that it was necessary to travel with a mounted escort. - -"Could anything be more delightfully romantic?" exclaims Zelphine, on -hearing this. - -"Or more horridly uncomfortable?" adds Angela. - -These exclamations drew from Mrs. Coxe a detailed and spirited recital -of her adventures, which Zelphine heard with the great wide-open eyes -of a child listening to a fairy-tale. Women of Mrs. Coxe's age delight -in a sympathetic listener. The members of her own party have doubtless -heard all of her _contes de voyage_. She will certainly elect to go -with us, and have the advantage of a new and appreciative audience. - - March 9th. - -I opened my windows this morning and stepped out on the marble terrace -to enjoy a view of the mountains, which had looked so enchanting by -moonlight and were no less beautiful by day. In the garden below a -blue gown flitting about among the orange-trees attracted my attention. -Angela had evidently brought her charms to bear upon the heart of the -_padrone_, as I heard him say, "Here are scissors for the signorina -to cut all the oranges she wishes. In the signorina's own country the -oranges do not grow up to the doorstep as with us. Is it not so?" - -"No, indeed," said Angela, deftly snipping off a golden ball. "This -is a great pleasure. I never cut an orange from a tree but once in my -life, and that was in Granada." - -Being possessed of an inquiring turn of mind, the _padrone_ asked many -questions concerning Granada, and so talking and working industriously -Angela soon collected a fine dish of oranges for our breakfast--an -unwonted luxury, as in this land of abundance they never give us fruit -for our early _dejeuner_. The carriages were at the door before we -had finished our breakfast, and in ours, as though in answer to our -desires, sat Mrs. Coxe, provided with a guide-book, lorgnette, lunch, -and all the equipment of a good traveller for a long day's drive. - -The proprietor announced that he would accompany us as far as Salerno, -occupying the seat on the box beside the driver and his little -brother. Mrs. Coxe evidently considered this her opportunity for -informing herself with regard to the country, its inhabitants, and its -productions. She had added not a little to her already large store of -information, gained in many lands, when the _padrone_, to our great -regret, left us, with many bows, smiles, and wishes for a "bel giro." - -We had the very tip-top of the morning for the beginning of our drive, -as we set forth at eight o'clock. The air is soft and clear like that -of a May day at home. We can scarcely believe that it is March, and -that our friends across the water are still in the grasp of winter, as -we left all that behind us when we sailed from New York six weeks ago. - - [Illustration: On the Road to Paestum] - -Our way lay between green meadows dotted with purple cyclamen and a -small yellow flower much like the English primrose, and in some places -through groves of orange-trees covered with golden fruit. - -Fortunately for those who take this long drive, the roads are -excellent. We drove slowly through the old town of Cava, with its -narrow, precipitous streets, and through Salerno, which is upon a -bluff overlooking the bay, and commands a noble panorama of sea and -shore. When, however, we reached the plain, our horses set forth -at a brisk pace. There was not much to be seen here except acres of -fennel, artichoke, and a bean, now covered with white blossoms, which -I believe is used chiefly for feeding the cattle. Even this road -through a flat country is not without a touch of picturesqueness, as -it is in many places bordered by gnarled sycamores twisted into the -most weird and grotesque shapes. Between these trees a peasant woman -was walking, bearing upon her head an immense brush-heap, which was -probably her winter firewood. Zelphine and Angela had their kodaks with -them, of course, and begged the driver to stop and allow them to get a -snap-shot, which he did, crying out, "Ecco, ecco, signora!" The woman -stopped obediently, and stood like a statue, in a natural pose full -of grace and strength. She was evidently pleased to have her picture -taken, as these peasants always are, especially if a few soldi are -thrown in to seal the contract. If the picture is good you shall have -one, as it will give you a characteristic bit of this Southern Italian -life. - -Here women young and old are to be seen working in the fields with the -men, driving ox-carts, walking beside them, and bearing burdens that -seem far too heavy for any woman's shoulders. Although the land seems -fertile, the people are evidently very poor, the villages small, and -the houses comfortless. - -We should have liked to ask the driver some questions about the -products of the soil, the peasants, and their lives, but neither he nor -his little brother, who was on the box beside him, adapted themselves -gracefully to the restrictions of our vocabulary--there is, we find, a -great difference in drivers in this respect. At Battipaglia, a railroad -station and the most considerable town on the route, we changed -horses and drivers also. This latter substitution we found was to our -advantage, as the second _vetturino_ proved to be a better linguist -than his predecessor, which enabled us to continue our interrupted -studies in agriculture and political economy. The new driver was -serviceable also in other respects. When we came upon a field of -narcissus, he stopped the carriage in order to allow us the pleasure -of gathering the fragrant blossoms, besides bringing us handfuls of -flowers, the largest bunch of course being laid at Angela's feet. We -are quite sure that he considers her the living image of the pictures -of the Blessed Virgin, although he is too discreet to say so. - -Angela was charming to-day, in a blue suit and a white shirt-waist, -but the March sun was so hot that by the time we reached Paestum it had -taken all the color out of the crown of her pretty blue hat. - -As there is no inn at Paestum we ate our luncheon by the roadside, -stopping under the shade of a tree where a peasant was enjoying his -siesta, his oxen being tethered near by. Zelphine is enthusiastic -over the beauty of these gentle creatures, with their soft, kindly -brown eyes, and says that she is sure that Homer, when he wrote of his -ox-eyed maidens, had just such a one in mind as she was feeding from -her hand. She made so pretty a picture as she stood beside the great -white ox, feeding him daintily with bean-blossoms, that Angela tried -to get a snap-shot of her, but that provoking ox--the slowest of all -animals--took it into his head to move at the critical moment. - -The country seemed more level and marshy as we drew near Paestum, -although on the left there rose the spur of a mountain range, on one -of whose heights are the ruins of the hillside fortress of Capaccio -Vecchio. This town was founded by the inhabitants of Paestum when they -were driven from their city by the Saracens in the ninth century. - -To our surprise, we saw herds of buffalo grazing in the fields, much -smaller and different in other respects from the American bison. Our -driver told us that this small black buffalo is to be found near the -coast in many parts of Italy, and is often seen on the Campagna near -Rome. From the number of calves in some of the fields we are inclined -to think that the young buffaloes are used for food. I noticed several -of the well-grown animals drawing carts, sometimes harnessed with the -white oxen. - -We caught a glimpse of the old wall and gate with the sea beyond, -and then in a moment the temples were in full view. Nothing could be -more impressive than those magnificent ruins on that lonely plain, -sharply outlined against the blue sky. The Temple of Neptune, with its -thirty-six fluted Doric columns, its double columns inside, and its -noble, almost perfect facade, is a superb example of Greek architecture -of the fifth century B.C. The stone of which the temple is built is a -kind of travertine, to which the passing years have imparted a creamy, -mellow tone. The Temple of Ceres is less complete than that dedicated -to Neptune, although it belongs to the same period. The gate of the -town opening out toward the sea and the old wall adjoining it are -wonderfully preserved. These with the temples of Neptune and Ceres and -the so-called Basilica are all that remain of this settlement made by -Greeks from Sybaris about 600 B.C. Two days we have passed with the -ancients, yesterday in a city where "the earth, with faithful watch, -has hoarded all," and to-day in a town not much older than Pompeii, -where the conquering Saracens and Normans and the devastating elements -have left nothing to tell the tale of the daily life and habits of the -Greeks who made their home upon these shores. - -We climbed over the ruins of the old temples and sat upon the town -wall overlooking the sea, while Angela made a fairly good sketch of -the temples. Zelphine and I bought coins and pottery from children -who, being without visible habitation, seemed to have literally sprung -from the soil. Finally our _vetturino_ warned us that we had better set -forth at once if we wished to reach Cava before nightfall. - -At Battipaglia we resumed our former horses and driver. Zelphine -whispered something to me about his face being rather red. I quite -agreed with her, but as the mention of the fact could not be of any -especial advantage, the other carriage being already far in advance and -no person at hand to take the reins, there was nothing to do but to set -forth on our homeward journey, despite some misgivings upon Zelphine's -part and mine. - -We had not left Battipaglia before I realized that our gravest -fears were fulfilled. Our driver was what you men picturesquely call -"gloriously drunk"--we practical women would use a less dignified -adverb. He was as happy as a lord, cracking his whip and dashing -through the streets of Battipaglia in fine style. We soon passed the -other coach, containing Mrs. Coxe's friends. They called after us, but -must have seen that we had no time for conversation _en route_; indeed, -like Cowper's citizen "of credit and renown," we passed everything on -the road. Zelphine and I were on the front seat, facing Mrs. Coxe and -Angela. They, happily, did not grasp the situation at once, but when -they did the terror written on that dear old lady's face was something -never to be forgotten. Angela, with resolute cheerfulness, chatted away -about anything and everything, especially about Mrs. Coxe's experiences -in Honolulu, her favorite subject of conversation. I shall never hear -of that island kingdom of the Pacific without seeing before me Mrs. -Coxe's agonized face. - -Remembering that there lay before us a long stretch of road overhanging -a sharp declivity, Zelphine and I made a desperate attempt to stop our -hilarious _vetturino_ in his mad career. Finding that our remonstrances -excited him to more strenuous exertions, Zelphine tried the effect -of her few available words and many eloquent gestures upon the small -boy, urging him to make his brother drive more carefully, telling him -that the old lady of the party was very much alarmed, and advising -him to get the whip into his own hands. This, however, proved to -be impossible; the boy, well frightened himself by this time, only -succeeded in getting hard words and a shaking. Give up his whip! Not -he. As well ask a soldier to lay down his arms. The whip was his -pride and joy, his _piece de resistance_, so to speak, with which -he awoke the echoes of these slumbering old Italian towns, bringing -the inhabitants, men, women, children, cats, dogs, and chickens, to -the sidewalk to witness our rapid transit. Even those among our own -countrymen who pride themselves most upon their skill in annihilating -space could not have made better time than we did as we rattled over -that Calabrian highway. Fortunately, the horses were well-trained and -steady enough to balance the driver's eccentricities. Perhaps they were -accustomed to them by long experience. Be this as it may, we proceeded -on our way without any accident, passing the dangerous part of the road -before darkness overtook us. - -We clattered through Salerno at a tearing gallop, and as we neared La -Cava the whip-cracking was resumed with renewed vigor, bringing the -citizens to their doors and windows. Some of them, indeed, followed the -carriage, crying out, "Prima donna! Prima donna!" - -"What can they mean?" asked Mrs. Coxe, looking as though she expected -to be attacked by a furious mob. Zelphine reminded her that as we drove -by the theatre in the morning we had noticed a poster announcing that -a grand opera was to be given in Cava that evening. In our gay morning -spirits we had even thought that it might be pleasant to assist at the -function. Now the most that we dared to hope was that we might reach -the hotel in safety. Troops of children ran after us, repeating the -shout of "Prima donna! Prima donna!" - -"We are honored by being mistaken for a part of the opera troupe," said -Zelphine, laughing, "and Angela is evidently the leading lady, as they -are all looking at her." - -Angela, sitting erect on the back seat, her costume as crisp and -immaculate as if she were on her way to a horse-show, her jaunty hat at -the most stylish angle even if the crown was off color, looked indeed -like a leading lady, albeit a trifle pale and in need of the aid of the -rouge-pot of the greenroom. - -When we reached our hotel we were all exhausted by the fatigue of the -day and the long strain of the afternoon; but Mrs. Coxe showed herself -the thorough-going traveller that she is by stopping not for rest or -refreshment until she had laid a detailed account of our experiences -before the proprietor. - -He came to us later, after a visit to the driver's home, and reported -him as covered with confusion and filled with remorse. "_Ecco, ecco_, -he is the penitent one now!" exclaimed the _padrone_. "His parents have -scolded him soundly, and have threatened to beat him with a stick. He -is in tears, the sorrowful one! It is the first time, and it will never -happen again!" - -"All of which would not mend our bones if they had been broken!" said -Mrs. Coxe, stoutly. "It is your duty to give your patrons good, safe -drivers." - -The _padrone_ then called upon the saints to witness to the fact that -he had never known an accident to befall any of his patrons, repeating -that this was Antonio's first offence, and that he must have been -drinking some bad stuff at the tavern, as good wine would never so -set the brain on fire. The proprietor has a frank manner that gives -one the impression that he is speaking the truth; we are inclined -to believe him, although we have been warned not to allow ourselves -to be deceived by appearances in this land of ready eloquence. Our -valiant countrywoman having made her protest for the party, and this -disagreeable duty having been taken off our shoulders, we went into -dinner with high spirits and famous appetites. - -Zelphine and I are so wide awake after our exciting drive that we -are devoting the evening to letter-writing, both of us being sadly in -arrears. The other guests of the Hotel S. have betaken themselves to -their slumbers, and we enjoy undisturbed possession of the only warm -room in the house. A wood fire blazes on the hearth, and as we bask -in its genial warmth we shiver at the thought of our rooms upstairs, -which, with their stone floors, are of about the temperature of -refrigerators. - - SORRENTO, March 11th. - -We left Cava on Wednesday, and made the tour from there to Amalfi in -the brilliant morning sunshine. This is another "Cornice Drive," and -far finer, I think, than that along the Riviera. The road winds above, -beneath, and beside rugged cliffs of great height, always with the -sea in full view. Often from airy summits we looked down upon fishing -villages and towns built around bays and inlets, as Cetara and Atrani, -while upon projecting headlands are many watch-towers, now used chiefly -as dwellings. - -We needed not to be told that the making of macaroni is one of the -chief industries of Amalfi. As we drew near the town many yards of it -were to be seen hanging upon lines like a wash or spread upon the grass -to dry. - -Amalfi is charmingly situated at the entrance to a deep ravine, -surrounded by mountains and rocks of the most picturesque forms. -We climbed up the sixty steps of the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Mrs. -Coxe and some of her party were carried up in chairs by two stout -Calabrians, but we preferred to walk, turning every now and then to -gaze upon the enchanting view spread before us. At the top of the slope -is a spacious garden terrace full of flowers, with roses climbing all -over its walls. - -We stopped overnight at the old Capuchin monastery, which is now fitted -up as a hotel, and yesterday drove here, the greater part of the way -beside terraces of lemon-trees covered with ripening fruit--enough -lemons to make lemonade for the whole world, one would think. As we -drew near Sorrento orange-trees took the place of lemon-trees, groves -and groves of them, with their dark, shining leaves and brilliantly -colored fruit. Peasants brought oranges to the carriage for sale, -clusters of them, with fruit and blossoms growing together, which they -were glad to give us for a few soldi. - -This morning we spent in the shops buying wood-carvings and silk, which -is made here, and is consequently astonishingly cheap. We found Mr. -Crawford's charming villa, and, to Zelphine's great delight, the house -of Tasso's sister on the Strada San Nicola. Tasso's birthplace and the -rock upon which the house stood have both been swallowed up by the sea; -but the house of his sister Cornelia, to which the great Tasso came in -1592 disguised as a shepherd, is still standing, and there is a statue -of Torquato Tasso in the chief square of Sorrento. - - [Illustration: An Amazonian Tribute, Capri] - -I am writing on a fine terrace overlooking the sea, where stone benches -and tables are conveniently arranged for our use. The sun is like -that of June, and roses such as belong to that month are blooming all -over the wall beside me. The concierge has just brought me a handful -of them, charming pink and white ones. We are equipped for a drive to -the Deserto, which Mrs. Coxe, who visited the place forty years ago, -tells us is most interesting. Within a few years the monastery has -been suppressed, and the building is now used as a home for destitute -children. - -We should like to spend a week in Sorrento, which is so beautiful -itself and from which so many excursions are to be made; but Capri -beckons to us from across the bay and our time is limited, as Zelphine -has promised to meet some cousins in Naples. - - CAPRI, March 13th. - -Our reception on the island of the Blue Grotto was sufficiently novel -to please the most blase traveller. As our boat drew near the rocky -shore dozens of women, most of them young and handsome, hurried down to -the wharf and seized our luggage, which they bore on their heads easily -and lightly up the steep path to the hotel. It seemed strange enough -to have women carry our dress-suit-cases and bags, but on our way to -the hotel we saw a much more unusual sight--three women carrying two -trunks and a valise, while a man, evidently the owner of the trunks, -was walking quite at his ease beside them. He was, we were told later, -a Caprian peasant on his way to America, and this delicate attention -was a final act of devotion on the part of his Amazonian countrywomen. - -Capri has not been as kind to us as other towns of Southern Italy. The -mountains have had their heads buried in clouds all the morning, and -when the donkeys arrived which we had ordered for a ride up to the -Villa of Tiberius, a fine rain was falling, which prevented us from -making the excursion. We sent the donkeys and their women drivers home, -much to the disappointment of the latter. - -"Women seem to do everything here!" said Angela. "Where are the men?" - -"Gone to America," replied Mrs. Coxe, quickly. "The women ship them -off, bag and baggage, and then have everything their own way." - -Fortune favored us later in the day, as the clouds rolled off the -mountains before noon, and the _padrone_ informed us that the wind -was in the right quarter for a visit to the Blue Grotto. We made our -expedition satisfactorily, although the sea was high and we literally -rode the waves in our small boats. The grotto is quite as blue as any -picture of it that I have ever seen, and with an exquisite, luminous -transparency that no brush or pencil can portray. When we were in -the midst of the silvery blueness, watching with some apprehension a -small boy who dives into the water to show off its wonderful color, -our boatman suddenly became loquacious, and told us thrilling tales -of unfortunate visitors to the grotto who had been walled in by the -sea and were obliged to spend days and even weeks in this drear abode, -living upon supplies which daring sailors, who contrived to get their -boats near to the mouth of the grotto, handed in to them. The smallness -of the opening of the grotto gave a semblance of reality to these -Muenchausen tales. Mrs. Coxe, who was in the boat with me, became very -much alarmed and insisted upon leaving at once, calling to the other -members of the party to follow. We were splashed a little by the spray -as we emerged from the grotto, and those in the other boats were quite -wet; but as we rowed away the mouth of the fairy cave was almost hidden -by the waves. It seemed indeed as if there might be a grain of truth -in the boatman's tales, which the _padrone_ corroborated, adding, "But -it does not often happen that travellers are shut up for any time in -the Grotta Azzurra; we are very careful." "Not very often indeed! As -if once would not be enough!" exclaimed Mrs. Coxe, who had interrogated -the _padrone_ after her straightforward fashion of getting at the truth -of the matter. - - HOTEL B., NAPLES, March 15th. - -We are glad to be in Naples again, and in this homelike hotel. Zelphine -has met her cousins, and has been making some excursions with them, -taking the famous drive to the monastery of Camaldoli and to the -Solfatara, a half-extinct volcano which, she says, gives one an even -more impressive idea of the Inferno than the Dore illustrations of -Dante. Angela corroborated Zelphine's report, saying that it was quite -the most unpleasant place she had ever seen, especially as they dropped -a poor dog into the crater to try the effects of the sulphur upon his -constitution. They pulled him out before he was quite dead; but who -except these cruel Neapolitans would so persecute a helpless animal? - -I, with my old habit of clinging to the skirts of the things I already -know, declined to take that excursion, for the greater pleasure of -spending a morning in the National Museum among the Pompeian treasures -and another whole day among the ruins of the buried city. It is really -much more interesting to examine the relics from Pompeii after one -has been there, as one naturally fits the frescoes, furniture, and -ornaments into just such rooms as one has seen. Some of the furniture -was strangely modern; I noticed a red and gilt bedstead that looked -as if it might have belonged to the First French Empire, rather than -to the first century A.D. Among the kitchen furnishings were just such -colanders, saucepans, and skillets as we use to-day--is there anything -really new under this shining sun? The surgical and dental instruments -exhibited in one of the cases caused me a genuine thrill of sympathy -for those unhappy Pompeians; to have been smothered with hot ashes -might really have been more endurable than to have lived at the mercy -of those primitive dentists and surgeons! - -We leave Naples to-morrow with regret, as we have grown very fond of -this beautiful city. I wrote a week since to Ludovico Baldini, and -also to the proprietor of a hotel that he recommended to me; but I have -heard from neither. Ludovico may be in Florence on some army business, -but it is very stupid of the proprietor of the Hotel L. not to answer -my letter. We have telegraphed for rooms in a pension on the Via -Sistina, which Mrs. Coxe tells us is delightful, and we are thankful -to know that they will accommodate us, as Rome is full to overflowing -now, all the world going up thither for Easter. When I told my maid -that we were going to Rome to-morrow, she clasped her hands in ecstasy, -exclaiming, "Bella Roma! Bella Roma!" These Italians have a natural -instinct for beauty and a genuine pride in the wonders of their own -country, both of which help them to endure the poverty and hardness -of their lives, just as some people of your acquaintance and mine are -supported through many trials by the uplifting sense of having been -born in the purple. - - - - -V - -BELLA ROMA - - - VIA SISTINA, ROME, March 16th. - -We felt as if we had accomplished a day's work before we left Naples, -this morning, the getting away from these places is so laborious. After -our trunks were strapped and ready for the _facchini_ and porters, -the feeing of the servants had to be attended to. This was Angela's -especial task. She had managed the financial part of our six days' -trip so admirably that Zelphine and I have honored her by electing her -bursar for the party. She does not seem fully to appreciate the honor -we have conferred upon her, but with her usual amiability she is quite -willing to do the work. - -When the servants all lined up in the dining-room, they made a -formidable array. I did not wonder that Angela looked as if she would -rather be somewhere else. She was getting through the ordeal very -creditably, however, when the _padrone_ appeared upon the scene; -very indelicate of him, was it not, to come in just then? This so -embarrassed Angela that she was very near giving him the generous tip -that she had dedicated to the head waiter. Would he have taken it, -think you? Zelphine says that he certainly would, as no hotel-keeper -in Italy can withstand the glint of silver. Be this as it may, we are -glad that Angela did not persist in her indiscriminate generosity, -as our purses are already seriously depleted by the demands made upon -them by chambermaids, _facchini_, head porter, sub-porter, concierge, -head waiter and his troop of underlings, each one with an empty hand -and an expectant eye. There is, we have learned, a long step between -the _facchini_ and the porter, and still another social gradation -between the porter and the concierge. The latter is quite an important -personage, in a fine uniform, who usually speaks excellent English, -French, and often several other languages. - -At the station we had to undergo the weighing of our luggage, a -weariness to the flesh at all times, but especially trying to-day, as -all the world seemed to be _en route_ for Rome. We were detained so -long that we barely had time to catch our train. I sometimes wonder -if any one ever actually lost one of these slow-moving trains. We -travelled second class to-day, "for local color," as Zelphine says. -In point of comfort there seems to us little difference between -first and second class; the former have stuffy plush coverings on the -seats, instead of leather and reps, and somewhat more select company. -Our companions were two well-to-do young matrons, an old peasant -woman, and three children. The two younger women were inclined to -be sociable as far as our common vocabularies permitted, and plied -us with questions, which we answered with more or less accuracy -according to our ability--it is sometimes difficult to be entirely -truthful in a language one does not understand; but Zelphine did most -of the talking, having developed considerable facility in speaking -French with a fine Italian accent. Confusing as this mongrel dialect -might be to an educated Italian, it often stands us in good stead -with shopkeepers, maids, cabbies, and _facchini_, and to-day seemed -tolerably intelligible to our _compagnons de voyage_. Indeed, we became -so intimate that one of the women asked Zelphine for her vinaigrette -for the "bambino" to smell, the bambino having proved herself to be a -poor traveller. - -Zelphine invariably carries a black satin bag, which we have dubbed -"Mrs. Lecks," because, like Frank Stockton's queen of emergencies, it -always provides what we need at any given moment, whether it happens -to be a shoe-button or a guide-book. The bambino was fascinated by -the smelling-bottle, and stretched out her hand for it as soon as -Zelphine took it from the depths of Mrs. Lecks and applied it to her -own patrician nostrils. As this is a country where bambinos seem to be -denied nothing, the mother's hand was also outstretched, and there was -nothing for Zelphine to do but to hand over her dainty vinaigrette to -that untidy-looking baby. Now was not that a trial of good nature? - -Angela was much interested in a half-starved, ill-clad boy of ten or -twelve, who was, the old peasant informed us, an _orfano_ adopted by -her. We wondered how these people came to be travelling second class, -as everything about them indicated extreme poverty. The orphan's eyes -gleamed when Angela spread out her luncheon, and she made haste to -share her rolls and figs with him, while we offered our refreshments -to the other occupants of the carriage, having understood that -this is Italian etiquette. They, with many compliments, declined -the bounty--which may also be in accordance with good breeding in -Italy--all except the orphan, who fell upon Angela's stores with the -appetite of youth sharpened by a long fast from dainties. Upon this -the old woman, not to be outdone, drew forth from a stuff bag a loaf -of brown bread wrapped in a red kerchief such as she wore on her head, -and proceeded to cut off a goodly slice. Angela begged her for a small -piece, _piccolo_ being one of the words that she knows, and I came to -the rescue by handing her a bottle of wine and begging her to give the -old dame a generous glass of it. This libation proved so acceptable -that I really do not think that the woman knew whether or not Angela -had eaten that untempting bit of bread. She finally hid it under her -napkin, saying, "A bit of local color, Zelphine, that I will share with -you later." - -We found little to interest us in this journey of more than five hours -over a level, sparsely wooded country, whose monotony was broken now -and again by an abrupt rise in the ground. These hills that have been -thrown up from the general flatness of the land by some internal -disturbance are generally crowned by a church and monastery, and -many of them by towns of some size. As they rise from the plain, gray -buildings upon gray rocks, standing out against the blue of the sky, -they perfectly fulfil one's idea of a fortress town of the middle ages. - -The guide-books are all written for those who reach Rome from the -north, but however the Eternal City may appear from other approaches, -we felt that we were fortunate in our first view of her spires and -domes across the green and blossoming Campagna. Through a mist or -delicate veil of peach and almond blossoms we saw her seated upon -her seven hills, glorious, dominant, the mother of us all, drawing us -to her by the power of her great past and the charm of her beautiful -present. You probably remember that when Mrs. Browning visited Rome -as early as 1854, she found it to be disappointingly modern, "a -palimpsest Rome--a watering-place written over the antique." Zelphine -and I had heard somewhat the same criticism from so many intelligent -and conscientious travellers that we were prepared for disappointment. -I can truthfully say that despite the overlying modern characters the -ancient writing on the walls reveals itself so plainly that, even with -all this weight of authority against us, we are not disappointed. Mrs. -Browning's impressions of Rome were clouded, as she herself confesses, -by the sad death of Mr. Story's little boy, Penini's playmate, which -occurred soon after her arrival, and by her consequent anxiety about -her own child. Then, again, vast tracts of ancient Rome have been -unearthed since Mrs. Browning looked upon the Forum, which was then -level with the street, and overgrown with vines and gay with flowers. - -Of course, railroad stations cannot fail to be modern, customs -officials are unpleasantly up-to-date in their ways, and it seems -strangely incongruous to find electric trams whirling around St. -Peter's, the Coliseum, and the Forum; but having once accepted these -innovations, we were pleased to find antiquity raising its hoary head -at every turn. Near the bustling railroad station are the great ruins -of the Baths of Diocletian, and driving from thence to the Via Sistina -we passed through a most interesting street named after the four -fountains that adorn it. The Via Sistina, where we are lodged, joins -the Via Gregoriana a few steps from our pension, and at the angle of -meeting is a quaint, picturesque house where the Zuccari, a family -of artists, once lived. A little further on is the ancient Church -of Trinita de' Monti, where one may hear the nuns sing their vesper -hymns on Sunday afternoons, and beyond the church the wide pergola of -ilex-trees, twisted and bent and clipped in a fashion known only to -Italian gardeners. This broad pergola shades the sunny street leading -to the Pincio, or "Hill of Gardens," as the ancients called it. Here we -found our way soon after our arrival, and sitting upon the stone wall -above the Piazza del Popolo we basked in the warm sunshine and read our -home letters, with Rome spread before us. St. Peter's, with the long -line of the Vatican buildings, a city in themselves, lies to the right, -and quite near on the Tiber is the Castle of St. Angelo, Hadrian's -tomb, with an angel on the summit sheathing his bloody sword, while -on the western horizon, as far as the eye can reach, is the Janiculum -Hill. We could faintly trace upon its crest the outline of the -equestrian statue of Garibaldi, which dominates all Rome, as indeed it -should. We strolled back through the blooming shrubbery and the pergola -to the Square of Trinita de' Monti, and down those Spanish Steps of -which we have read so much--great, wide steps, so many of them that we -have not the courage to count them, and of marble that is neither white -nor gray but of a warm yellow tone with a dash of pink in it, reminding -us of the soft shades of the gates of the Alhambra. To the left as one -goes down the steps is a square yellow house, where John Keats passed -the last suffering weeks of his life. This house was selected for Keats -by Dr. Clark because it was near his own. A square tablet marks the -building as the one from which this rare spirit "outsoared the shadow -of our night." - -At the foot of the Spanish Steps are the vendors of flowers. Men and -women are always to be found here selling the most exquisite roses, -lilies, daffodils, frisias, anemones, giant mignonette of the most -fragrant kind, and long sprays of peach and almond blossoms. Fancy, if -you can, the steps, above them the Piazza of Santa Trinita de' Monti, -with its marble balustrades, and the Piazza di Spagna below, with its -sparkling fountain, all bathed in the most brilliant sunshine, and you -will believe that we are indeed well placed, living near so much that -is beautiful. - - March 18th. - -Although there were a thousand things to be seen in Rome, we turned our -backs upon them all and went to Tivoli yesterday, because a pleasant -party was going from here and the day was fine. We drove through -the newly built Veneto quarter, passing Queen Margherita's palace, -with its handsome broad facade, which is directly on the street. -The great gardens are behind, surrounded by high walls overtopped by -tall camellia-trees full of their red and white blossoms. We passed -through the Porta San Lorenzo, beyond which is the station for Tivoli. -The road passes near the Church of San Lorenzo, which is said to be -a perfect example of the basilica, as it rises in "its gray reverend -dignity" against the background of the Campagna and the blue mountains -of Tivoli. Inside of this church are the tombs of Pius IX. and several -other popes, and frescoes and mosaics, ancient and modern, of great -richness. - -Our road lay through a desolate-looking country, but for that reason -none the less dear to the heart of the antiquarian. For near the river -Anio and the Tuzia, both of which we crossed, our guide told us that -Hannibal had encamped; a little way beyond was the hallowed grove of -the Muses; and to the ruined baths of the Aquae Albulae the captive queen -of Palmyra came from her villa near by, to bathe in the milk-white -water. The steam tram stopped for us most accommodatingly at the -sulphur springs, and allowed us time to walk around and see all that -is left of this ancient resort. Here the emperors and tribunes of Rome -came to wash away their sins, just as our politicians go to Saratoga -and the Southern springs for the same purpose. The water, which is -always spoken of as milk-white, seemed to us to have a decidedly blue -shade, an exquisite light blue. The deposit left by the sulphur or -sulphuretted hydrogen has hardened in the beds of the streams and -pools into the most curious and grotesque shapes. These deposits -we afterwards found used at the Villa d'Este and elsewhere for the -decorations of the fountains. - -At Tivoli hacks were awaiting us, in which we drove to the Villa -d'Este. This stately and imposing palace, with its spacious garden, was -worthy to be the residence of one of the oldest and most distinguished -princely houses of Italy. We entered the palace enclosure through the -cloister of the Church of St. Francis, and saw in the long corridors -and spacious apartments many beautiful frescoes by Zuccaro and Muziano. -Some of these are considerably damaged by the dampness, but many still -exhibit rare grace of design and richness of color. Beneath the villa -is a broad terrace ending in a noble archway, through which one may -look forth upon hillsides glorified by the blossoming almond, peach and -Judas trees. From this terrace winding stairways lead to other terraces -below, upon each one of which fountains send up jets of feathery -spray that display their iridescent colors against the background -of huge cypresses. It is all a dream of loveliness, and full of the -indescribable atmosphere of old-world charm. We could imagine the poet -Tasso, who was attached to the court of one of the Dukes of Ferrara, -drawing inspiration from these classic groves, in whose leafy quiet -the nightingale must surely sing. Here the beautiful young daughters of -the house played in the sunshine of the too brief girlhood granted to -old-time princesses. - -We afterwards drove through the old town, and from a lower road had -a good view of the temples and churches, and of the heights of Monte -Catillo, its picturesque hillsides, and the cascades which seemed -to bubble forth from every fissure and crevice in the rocks--so many -waterfalls that one could not count them all. - - [Illustration: Cypress Walk, Hadrian's Villa] - -The hotel where we stopped for luncheon is built upon a shelving rock -on whose garden terrace we sat overlooking the valley. Above us, on -another projection, was the little Temple of Vesta, the Sibyl, or -what you will--it seems to make little difference what one calls this -exquisite circular temple, as antiquarians do not agree about its name. -It is, however, so graceful in form and so rich in coloring that, -like the rose, it is equally lovely by whatever name it is called, -especially as we saw it to-day, draped with clematis and ivy, crowning - - "The green steep whence Anio leaps, - In floods of snow-white foam." - -After luncheon we made our excursion to Hadrian's Villa, or Villa -Adriana, as they now call it, which is the chief object of interest at -Tivoli and is worthy of something more than a superficial inspection. -As you doubtless know, it is not a villa, or even a palace, like the -Villa d'Este, but a military or university town. Here are quarters for -the soldiers, dining-rooms for the officers and their men, temples, -libraries, hospitals, baths, theatres, race-courses, gardens, and -fountains. Most of the sculptures have been carried away from the -beautiful Golden Court and the Hall of Philosophy, but exquisite bits -of stone carving are still to be seen in the courts and baths, and -mosaic pavements looking as bright and fresh as when trodden by the -feet of Hadrian in A.D. 138. - -As we passed through room after room, with their more or less -fragmentary decorations, Angela reminded us of the story of the Western -girl who, on her way to Tivoli, hoped that when she called at the -villa the Hadrians would not be at home, as she had not put on her -best hat. Zelphine and I thought that this "innocent abroad" must have -been surprised to find that when the Hadrians left their villa they had -taken away most of their furniture and ornaments with them. What queer -specimens of our own countrymen we do meet _en voyage_! The question -that we ask ourselves most frequently is, why did they come? - - March 21st. - -I have been wondering why I have not heard from Ludovico Baldini. We -went to the bank on the Piazza di Spagna this morning, and found my -Naples letter lying unopened. To-day I had decided to go to French, -Lemon & Co., thinking I had made a mistake about the bank, when as -we were walking along the Via Nazionale on our way to the Rospigliosi -Palace, I saw a young man on the other side of the way take off his hat -and wave it as he dashed across the street. Of course it was Ludovico, -just returned from Florence, as bright and cordial as ever, but very -indignant over not having had my letter forwarded to him. - -I think you must have met young Mr. Baldini, of whom I speak so -unceremoniously as Ludovico, as he was often at our common friends', -the W.'s, last year. I met him first at Jamestown, in the summer, and -he gave me so many valuable suggestions about Italian travel that I -feel greatly indebted to him. He is young, not much over twenty-one, -but in some respects seems older, and, being American on one side, -he combines considerable practical ability with the Italian charm -of manner which we all realize, even if we are not always happy in -describing it. - -We had intended to go somewhere this afternoon with Mrs. Robins and -Bertha Linn, and when Ludovico suggested our driving out to the meet -near the Tomb of Caecilia Metella, we concluded that this was the -thing of all others that we wished to do, more especially as this -was the last meet of the season. We arrayed ourselves in our best, as -all the smart people go to the meets here. Ludovico secured the most -presentable hacks that he could find, and we set forth, following a gay -procession of carriages along the street of tombs to a sporting scene; -but for such incongruities as this, commend me to the sympathetic -Italian! - -The meet was worth seeing--fine horses, good riding, life, motion, and -color. There were many handsome, well-dressed women in the carriages -and walking about; all this gayety brought out in strong relief by the -sombre background of the old aqueduct and the great circular tomb of -the beloved wife of Crassus. - -As the carriages were crowded together, we left ours, and attempted to -walk over the field, as many persons were doing. The horses and dogs -turned suddenly in our direction, and Mrs. Robins, in trying to get -out of their way, slipped, fell, and would have been trampled by one -of the horses had not his rider been a most expert horseman. Ludovico -was in a rage such as these hot-blooded Latins alone are capable of, -and was ready to call out the young horseman, who had done all that -man could do to prevent an accident, dismounting at once and most -courteously apologizing. "It is entirely our fault for being on foot -where horses and dogs had the right of way," I said to the _cavaliere_, -who bowed with the gravity of a Don Quixote, evidently quite agreeing -with me. Ludovico, somewhat appeased, asked me to allow him to present -the gentleman, who was an acquaintance of his, and this ceremony being -accomplished satisfactorily they both handed us to our carriages in -fine style. As Mrs. Robins fortunately was not hurt, we were all able -to enjoy the spirited scene from our coign of vantage. The dogs broke -covert over on the Campagna, and then the rush and scamper of the gay -cavalcade across the plain was most exciting, horsemen and hounds in -full cry. - -As it was still early in the afternoon, we decided to drive to the -Janiculum Hill to see the fine equestrian statue of Garibaldi and the -magnificent view from what seems here quite a height, because it rises -abruptly from the plain, but is really less than three hundred feet. -The air was perfectly clear, and we could literally behold all Rome, -old and new, spread out before us. Between the hill and the Tiber lies -that large quarter known as Trastevere, where are some of the most -interesting churches, as Santa Maria and Santa Cecilia. Here beautiful -villas once stood, but Trastevere is now almost exclusively inhabited -by the working classes. A fine and handsome race, differing in dialect -from the citizens of other quarters of Rome, the Trasteverians seem to -have some right to the distinction which they claim of being the direct -descendants of the ancient Romans. - -On our return from the Janiculum we stopped at St. Peter's in Montorio, -which is on one of the slopes of the Janiculum. Although the crowning -glory of this church, Raphael's Transfiguration, has been taken from -the high altar and carried to the Vatican, a few good pictures still -remain. What we desired to see the most, though, was the little temple -in the court said to mark the spot where the cross of St. Peter stood. -The chapel contains a statue of the saint, and below, down some steps, -is a grewsome place where he is said to have been crucified in a manner -so horrible that I really cannot undertake to describe it to you. The -impression made upon one by this spot is somewhat the less thrilling -because several other places are shown as the scene of the martyrdom of -this great apostle. The woman who opened the temple for us scratched -up some of the earth and gave it to us with great solemnity. Angela's -face was a study as she received her portion. She is not, as you may -believe, much of a relic-hunter. - - - - -VI - -A POET'S CORNER - - - VIA SISTINA, ROME, March 22d. - -Your letter in answer to mine written from San Remo reached me to-day. -It really seems a year since I wrote you that letter, instead of one -month. So many impressions have come crowding one upon another since -then that I cannot quite recall what I said of a personal nature. -The meeting with Genevra brought back the old familiar associations -so vividly that we sometimes forgot all that had happened since we -had parted, and lived over our early, happy days. If you read into my -letter more than was meant, it is because some of the glamour of that -time caused will-o'-the-wisps to mislead you. No, "gang your ain gait, -Allan," as your mother's old Scotch maid used to say. You have a great -future before you in your profession, and I--it seems to me sometimes -that I have only a past, and a present which I live day by day, with no -plans for the years to come. It is so difficult to readjust one's life -to new standards, and those who stake much lose heavily. We both loved -Headley too well to say one harsh word about him. I could not talk to -you thus freely were it not so; indeed, I never could _speak_ to you -at all about Headley--writing is easier, across the great expanse of -waters. Now that I have broken the silence, let me say to you, best of -friends, that I have in this sunny land and among these changing scenes -found content, which may in time reach the measure of happiness. Do not -disturb this peace, I beg of you, but be satisfied with our good old -friendship, which is so safe and sane. - -I shall really be afraid to tell you of any of our contretemps, you -take them so seriously, and yet you wish to know of all our wanderings -and of just how certain things impress us. I had forgotten about that -absurd homesickness in Genoa, until you spoke of it. It was an acute -attack, I assure you, and, like the proverbial grief of the widower, -violent while it lasted, but soon well over and done with. Now we -wonder how any one could possibly be homesick in this Italy which we -love so much, above all in Rome, which seems each day more and more the -mother of us all. Zelphine and Angela will tell you that Margaret is -the gayest of the party. You know that I never would be a kill-joy, and -here there is so much to interest one on all sides. - -So you are glad that there is one good English name in the party, and -are pleased to like the sound of my homespun baptismal? Angela is of -the same mind; she says that my sensible "Margaret" strikes a happy -balance between Zelphine's romantic name, which she feels it her duty -to live up to, and her own, equally fanciful, which she takes pleasure -in defying. By way of adapting herself gracefully to the situation, -Angela has fallen into the habit of calling Zelphine "Z." This is all -very well, but I am thankful that she does not insist upon being called -"A.," as the constant turning from A. to Z. would be unpleasantly -suggestive of algebraic formulae, which were the bane of my school-days. - -We laugh at Zelphine and chaff her continually about her flights of -fancy; but no person could travel with her without realizing what a -pleasure it is to be with a woman whose mind is so stored with the -poetry and history of these old cities, one who enters so heart and -soul into every interesting association. I said something of this to -Angela one morning as we turned from the Via Condotti into the Corso, -feeling that she might not appreciate all her privileges. - -"Zelphine is," I said, "steeped in the lore of the past." - -"Yes, up to the neck!" replied Angela, with emphasis. "I feel that I -am now enjoying that liberal education that I have heard about all my -life." - -"The education is not liberal in including your expressions," I said, -with an attempt at severity. - -"Don't you understand, Margaret? Must I always explain?" said Angela, -lifting her innocent blue eyes to mine. "I mean that Z. swims in -learning, and one must be in up to one's neck to swim comfortably!" - -Angela is quite hopeless, and by way of punishing her I stopped to buy -her some of the delicious red roses that make me think of June days -at home, especially of the roses in your mother's garden, which were -always the reddest. Zelphine having stepped on in advance of us to -attend to a commission at the cleaner's, where they "gar auld claes -look amaist as weel's the new," we sauntered on along what one of your -favorite writers describes so enthusiastically as "that world-famous -avenue, the Corso." - -"Do look at her!" exclaimed Angela, as we passed the Via Convertite -and saw Zelphine standing at the corner of the Via San Claudio, -gazing spellbound at the windows of a house on the other side of the -street. "She's quite happy; time and place are nothing to her--she -has discovered the Shelley tablet on that house. I saw it several days -ago, but I thought I'd let Z. find it for herself. She'll never rest -content till she sees the room in which Shelley wrote 'The Cenci' and -'Prometheus Unbound.' It is probably not worth seeing when you get into -it, and may not be the room at all; but see it Z. will, or die in the -attempt. I don't believe in all these wonderful tales that we hear. You -only half believe in them yourself, Margaret, so I dare to talk to you; -Z. swallows them whole, and so does Ludovico, and that is what makes -them such good friends." - -"And is it your incredulity, my dear, that makes you and Ludovico such -bitter enemies?" - -Angela laughed her light, musical laugh. - -"We do quarrel, you know; we had quite a battle last evening over -the Catacombs. Ludovico says that I must see them; that it would -be positively disgraceful for me to leave Rome without seeing the -Catacombs of Calixtus, at least. You know that I don't care for such -dismal places. Rome is so gay and bright on top, why should we burrow -underneath after tombs and Christian martyrs, while the sun is shining -upon the Pincio and there are no end of things to be seen above ground? -There she goes, after the concierge!" - -There was nothing for us to do but to follow Zelphine into the somewhat -shabby house and upstairs into the poet's room. It was worth much to -stand in the room where Shelley had once written, and to look from -the windows from which he could see the varied, moving panorama of the -busy Corso and the ancient Church of San Silvestro in Capite, in whose -adjoining convent the beautiful Vittoria Colonna took refuge in her -widowhood, and wrote her sonnets in memory of a beloved husband. - -A curious commentary upon the power of the world over the Church is -to be found in the fact that Pope Clement VII. forbade the abbess and -nuns, "under pain of the greater excommunication," to permit this noble -lady the usual solace of afflicted womanhood, the cloister and the -veil. This picturesque old convent with its lovely cloisters is now -used as a post office. - -From Shelley's house we retraced our steps along the Corso and turned -into the Piazza San Lorenzo, where is the little Church of San Lorenzo -in Lucina, in which Browning's Pompilia was baptized and married, her -"own particular place," where she wondered, as we did, - - "what the marble lion meant, - With half his body rushing from the wall, - Eating the figure of a prostrate man." - -Standing before the wonderful altar-piece of Guido Reni's Crucifixion, -painted against a wild and stormy sky, we realized how the suffering -face of the compassionate Christ must have risen again and again before -the despairing eyes of the persecuted child-wife: - - "the piece - Of Master Guido Reni, Christ on Cross, - Second to nought observable in Rome." - -Other and more impressive associations with Shelley's life in Rome than -the little room on the Corso we found this afternoon when we drove -out to the Baths of Caracalla, which even now cover so large a space -that they have been well named a city of pleasure. We climbed over the -mountainous ruin and up the winding stairs, trying to find just such a -perch as Shelley described in the preface to his "Prometheus Unbound." - -Bald and naked are these walls to-day, but not unsightly, as they -stand out against the blue of the Roman sky and the fresh green of the -Campagna. They are denuded of the vines and flowers that adorned them -when, as Shelley says, he wrote his poem "among the flowery glades -and thickets of odoriferous blossoming trees which are extended, in -ever-winding labyrinths, upon its immense platforms and dizzy arches -suspended in the air." - -Now as then Rome lies on one side, with her many domes and towers; on -the other are the mountains, blue in the distance, and white beyond -the blue, where the snow lingers late upon their peaks. Like another -mountain stands out the dome of St. Peter's, which Ampere says is "the -only one of the works of man that possesses something of the grandeur -of the works of God." - -Being in the mood for poetic associations, we drove around by the -Porta San Paolo, just outside of which, enclosed by high walls and -overshadowed by the great pyramidal Tomb of Caius Cestius, is the old -Protestant Cemetery. An ideal Campo Santo is this lovely spot, of which -Shelley wrote that "it might make one in love with death to think that -one should be buried in so sweet a place." We wandered over the grass -and looked up at the sky through the trees, while Zelphine quoted the -lines that fit the scene so well: - - "Pass, till the spirit of the spot shall lead - Thy footsteps to a slope of green access, - Where, like an infant's smile, over the dead - A light of laughing flowers along the grass is spread." - -And so passing from grave to grave we came to the one we sought, and -standing before a simple stone slab, read those sad words which poor -Keats, in bitterness of spirit, wished to have written above his grave: -"Here lies one whose name was writ in water." It was comforting to turn -from this to a marble tablet on the wall near by, where there is a head -of Keats in low relief, and under it a beautiful inscription saying -that he is among the immortals. The young poet's devoted friend Joseph -Severn lies near him. - -Across the road is the newer cemetery, whose gate was opened for us -by a girl with a huge key fastened to her girdle, whom Zelphine and -I likened to "the damsel named Discretion." Angela, being a modern -girl and unfamiliar with "Pilgrim's Progress," did not understand the -allusion, and said: - -"Small thanks to her if she is discreet, when she is not able to say a -word to us, good or bad!" - -Zelphine always looks at me hopelessly on such occasions, lamenting -over what she calls the lack of background in the outlook of the girl -of to-day, whom I always defend loyally although I believe Zelphine is -more than half right. - -We found the grave of Shelley, who so soon followed his Adonais. It -seemed as if that lonely "Cor Cordium" should have been buried near -the friendly shades of Keats and Severn. Yet Mrs. Shelley, in writing -of the burial of the ashes of her husband, makes no mention of their -being placed within the newer cemetery. She simply says he selected the -hallowed place himself, where is the - - "sepulchre, - O, not of him, but of our joy!" - - - - -VII - -ANTIQUITIES AND ORANGE-BLOSSOMS - - - VIA SISTINA, ROME, March 23d. - -It is so delightful to have some one with us who knows and loves Rome -as Ludovico does. He shows us about _con amore_ and with the greatest -enthusiasm, not in the perfunctory guide-book fashion. He and Angela -are already good friends, and chatter away like two magpies about -everything upon the earth and beneath it as well, which is quite -natural, as many of our proposed excursions are subterranean, and we -never know what wonder of the world may be sprung upon us at the next -corner. - -Ludovico was much pleased to learn that we had not yet found our way -to the Capitol, as he wished to personally conduct us thither, advising -us to drive to the Piazza del Campidoglio in order to save the climb up -the long flight of steps leading to it from the street. We thus missed -the first view from below of the noble statue of Marcus Aurelius, which -was once gilded over, like some of our modern statues, and stood near -the Lateran. Those old sculptors knew how a ruler should look! You must -see this statue of your grand old heathen emperor some day; there is -majesty and dominance in every line. - -In the museum we passed beautiful bas-reliefs representing classic -scenes, the colossal statue of the Emperor Hadrian in armor, and -sarcophagi strangely decorated with bacchanalian representations, until -we suddenly found ourselves in the Room of the Dying Gladiator, with -that wonderful marble figure before us of which Byron wrote: - - "He recked not of the life he lost, nor prize, - But where his rude hut by the Danube lay, - There were his young barbarians all at play, - There was their Dacian mother--he, their sire, - Butchered to make a Roman holiday." - -We lingered long beside this impressive marble, and then turned to the -Resting Satyr of Praxiteles, made familiar to us all by Hawthorne's -description. You remember that Donatello so strongly resembled the -statue that Miriam begged him to shake aside his thick curls and allow -her to see whether he had the Faun's leaf-shaped pointed ears. This he -declined to do, saying, as he danced around the statue of the Dying -Gladiator, "I shall be like a wolf of the Apennines if you touch my -ears ever so softly. None of my race could endure it." - -If, as Hawthorne says, "only a sculptor of the finest imagination, -the most delicate taste, the sweetest feeling, and the rarest artistic -skill--in a word, a sculptor and a poet too--could have first dreamed -of a faun in this guise, and then have succeeded in imprisoning the -sportive and frisky thing in marble," surely none but a novelist and a -poet too could have presented on the page of romance this creature of -the woods and hills, half man, half animal, the sensitive, emotional, -whimsical, and altogether fascinating Donatello. - -The statues of the Faun, the Dying Gladiator, and the beautiful youth -Antinous are all among the treasures of which Hadrian's Villa was -despoiled, as was also the exquisite mosaic of doves on a fountain -basin, called Pliny's Doves, because, in speaking of the perfection to -which the mosaic art had attained, Pliny described a wonderful mosaic -in which one dove is drinking and casting her shadow in the water while -others are pluming themselves on the edge of the vase. While in the -room of the Doves we paid our respects to the Capitoline Venus, which, -although considered a perfect type of feminine grace, failed to appeal -to us as did the Venus della Coscia in the Naples Museum, and is, of -course, not to be mentioned in the same breath with the lovely armless -lady of the Louvre. - -After spending two hours in the museum, Zelphine said that she had -seen enough for one day, and that her mind refused to grasp anything -more. We usually find that this is quite time enough to spend in any -picture-gallery or museum, and I am inclined to think that people who -stay longer wear themselves out to no purpose. - -Angela suggested that as we were so near the Church of Ara Coeli, it -would be well to go to see the wonderful Bambino. Ludovico prepared us -for some disappointment by telling us that the most interesting time -to visit this church is during the Epiphany, when the Bambino lies in -a manger and little children come here and recite poems in its honor. -But as a Christmas visit was only a remote possibility, we concluded to -climb up to this church, hung like an eagle's nest upon the precipitous -rock, and well named the "Altar of Heaven." Zelphine quite forgot her -fatigue when she read in her guide-book that it was in this church that -Edward Gibbon first conceived the idea of writing his "Decline and Fall -of the Roman Empire," while Ludovico, by way of giving us something -cheerful to think of, told us that at the foot of the steps Tiberius -Gracchus and Cola di Rienzi were both slain by their nobles. There is -a statue of Rienzi in the piazza below, and above is that wonderful -group of the horse-taming Dioscuri, your copies of which have always -interested me so much. A curious and most unromantic association with -these steps is that here the monks of the Ara Coeli, who were famous -dentists, used to perform their hideous but useful operations, out in -the open, before the eyes of the passer-by. It appears that the Romans -of this time were denied the alleviating circumstance of enduring their -miseries in private. Zelphine, who has a pleasant habit of counting her -blessings, finds just here another reason for offering up thanks that -she lives in this year of grace 1904 rather than in that ancient and -less comfortable period. - -As the steps are many and the sun was hot we were warm and out of -breath when we reached the top, and were glad of the coolness and -peace that we found inside. I gave Angela an admonitory look before the -Bambino was displayed, fearing that she might do or say something to -hurt Ludovico's feelings. As it happened, however, he seemed to care -even less about it than we did, although he told us, with his usual -simplicity and directness, that "il Santissimo Bambino," as he calls -it, is carefully guarded, not on account of its rich clothing and -jewels, but because a woman once formed the design of appropriating -to herself the baby image and its benefits. "She had another bambino -prepared, of the same size and general appearance as this," said -Ludovico, looking at the fresh-colored, richly dressed doll. "She -pretended to be ill, and so got possession of the Santissimo. She -dressed the false image in the garments of the true Bambino, and sent -it back to Ara Coeli. That night the most remarkable thing happened: -the monks were awakened by a wild ringing of bells at the west door of -the church, and what should they find there but the little, shivering, -naked figure of the Santissimo Bambino, in the wind and rain! Of -course, the false bambino was sent back to its owner, and now the -Santissimo is never taken away from the church unattended. This is easy -enough, as the Bambino has its own carriage, coachman, and footman, and -makes its visits to the sick in great state." - -I glanced at Angela. Amusement and incredulity were all too plainly -visible on that fair young face, so I hastened to suggest that we look -at some of the beautiful tombs. There are several by Donatello and the -Cosmati so exquisitely sculptured that they alone repay a visit to the -church. From the terrace outside we looked down on the Forum below us, -where to-day a great mass of blue iris flowers were waving and dancing -in the breeze under the very shadow of the three columns of the Temple -of Castor and Pollux. - -Ludovico suggested our going to the Tarpeian Rock, which is part -of this precipitous hill, if we were not too tired. No, we were not -too tired; the many steps of the Ara Coeli seemed to have brought -positive refreshment to Zelphine, who announced herself ready for a -new start, and so, through delightful winding ways known only to the -initiated, Ludovico led us to the garden from which we looked down upon -the Tarpeian Rock. - -Do you remember the picture in our school histories of Marcus Curtius -plunging into the abyss? I could see him, in my mind's eye, boldly -riding his white horse over the cliff into the depths of the chasm -below, until Zelphine reminded me that it was not from this rock that -Curtius made his fatal plunge, but over on the Forum, where the chasm -closed at once upon horse and rider. I cannot even find mention of our -old friend Marcus Curtius; he is now known as Mettius Curtius. Now the -edge of the precipice is so guarded by an iron railing that it would -be quite impossible in these days for any one to leap from the rock, -or for Donatello to push the monk over into the street below, as in -Hawthorne's tale. Mr. Julian Hawthorne says that it was to a moonlight -visit to the Tarpeian Rock in the good company of Miss Bremer that we -owe this scene in "The Marble Faun," the "most visibly tragic of my -father's writings." A pleasant-faced young woman who unlocked the gate -of the garden for us was evidently bewitched by Angela's charms, as she -did not take her eyes off her face from the moment that she saw her. -When we turned to leave the enclosure she broke from one of the trees -an exquisite branch of orange-blossoms, and gave it to Angela with a -charming grace, at the same time glancing over at Ludovico in a manner -that brought the color to his face. He laughed, evidently pleased, and -said a few words to her in Italian, after which she bestowed a smaller -cluster of the fragrant flowers upon him. Angela, all unconscious, -walked on, revelling in the rich perfume of these loveliest of -blossoms. - -I went to sleep last night wondering what the sweet-faced custodian of -the grim rock had said to Ludovico, and what his reply had been, and so -fell to dreaming of a wedding; but Zelphine was the bride, not Angela, -despite her orange-blossoms, and the groom was a certain widower who -pays intermittent attention to Zelphine--intermittent because she will -not allow him to be a "regular steady," as one of our maids used to say -in speaking of her own suitor. - -You have surely heard of Walter Leonard's devotion to Zelphine, which -is so much of an open secret among her friends that when subjects -for conversation fail, they fall back with ever fresh interest upon -speculations as to whether or not she will eventually accept him and -his family of small children. Angela and I have an idea that she left -home in order to avoid a crisis in her affairs, and when she looks sad -or tired, Angela says that remorse is preying upon her because of the -motherless condition of those hapless children. I did not tell Zelphine -about my dream, because it is bad luck to dream about a marriage. -You scorn all such fancies, I know, but she is really superstitious, -and I might injure Mr. Leonard's chances if I should talk just now. -Angela and I have our own fun out of the situation. She predicts -that he will appear in Venice, which surely would be an appropriate -place for a lover to make his entrance, and romantic enough to please -Zelphine. This is only idle talk, however, as she has never spoken of -the possibility of Walter Leonard's coming over; and pray do forget my -gossip. It is too late, and I am quite too tired to rewrite this part -of my letter. I know you of old, and so am sure that you will tell no -tales. - - Sunday, March 27th. - -This is a gloriously beautiful day. The Spanish Steps are brilliant in -the sunshine, with more flowers than usual on the stalls at the base. -As Sunday is a fete-day, the vendors do a thriving business. And how -cheap the flowers are! One may have all the roses one can carry, for a -franc or two! Yet, with the idea that there is no fixed price in Italy, -travellers are always to be seen at the stalls outdoing the Romans -themselves in their efforts to cheapen the flowers, while the merchant -volubly protests that his house will be desolated and his children in -rags if he sells his roses for a soldo less than the asking price. A -few artists' models are still to be found sunning themselves on the -marble steps or around the fountain of the Piazza di Spagna, but in -less brilliant array than one would desire, peasant dress being as -little worn in Rome as in Paris. - -To go to St. Peter's seemed the thing of all others to do to-day, and -we found an accommodating tram waiting for us in the Piazza di Spagna. - -They tell us that no one ever realizes the vastness of St. Peter's upon -a first visit. However this may be, it seemed immense to us, outside -and in. One notices first Bernini's great colonnades on each side -of the basilica, which, with its facade, form a hemicycle with the -Egyptian obelisk in the centre. Behind the church is the monotonous -mass of the Vatican buildings, while in the foreground the twin -fountains send up their spires of feathery spray. Small wonder that -the practical and thrifty German Emperor advised them to turn off the -water. "Turn them off now," he said, after admiring the beauty of the -fountains. "It's a pity to waste so much water!" But these fountains of -Maderno's have played untiringly, in sunlight and shade, by moonlight -and starlight, for nearly three hundred years. Everywhere in Rome -one hears the sound of flowing water from the many fountains. In the -Borghese Gardens up on the Pincio, in the Piazza di Spagna, down in -the Piazza Poli where the great Fountain of Trevi dashes continually, -throwing its _jets d'eau_ into the great basin beneath, over in the -Piazza delle Terme, near the railroad station--on all sides one hears -the refreshing sound of splashing, leaping water. - -We wandered about the great basilica as if in a strange city, avoiding, -of course, the several chapels in which services were being held, and -stopping long before the Chapel of the Pieta, in which Michael Angelo's -beautiful marble of the Sorrowing Mother with the dead Christ upon her -knees is enshrined. From the gorgeous mosaics in Michael Angelo's dome -and from the rich and elaborate tombs of many popes we turned almost -with relief to the strong and simple Rezzonico monument, upon which -Canova has placed two great lions at the feet of Pope Clement XIII., -while in sharp contrast is a graceful, youthful figure, the Genius of -Death, holding a torch reversed. Zelphine and I think this the most -beautiful example of Canova's work that we have seen anywhere. Another -of the monuments that interested us is that erected by George IV. to -the memory of the unfortunate princes of the house of Stuart, James -III., Charles Edward, and Henry, Cardinal of York. - -Zelphine, who adores the Stuarts, almost wept over this tomb, although -she could not help smiling a bit at the high-sounding titles engraved -upon the monument to Maria Clementina Sobieski, the wife of the second -Pretender, whose name is here inscribed as "Queen of Great Britain, -France, and Ireland." - -We both enjoyed Stendhal's trenchant comment upon the post-mortem -honors paid by the Hanoverian king to the Stuart princes: "George -IV., fidele a sa reputation du _gentleman_ le plus accompli des trois -royaumes, a voulu honorer la cendre des princes malheureuses que de -leur vivant il eut envoyes a l'echafaud s'ils fussent tombes en son -pouvoir." - -The temporary tomb of the late Pope is in this part of St. Peter's, -near the monument of Innocent III. The permanent resting-place of Leo -XIII. is to be in St. John Lateran; for this tomb Tadolini is preparing -a magnificent monument. - -We drove from St. Peter's, by the Tiber, passing the Castle of St. -Angelo, where Ludovico took us yesterday to show us the pitiful little -cell in which poor Beatrice Cenci was imprisoned. We had already -seen her lovely, sad picture at the Barberini Palace. The exquisite, -haunting beauty of the Cenci portrait is quite indescribable. As -Charles Dickens says, "Through the transcendent sweetness and beauty of -her face there is something shining out that haunts me. I see it now as -I see this paper or my pen." - -This afternoon we drove for an hour or more in the Borghese Gardens, -after which we went to the evening service at the American Church in -the Via Nazionale, which naturally looked somewhat cold and plain after -the gorgeous color and decoration of St. Peter's. It was, however, -restful and homelike to sit there and listen to the beautiful service -of our own church. - -Zelphine says that Catholic visitors in Rome are especially fortunate, -as for them the path of duty and the path of pleasure lie side by -side, leading them always into the most beautiful churches and giving -them the satisfying combination of art and religion. I entirely agree -with her, having often felt that in a service in Westminster Abbey -an element of adventure was added to the act of devotion. I think it -was you who told me of a Scotchwoman who considered a service in the -abbey "among the images" too much of a diversion for a Sabbath day. I -should think that good Catholic travellers might have somewhat the same -feeling about a great ceremonial at St. Peter's. - -In the Borghese Gardens, the shadows under the ilex-trees were most -lovely this afternoon, the sunshine filtering through the branches here -and there, flecking the green sward with spots of light, and bringing -out the color of the anemones which grow here in such profusion. -We could readily fancy Miriam and Donatello dancing in this sylvan -shade, although no vagrant musicians were waking the echoes among the -leafy coverts, no herdsman in goatskin breeches, no peasants from the -Campagna, or pretty _contadine_ appeared, to add a touch of local color -to the natural beauties of the scene. - - - - -VIII - -VIA APPIA - - - Monday, March 28th. - -Ludovico proposed that we should take the long-talked-of drive along -the Via Appia this beautiful afternoon. Knowing Angela's objection -to subterranean excursions, he discreetly said nothing about the -Catacombs, although I realized well that they were uppermost in his -mind, and felt that I might safely trust a bit of diplomacy to this -clever little Italian. - -As we are living in the north-eastern part of Rome and the Via Appia is -in the southern part, leading toward the Pontine Marshes and ancient -Brundusium, we had a long drive across the city. We drove through the -Corso as far as the Piazza Colonna, with its towering column erected -by the Senate and the people in honor of your hero Marcus Aurelius, and -then by smaller streets and squares to the Porta Capena. Of this gate, -which is associated with so many interesting events, only fragmentary -ruins remain. Near it were once grouped temples of Mars and Hercules -and the tomb of the young sister of the Horatii, who was betrothed to -one of the Curiatii. Ludovico repeated the sad little story, which we -had all read in our school-days, of the girl coming out to meet her -brother Horatius at the Porta Capena. When she saw the cloak wrought by -her own hands borne by Horatius, she wept, as any other girl would have -done, knowing that her lover was dead; upon which the cruel Horatius -stabbed her to the heart, crying, "So perish the Roman maiden who shall -weep her country's enemy!" - -To see the place where this sad scene was enacted and the site of the -grave of the hapless maiden made it seem as real as if it had occurred -last year instead of--how many hundred years ago? We are realizing, as -never before, what an old world this is. Even now, out in the Forum, -they are opening the graves of men and women who lived before Romulus, -as if the Rome of Numa and the Caesars was not old enough for all -antiquarian uses! - -The old Romans, like the ancient Egyptians, seem to have had no -shrinking from keeping death well in view, as this Via Appia, which -was the patrician cemetery of Rome, was also a military highway and -a pleasure-drive, and from it still branches a road leading to the -race-course. Indeed, there is nothing dismal about this "way of tombs," -for the road is wide, paved with large blocks of stone, and flanked -by vineyards. On the right are the Baths of Caracalla, on the left -are the tombs of the Scipios, while the long bridge-like ruins of the -old aqueduct rise here and there above the level of the Campagna, and -beyond, framing all, are the mountains. Flowers are blooming along the -sides of the road, among the tombs and over them. Angela and Ludovico -gathered a large bunch of cyclamen and the purple lady's-slipper -orchids. Wherever there is an unsightly stone or a bit of broken wall, -Nature has generously covered it with a drapery of green vines or white -banksia roses. - -Here, out in the sunshine and among the flowers, are the tombs of -the grand old heathen, while the good Christians sleep in the dismal -subterranean Catacombs. Is not this another example of the way in which -the ancient pagan city dominates the Rome of later times? - -A little way beyond the fine tombs of the Scipios we passed through -the Arch of Drusus, with its equestrian statue and trophies, on whose -summit is still a bit of the aqueduct by which Caracalla carried water -to his baths. A little beyond the Porta San Sebastiano we came to the -small Church of Domine Quo Vadis. You may remember the story which led -to its foundation. During a great persecution of the Christians, under -Nero, some of St. Peter's converts and devoted friends besought him -not to expose his life by remaining in Rome. Peter finally listened -to their counsels and fled along the Appian Way; but about two miles -from the gate he was met by a vision of the Saviour, journeying towards -the city. Filled with amazement, Peter exclaimed, "Domine, quo vadis?" -"Lord, whither goest Thou?" To this question his Master replied, sadly, -"I go to Rome to be crucified a second time," and vanished. Peter, -accepting this as a sign that he was to submit to the sufferings that -menaced him, turned back to Rome and met his fate. Hence the little -yellow church of Domine Quo Vadis, which was built to mark the sacred -spot. - -We left the carriage and entered the church, as Zelphine wished to -see the sacred footprints upon the stone pavement; but Ludovico told -her that those impressions were only copies, the originals being at -the Church of St. Sebastian. We walked on and on along the Via Appia, -glad to tread the same stones that had been pressed by the feet of St. -Peter, St. Paul, and so many great ones of the earth. - -We were so much absorbed in the associations of the road, and had such -unbounded confidence in our young guide, that we did not even ask where -we were going, although I suspected that Ludovico was about to enact -his _coup d'etat_ for Angela's benefit. Through a gateway shaded by -cypresses we followed him into a rose-garden, with a chapel to the -left and a booth opposite, where were displayed a number of odd and -discordant relics. Here Ludovico stopped to buy some tickets, and then -we descended many steps into darkness made somewhat visible by the -light of curious little spiral tapers, _cerini_, which we carried. - -Light seemed to dawn upon Angela's mind when the taper was handed to -her at the entrance; she turned and shook her finger at Ludovico, -exclaiming, "The Catacombs!" I felt at first that it was not quite -fair to have beguiled the child here, against her will, to this dismal -home of the dead, which cannot fail to impress a sensitive nature. -Afterwards, however, Angela was so much interested in the little -chapels in which the early Christians worshipped, with the paintings -on the walls and the symbols of the fish, the dove, and the anchor over -many of the tombs, that she quite forgot her terror. - -The guide explained that these Catacombs of St. Calixtus include -several columbaria, there being forty separate catacombs extending -under the city, covering, according to Michele de Rossi's calculations, -an area of 615 acres. The city of the dead is far greater than the -city of the living; but this is not to be wondered at, considering the -population of Rome under the Caesars and the large number of converts to -Christianity. - -We were surprised to find the air mild, not chill and damp as one -would expect in underground passages. Although there are wires for -electric lights in some of the corridors, the Catacombs are not lighted -by electricity. It was introduced five years ago, but was found to -be impracticable, as the wires were soon injured by rust; hence we -were spared this incongruity. Despite the many tales we had read of -travellers being lost in the Catacombs, we never once thought of the -danger, although our guide told us more than once that it would be well -for us to keep close together. - -He took us into a chapel containing the tombs of some of the early -martyred popes, as St. Fabian, St. Lucius, and St. Sextus. In some of -these chapels, or cubicula, are beautiful inscriptions to Pope Damasus, -whose labor of love it was to restore and preserve these tombs of the -Christians. At the end of a long inscription over the door of one of -the largest of these sepulchral chambers, which records that here lie -heaped together a number of the holy ones, the good Pope has humbly -added: - - "Here I, Damasus, wished to have laid my limbs, - But feared to disturb the holy ashes of the saints." - -We then entered a chamber with an air-shaft above, like most of the -cubicula, where, on the walls, were a number of Byzantine paintings -of St. Urban, St. Cecilia, and a head of Christ. The guide told us -that this chamber contained the remains of St. Cecilia until they were -removed to the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. Without a word -of warning, Ludovico drew us across the room to a niche in the wall, -where we saw, lying upon her side, the loveliest of girlish figures. -The first impression, in the semi-obscurity, with all the light falling -on the recumbent figure, was that of a veiled woman asleep. - -"Santa Cecilia!" said Ludovico, in a hushed voice. Zelphine bent -forward as if ready to fall on her knees, when the official guide broke -the reverent silence by reciting in a sing-song tone, but in quite -comprehensible English: - -"This rich Roman lady was sentenced to death by the prefect of Rome -because she would not sacrifice to idols. After trying to smother the -lady in her own bath, but not succeeding, because the saints were -watching over her, a lictor was sent to cut off her head; but the -saints took the strength out of his arm and he only wounded her, after -which she lived three days preaching to the people. Step nearer and -you will see the wound on the lady's neck. It is partially covered by -a gold necklace." - -In the sixteenth century the tomb of St. Cecilia was opened, and her -embalmed body was found, beautiful and perfect, as if asleep in her own -bed rather than lying in a tomb. Pope Clement III. and all Rome went to -the Catacombs to look upon the saint, and Stefano Maderno, the greatest -sculptor of his time, was called upon to model the marble statue of the -lovely sleeping saint. Maderno's original statue of St. Cecilia we had -seen in the Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, and also the artist's -inscription, in which he says that he has modelled her in the very same -posture of body as that in which she was found lying incorrupt in her -tomb. Beautiful as is the marble in the church, it failed to impress us -as did this replica in the appropriate setting of the cubiculum. - -Tears were in our eyes as we turned away, and I heard Angela say to -Ludovico, in her softest tone, "It is the most real thing I have seen -in Rome!" - -"Ludovico has good reason to be pleased with the success of his -strategy," whispered Zelphine, and then, wishing to carry away -undisturbed this exquisite memory of St. Cecilia, we made our way out -toward the open, where we found our carriage awaiting us. - -We were all very subdued, for pleasure-seekers, and were silent as we -drove on past the vast tomb of Caecilia, the daughter of Metellus and -the beloved wife of the younger Crassus. Above the inscription are -Gallic trophies which belonged to the elder Crassus, who was Caesar's -legate in Gaul. The tomb itself, a great round tower seventy feet -in diameter, seems more like a fortress than a tomb, and we were not -surprised to learn that the monument of this noble Roman lady had been -used as a fortress in the thirteenth century. - -Beyond this tomb, whose mystery and charm have inspired many a poet, -the natural beauties of the Appian Way begin, as the vineyard walls -no longer interrupt the more extended view over the Latin plain, with -its ruined castles, villages, and aqueducts. When we had driven past -the fifth mile-stone, near which are the tombs of the Horatii and the -vast ruins of the Villa of Commodus, we were warned by a delicate, -violet mist which was rising over the Campagna that it was time to -turn towards Rome. Good Romans tell us that their city is perfectly -healthful now, since the marshes have been drained, and so it seems to -be; but it is always a question whether it is wise to linger near the -Campagna about sunset, as we usually notice a chill dampness in the air -at this time. - - Thursday, March 31st. - -Mrs. M., my old friend Rosalie L., has come from Sorrento to spend Holy -Week and Easter with us. Dr. M. has a professional engagement which -will detain him for a week or ten days, and in the interim we four -are visiting churches most assiduously. There are interesting Tenebrae -services in nearly all the churches this week. This rainy afternoon we -went to Santa Maria Maggiore, which is one of the most beautiful and -harmonious buildings we have seen. The mosaics are very rich, and the -Borghese Chapel is gorgeous with precious marbles and alabaster. Here -above an altar of jasper and lapis lazuli is the famous picture of the -Virgin said to have been painted by St. Luke. It is much revered, not -only on account of its origin, but because of its having, according to -tradition, stopped the plague in Rome and brought about the overthrow -of the Moorish dominion in Spain. - -At St. Peter's, where we went later in the afternoon to hear the -fine music, a lock of the Virgin's hair was exhibited, a piece of the -true cross, and St. Veronica's handkerchief. I trust you will never -cross-examine me upon the color of the Virgin's hair, and to forestall -any such inquiries, I here frankly confess that I did not really see -it, as the sacred relics were displayed from a high balcony over the -great statue of St. Veronica. The handkerchief we did see, and the -face of the Saviour on it, which was distinct. The basilica, near the -high altar, was crowded; poor people and soldiers were kneeling beside -richly dressed Roman ladies; many of the _forestieri_, like ourselves, -were standing about, gazing at the strange sights, and some of them, I -regret to say, were talking. - -Rosalie, Zelphine, and I were interested, as indeed we always are, in -watching the poor people, who are so attentive and devout, so much -in earnest, coming to their churches as to a home. Groups of little -children came in holding each other's hands, some of them bringing with -them little toddling things of two and three. The face of one little -girl I shall never forget, she was so exquisitely beautiful, with the -loveliness of childhood and yet with a womanly seriousness in her dark -eyes. Rosalie and I imagined Dante's Beatrice looking something like -this little girl, and could understand his cherishing in his heart the -image of that woman-child all his days. - - Easter Sunday, April 3d. - -We are glad to have a bright Easter Day, and enjoy it the more because -Holy Week has been dark and rainy. We went to the English Church on the -Via del Babuino in the morning, and in the afternoon to St. Peter's, to -witness a procession of the priests which was somewhat disappointing. -We then turned into the Pincio, which was a blaze of color with -Judas-trees, wistaria, roses, and anemones. All Rome was in evidence. -This is one of the few days in the year when the King and Queen drive -out together in state. Angela and I were too late to see them, but -Zelphine was more fortunate, as she passed them when she was driving -with her cousins. She thought the Queen exceedingly pretty, youthful, -and charming. - -The well-to-do people were _en voiture_ drawn up in line, the poor on -foot crowding the walks and benches near the music-stand, where the -band was playing merrily; a good-natured, cheerful crowd, and gayer, -it seemed to me, than the same class of people in Paris. Nothing on -the Pincio is more picturesque than the nurses in their full skirts -of gay colors, with their luxuriant black hair decorated with bright -ribbons and gold combs and pins. They look very stylish carrying the -aristocratic bambini on pillows. We are told that these unfortunate -babies are still swaddled like those in Della Robbia's terra-cottas. - -In the meadows adjoining the Borghese Gardens the students of the -different colleges were playing ball. Do you wonder that Italian -immigrants find our Sundays insupportably dull? Here it is a fete-day -all the year, and to-day being the feast of feasts, the people have -come out to enjoy themselves in the sunshine. What would your father -think of it all, Allan, and your Scotch grandmother? I could feel the -shadow of her displeasure darkening the sunshine as I stood in the -midst of this joyous crowd, and yet, after all, it seems an innocent -way of spending a beautiful Sunday afternoon. - - - - -IX - -TU ES PETRUS - - - VIA SISTINA, April 7th. - -A grand and elaborate Gregorian ceremonial is to be held in St. Peter's -on Monday, the eleventh, and, as you may imagine, _tout le monde_, the -small world as well as the great, is rushing after tickets. We were -able to secure the white entrance cards from our banker on the Piazza -di Spagna, with which we were quite satisfied until Miss Dean, the -charming Irish lady who sits next to me at the table d'hote, showed -me a yellow _biglietto_, which assures her a seat in the tribunes. -Since then we have been filled with envy, hatred, malice, and all -uncharitableness. We did not at all understand the difference between -the white _ingresso_ cards and the yellow until she explained it, with -a delicious rolling of the _r_ in _ingresso_ such as even Angela, with -all her aptitude for mimicking, is unable to attain. The white tickets -simply give one an entree to the church, the yellow, which come only -to the favored few, are for seats in the tribunes. Recalling Madame -Waddington's description of her own sufferings and those of the other -diplomatic ladies at the coronation of the Czar Alexander III., we -earnestly hope that we may be so fortunate as to have seats in one of -the tribunes. - -Ludovico, who has been rushing hither and thither for several days, -trying to secure tickets for us through his godfather, who is one of -the Pope's chamberlains, came in this evening, his face flushed with -the joy of victory. I knew that he had secured the coveted _biglietti_, -as soon as I saw him. There was, however, a shade of embarrassment -in his manner which I could not quite understand. The reason became -evident when Ludovico pulled two tickets, instead of three, out of -his pocket, explaining with much hesitation that it was impossible to -get more than two even from his official godfather, so great was the -demand. We all three made haste to say, with proper politeness, that -it was a great deal to have two tickets for such an occasion and to ask -where was his own; to which he replied that there were no places in the -tribunes for men. Did we not see that printed on the _biglietti_? He -would go, of course, and stand about, or secure a perch on one of the -great columns. - -Although we were perfectly civil in our expressions to Ludovico, and, -I trust, sufficiently grateful for a favor to which we could lay no -possible claim, we were wondering how we could make two tickets answer -for three women, all equally anxious to see the great ceremonies. -Unlike the dame who was expected to fry her ten fish in nine separate -pans at the same moment, we were unwilling "to give it up," and so -continued to discuss the problem after we went to our rooms that night. -Zelphine and I said most decidedly that Angela should go, at which she -opened her eyes wide and asked why, adding, "I was always told that the -older children should go everywhere and the younger ones stay at home, -on the same principle as the helping at table. Being one of the older -children, this has always seemed to me a perfectly fair arrangement, -and I have never doubted the propriety of having my younger brothers -eat the drumsticks." - -"In the first place," said Zelphine, in her most judicial manner, "as -you are so much younger, you will probably live longer to tell the -tale." - -"I don't think that is much of an argument," replied Angela stoutly. -"The young occasionally die, and you are neither of you very aged, -and you are both much giddier and more frivolous than I. Indeed, I -sometimes wonder----" - -You will never know the cause of Angela's wonder, because I interrupted -her: - -"After all, don't you think we had better consider Ludovico in this -matter? Is it likely that he would travel all over Rome for days to -get tickets for two old-er women?" I started to say "old," but I saw -Zelphine wince, and so compromised on "older." "It is quite natural -that a youth like Ludovico should wish to please the young lady of the -party, and I must confess that although he handed the tickets to me, -he looked at Angela for a smile of thanks, which she never vouchsafed -him." - -"It wasn't so very much to do," said Angela, laughingly, but with a -tone of yielding in her voice. "He had only to go to his godfather and -ask him for some tickets." - -"Ungrateful child," I exclaimed, "is there any service that you would -consider too great to be performed at your behest? I firmly believe -that if Ludovico should bring you a wagon-load of roses from Queen -Margherita's own garden you would simply raise your eyebrows and say, -'How charming! I never had quite so many roses; I hope you have been at -no inconvenience in gathering them.'" - -"What a picture!" exclaimed Angela, "and what an imagination you have, -Margaret! And what darlings you both are!" With which the spoiled child -kissed us both, and dismissed us to our slumbers. - -"That is what comes of being a beauty," said Zelphine, "but with -Angela's charm and cleverness nothing is really too good for her." - -"Zelphine, you are quite as bad as the Italians over Angela's blonde -head. I only trust that we may get her home without any love-affairs or -duels; but she must go on Monday, _coute que coute_!" - - April 10th. - -Something has just happened that has forcibly impressed me with the -wisdom of your favorite proverb about crossing bridges before one comes -to them--a most delightful happening this! Dr. M. came in this evening -to say that Rosalie had two tickets for the tribunes, and would I go -with her? Of course I accepted with great alacrity, and we are all to -set forth together to-morrow. Dr. M. and Ludovico will accompany us to -the entrance to the church, when they and the other male barbarians -will find such places as they may. I really feel sorry for Dr. M., -who may never be here again upon such an occasion; but then he would -probably not be willing to change places with any one of us, even with -Angela, and I--well, I have never been quite so glad to be a woman as -I am now. We do have some privileges, although Miss Susan B. Anthony -would say that all of them, when weighed in the balance against the -right of suffrage, are lighter than vanity. - -Miss Dean informed me at dinner last night that the Earl and Countess -of Denbigh, with their two young sons, have come to assist at the -service to-morrow. From the expression of awe in her enchanting -voice, I am sure that my charming neighbor feels that the pension and -everything in it is honored by the presence of this peer and peeress -of ancient lineage; but as these noble folk lunch and dine in their own -parlor, we have only the uplifting consciousness that they pass through -the same hall and go up and down in the same _ascenseur_ (when it runs -at all) upon their goings out and comings in. This, however, seems to -fill to the brim the cup of content of my Irish friend. - - April 11th. - -We were all up betimes this morning, and were on our way to St. Peter's -before eight o'clock. I must here confess to a quite pardonable pride -in the appearance of my companions. Zelphine and Mrs. M., in long -black gowns which accentuated their tall slenderness, with handsome -lace at the neck and sleeves and the regulation black lace scarf most -coquettishly draped over their white pompadours, looked like fair and -noble ladies of the court of Louis Quinze on their way to mass at the -Sainte Chapelle or Notre Dame. Angela, who owned no black gown, had -borrowed one of mine, which she had tucked in and let out and generally -readjusted until it became her as everything does that she puts on her -graceful figure. The sombreness of her dress and veil served to bring -out the gold of the girl's hair and the whiteness of her skin, and with -a delicate flush on her cheek, like the inside of a shell, she looked -like one of the beings whose name she bears. - -Ludovico evidently had the same thought. Touched by the girl's beauty, -after the manner of his beauty-loving race, he bent over Angela and -repeated the old story of the three prisoners from Britain whose fair -faces and blonde heads drew from Pope Gregory the exclamation, "Non -Angli sed angeli!" "And this," added Ludovico, devoutly, "as you know, -led to the Christianizing of Britain." - -By the time Ludovico had finished his story we had reached the Borgo -Nuovo. At the Piazza Rusticucci there was so long a line of carriages -that we abandoned ours, and passed on foot through Bernini's lofty -colonnade, and on by wicked Caligula's grand obelisk out into the -vastness of the piazza, spanned to-day by the most perfect of Italian -skies, into whose ethereal blueness Maderno's noble fountains were -trying which one could throw its spray the highest. - -It is a privilege to see St. Peter's at any time, but to see it -to-day, with the great piazza filled with soldiers and the vast, -surging, swaying throng of people, is an inspiration as well as a -joy. The varied uniforms of the soldiers and guards and the gowns -of the different seminarists, blue, green, purple, and, above all, -the brilliant scarlet gowns of the German students, against the gray -background of the great basilica, added much to the picturesqueness of -the scene. - -At the top of the great steps leading to the vestibule Ludovico begged -us to turn for a moment to see the crowd below, a restless sea of -heads, an immense concourse of people, but a good-natured crowd to -which any one might trust himself with safety. Many tourists, English, -French, and German as well as American, went to St. Peter's to-day -provided only with the white _biglietti_ of admission, and suffered -no inconvenience. I really hesitate to tell you just how many souls -are said to have been in the basilica this morning, lest the apparent -extravagance of my statement should lead to incredulity in the future; -but it is said that there were over 50,000 souls inside the walls. - -Dr. M. and Ludovico left us at the south door, and once inside the -building we had no difficulty in making our way to the sacristy, and -through the gray marble portal, by Romano's statues of St. Peter and -St. Paul, and so on to the tribunes in the transept. - -Rich silk hangings draped the stone walls and columns, those behind -the papal throne being embroidered in ecclesiastical designs. The -throne was placed in front of the ancient Chair of St. Peter, and -between our seats and the throne was the great high altar, ninety-five -feet in height, with its bronze canopy and graceful spiral columns of -Bernini, double spirals richly gilded. As the mass was to be celebrated -at the high altar and as we were in the fourth row of seats from the -front, we were sure of a good view of the Pope. All around us were -the Swiss Guards, in the picturesque costume of red, yellow, and black -designed by Michael Angelo, and the Pope's Guardia Nobile, with "winged -Achillean helmet above the Empire uniform--half Greek, half French, -half gods, half dandies," as Mrs. Ward described this guard of young -nobles which surrounds the Pope. The uniform of the Gendarme Pontificio -is somewhat like that of the old Philadelphia City Troop, a handsome -uniform of black and white with an immense shako adorned with a red -plume. But most gorgeous of all were the chamberlains, in a costume -of black velvet of the period of Philip II., a Spanish dress with a -velvet cape thrown over one shoulder, superb lace cuffs and collar -and an immense ruff around the neck, and gold cords and chains without -end. Zelphine and I fancied our friend Dr. R., who was chamberlain to -Pope Leo XIII., figuring in this rich, decorative costume. One of the -chamberlains wore a costume of ruby-colored velvet with a sable hood -over his shoulders. - -It was so interesting to sit still and watch the changing scene -before us that the two hours of waiting passed quickly. The Pope's -little sisters sat in front of us in the seats nearest to the high -altar, but although quite close to us we could not see their faces. -They, of course, wore the costume _de rigueur_ for such functions, -black gowns, and black lace veils on their heads. During the long -wait, an American girl sitting near us told us of her experiences. -Not understanding about the costume required, "very stupidly," as she -said and as we thought, she appeared in a dark blue suit with a hat -to match. The guard refused to admit her, explaining the reason with -signs and gestures, pointing at the same time to the veiled ladies -passing through the doorway. Then, in a flash, presto change!--our -quick-witted countrywoman had taken off her hat and tucked it in the -folds of her skirt, having previously denuded it of a black dotted veil -which she threw over her head. The guard, lost in wonder at the sudden -transformation, was so bedazzled that he did not notice that her gown -was blue instead of black, or perhaps he was so sure that she would get -in by hook or by crook, that he allowed her to pass, exclaiming, "Ah, -these Americans!" - -"Something is going to happen," said Angela; "the Swiss Guards are -coming." A detachment marched along the central aisle, with cuirass -and iron helmet added to their brilliant plumage of every-day wear, and -lined up by the papal throne. There was a rustle and stir of expectancy -over the vast assemblage, then breathless stillness like the silence -of nature before a storm. All eyes strained towards the eastern door, -through which entered the gorgeous procession. The Palatine Guard -lined the way down the central aisle, some of the Swiss Guard being -stationed at different points. First came the Guardia Nobile, then -the mitred abbots, the bishops and archbishops in copes and mitres of -white and gold, the patriarchs and cardinals, these latter with long -capes of cloth of gold worn over their scarlet robes. Then came the -canons and _monsignori_ in lace and fur tippets, after them the prince -in attendance on the papal throne, Don Filippo Orsini, followed by the -secret chamberlains bearing the precious tiaras and mitres covered with -gold and jewels. The triple crown, which was borne upon a cushion, was -a blaze of the most brilliant jewels, diamonds, emeralds, and rubies, -too heavy in its richness to be borne long by any mortal head. - -Finally, announced by a blast from the silver trumpets, the Pope -appeared, seated in the _sedia gestatoria_, borne above the heads of -the multitude by members of the household in a livery of scarlet cloth, -the huge feather fans or flabella being carried on each side. I really -did not grasp all these details at first, as the interest all centred -in that one august figure. The Pope was pale, and at first appeared -to be somewhat agitated. It is said that he very much dislikes to be -carried into the church, and it must, indeed, be a trying position. The -chair is lifted high above the heads of the people, that every one may -see the Holy Father; it is borne along slowly, pausing altogether at -intervals. There was a stop near our seats of a minute or more, which -gave us an opportunity to see the noble, benevolent face of the one -man who stands for so much to millions of the faithful. Less handsome -and distinguished in appearance than some of his pictures, Pius X. has -that in his face that is worth infinitely more than manly beauty or -aristocratic bearing; one cannot look into it without being impressed -by his earnestness and sincerity. - -It was all perfectly entrancing; the vast crowd of people so still -and reverent, and now and again, when the interest was most intense, -a subdued murmur, the Pope turning to right and left to give his -blessing, just as he appears in the picture I send you. When the -Holy Father had been carried to the apse, he descended from the -_sedia gestatoria_ and knelt in prayer before St. Peter's Chair. At -this moment a bright ray of sunshine fell upon the group of prelates -in their rich and varied vestments; the jewels flashed back their -many-hued lights, making a gorgeous mass of color, in the midst of -which was the white-robed, triple-crowned figure of the kneeling Pope. - -In the service that followed we could hear the Pope's voice distinctly -when he intoned the Gloria, and we were near enough to the altar to see -him give the cardinals the kiss of peace and celebrate the mass. - -The Gregorian chants, which Pius X. so much desires to restore to the -services of the Catholic Church, do not seem to be popular, especially -among musicians; but in this spacious basilica they sounded grand and -beautiful as they swelled forth and rose and fell through its lofty -arches. Suddenly from Michael Angelo's great dome overhead there -issued the exultant strains of the silver trumpets, filling the church -with their sweet, penetrating music; the long line of soldiers from -the Chair of St. Peter to the eastern door bent the knee, lowering -their arms upon the stone pavement with a ringing sound, the mighty -congregation bowed or knelt, and we knew that the supreme moment had -come for the elevation of the Host upon the high altar. Then there was -a solemn stillness, in which one could hear a pin drop, followed by the -stir of the rising of the vast audience, like nothing that I can think -of save the rustling of the leaves of a forest swept over by an autumn -storm. - -There was a great deal of antiphonal singing in the service, in -which the Holy Father took part; his beautiful voice rang through the -church when he chanted the liturgical prayers and the responses in the -"Exultate Justi" and the "Filii Jerusalem." The choruses were glorious, -about twelve hundred voices, pupils from the seminaries and colleges -and from the Schola Cantorum taking part. - -After the Pope had given the apostolic benediction and granted plenary -indulgence to the faithful, which formula was read by the Cardinal -Bishop in a loud voice, he again ascended the gestatorial chair and -was borne from the church as he had entered it, slowly, giving the -blessing to right and left, amid a subdued murmur, which he himself -prevented from rising to applause by placing his finger upon his lip in -very decided disapproval. He could not, however, prevent the waving of -handkerchiefs and other mute signs of delight. The Holy Father looked -much more cheerful on his journey back to the Vatican, as if greatly -relieved that the ordeal was nearly over. All eyes eagerly followed the -receding figure until the canopied chair passed out of sight behind the -heavy damask curtains of the Chapel of the Pieta. - -There was stillness for a moment, and then the voices, long silenced, -broke forth in exclamations of interest and pleasure and in salutations -to friends. All the English and Americans in Rome seemed to be in St. -Peter's to-day, and many distinguished Catholics from different parts -of the world. A number of persons came forward to speak to the Pope's -sisters, who seemed to be holding quite a reception as we passed by -them on our way to the doors. - -It was good to be in the open again, in the sparkling air and under the -shining sun, which is not too hot, only genial and kindly in its warmth -in these early April days. - -Angela was telling Ludovico how much she had enjoyed the solemn yet -brilliant spectacle, and asking him rapid, eager questions about this -official and that--questions that Ludovico was only too glad to answer, -while he drew her to the other side of the piazza where a German grand -duchess and two lesser duchesses were stepping into their coaches. We -also had the honor of seeing the Earl and Countess of Denbigh enter -their carriage. - -"It has all been perfectly delightful; I shall never forget it!" -exclaimed Angela, and then turning to me with frankest inconsequence, -she said, "Pray let us do something quite different this afternoon!" - -Ludovico fortunately did not hear her aside; but Dr. M. did, and, with -his ready sense of humor, was vastly entertained, and will never cease -to tease Angela about the effect upon her mind of a solemn service in -the greatest cathedral in the world. - - - - -X - -VALE ROMA - - - Tuesday, April 12th. - -The "something quite different" that Zelphine and I consented to do -with Angela yesterday afternoon was to go to the Villa Madama. The -drive was pleasant, and the villa itself is charmingly situated on one -of the precipitous sides of Monte Mario, but alas! when we reached the -entrance gate we found it barred and bolted, which shows how important -it is to consult guide-books and local itineraries before making these -expeditions. - -Rosalie, who was with us, spied a man in the grounds, to whom our -_vetturino_ called, "Ecco, ecco!"--the ejaculation which corresponds to -our "hello," although it is more universal, as it seems to be suited to -all occasions, grave or gay. This man proved to be the custodian of the -villa. He stated emphatically that the villa was closed and could not -be exhibited to-day; but when he caught the gleam of silver in Angela's -outstretched hand, he swung the gate open hospitably. - -This Medici villa, which was named after a daughter of Charles V. -who married Alessandro de' Medici, is not spacious and imposing -like the Villa d'Este or the Borghese; but it is an ideal patrician -country-seat. We had been reading Marion Crawford's novel in which he -describes this villa, restored by the Contessina Cecilia Palladio. So -perfect is the _vraisemblance_ of the novelist's picture that when we -entered the half-ruinous, deserted house, from whose damp walls the -beautiful frescoes are fast fading, we felt a shock of disappointment. -Mr. Crawford's glowing description is of the Villa Madama as it should -be rather than as it is. - -If I were only a multi-millionaire, I would buy this lovely old place -and make it the thing of beauty that Mr. Crawford describes. In fact, -Rosalie and I sat in the "court of honor" by the old fountain basin, -and planned a restoration which we thought even superior to Cecilia -Palladio's, with plate-glass sashes in the loggias and steam heat to -dry out the dampness and preserve Giulio Romano's wonderful frescoes; -comfort as well as beauty would reign in the old villa! When this -great work is completed, we four are to meet here every spring in the -rose-time; would you like to come, Allan, as our first guest to this -_chateau en Espagne_? - -Angela, in whom the instincts for castle-building and for home-making -are sadly wanting, interrupted our day-dreams by reminding us that we -were due at a tea, and had barely time to get to the Via Ludovisi by -five o'clock. As we passed by the barracks near the Ponte Margherita, -our driver motioned toward an approaching carriage--a handsome carriage -with liveries and a fine span of horses but no outriders. In the -flash of the rapid passing we could only catch a glimpse of two ladies -inside; one with fine dark eyes, animated and gracious, attracted us -especially. - -"The good Queen Mother," said the _vetturino_, turning to us. "We all -love her." - -We were glad to have even this fleeting view of the Queen so beloved -by the Italians. It is charming to hear them speak of her as they do, -not as the Queen Dowager, or the old Queen, but affectionately, as the -Queen Mother. - - Friday, April 15th. - -Mrs. Coxe, with whom we made the excursion to Paestum, called to see us -yesterday morning. We came near losing her visit altogether in this -curious, rambling pension, where the drawing-rooms are on the third -floor, the dining-room on the fourth, and the bedrooms are scattered -over all of the floors. The bell-boy escorted our visitor, in truly -foreign fashion, to Zelphine's bedroom on the fourth _piano_, and as -she happened to be in the salon, and there was no boy or bell in sight, -Mrs. Coxe set forth on a voyage of discovery, exploring the dining-room -and then going down to the smoking-rooms and library until she found -the salon, in which we were comfortably seated enjoying our morning -mail. - -She laughed heartily over our detached way of living, but said she -was determined to find us even if she followed us to the cellar, as -she was the bearer of an invitation to join a party to be conducted by -Monsignor A. through some of the rooms of the Vatican not usually open -to visitors. Mrs. Coxe had brought a letter to this gentleman from her -parish priest, which was the reason for this courteous invitation in -which we were so generously included. - -We met the Monsignor and his party near the steps leading to the -Sistine Chapel, and were taken through the rooms in which the finest -tapestries are kept--immense pieces representing Scripture scenes. -These tapestries, which are beautiful, with all the delicacy of -painting and the richness of needlework, are only used behind the -altar when the Pope celebrates. Monsignor A. told us that the Holy -Father never celebrates before a painting, always before tapestry. In -another room we saw a man at work upon a large altar-piece, weaving in -the colors by hand--a slow process, as you may imagine, but they count -years here as we count days. - -We were allowed to enter the grand banquet-hall hung with tapestries, -in which preparations were being made for a great dinner; handsome -glass and plate were on the buffet, looking very secular for _il -Vaticano_. We saw the rooms of one of the old popes, and Monsignor A. -showed us the low, broad steps over which the popes used to ride on -their white mules from one part of the Vatican to the other. We did -not wonder that they were glad to ride through this vast building, as -we were tired after we had seen only a small part of it and a few of -the eleven thousand rooms. Fancy the extent of this palace, with its -museums, libraries, chapels, and suites of apartments, of which we -gained some idea from the inner court and galleries. - -Monsignor A. proved to be a genial old gentleman who enlivened his -discourse with occasional anecdotes, which, delicious as they were in -his broken English, would lose something of their flavor if I should -undertake to repeat them in less picturesque language. He took us out -on the balcony overlooking the piazza, from which the Pope used to give -his blessing to the populace on Easter Sunday. The Monsignor said, -with some sadness, that this custom belonged to the old regime. We -could imagine what the great piazza must have been, filled with devout -kneeling figures, and, like the good father, we regretted the passing -of this impressive ceremony. - -As we were going through one of the large audience-halls, an American -lady drew Mrs. Coxe and me aside. - -"What shall we do about tipping?" she whispered. "These men," pointing -to some attendants, "have been opening doors for us ever since we -started. We must fee them, and yet how can we do it without attracting -the attention of the Monsignor? Do you think there will be an -opportunity to give them something?" - -"If there is not," said Mrs. Coxe, promptly, "it will be the first time -such a thing ever happened in Italy! I, for one, am quite willing to -take my chances on it." - -A few minutes later the Monsignor signified that we had completed our -tour with him. He courteously hoped that we had been repaid for the -fatigue of the many steps we had taken. Then, motioning toward the -attendants, he said that we might give them a few soldi for their -trouble, adding, simply and naturally, as if the words cost him no -effort: - -"The keys of the rooms that you have seen are in the charge of a -gentleman who lends them to me. When I return them, I should be glad -to hand him something to repay him for his kindness. If you feel like -giving him a trifle, he and his friends will sit down at a table in -some garden, with a bottle of wine before them, and drink to Father -A.'s hat." His own hat, of course! Was it not deliciously frank and -foreign? Mrs. Coxe glanced triumphantly at us, and Angela was so -much amused at the idea of contributing to the convivial pleasures of -several unknown gentlemen in return for our privileges at the Vatican -that I thought it wise to make our compliments and adieus to the -Monsignor as quickly as possible, before she should disgrace the party -by unseemly hilarity. - - Thursday, April 21st. - -This has been a full week, in which there has been little time for -letter-writing. Zelphine and I have been driving about making calls -and leaving cards upon people who have invited us to their days. Angela -flatly refuses to join us, declaring that she did not come to Rome to -do the self-same things that she has to do at home. Instead of which, -she has been having a gay time with the W.'s from Philadelphia, driving -to the "Doria-Pamfili" and going to the races at the Campanelle, for -this is the height of the racing season. To-day she went to the Grand -Steeplechase of Rome, and had the pleasure of seeing the King and -Queen driving in an open carriage drawn by four horses. The Queen gave -her own prize, the Queen Elena prize offered to gentlemen riders, and -who of all people should get it but the young Roman who nearly ran -over Mrs. Robins at the meet! He is a titled personage, the Marquis -de B., but as we could not remember his long, unpronounceable name, -we have dubbed him the Marquis de Carabas, being more familiar with -titles in fairy lore than in real life. Angela says that when Ludovico -brought the Marquis de B. to the carriage to speak to her, she was -in such terror lest she should call him by our nickname that she was -afraid to open her mouth. Fancy Angela afraid to open her mouth under -any circumstances! She must have overcome her hesitation, for she -afterwards had a long talk with the young Marquis, who took her and -Mrs. W. to have tea. - -Zelphine and I find that our social duties have their compensations, -as we meet such interesting people. I had a long talk with your friend -Dr. White at a reception the other evening. He told me that he was -publishing his reminiscences of diplomatic life in Russia and Germany. -Madame Waddington is here now, and much feted of course. Mrs. Coxe, who -has known her for years, says that she is the same Mary King whom she -knew as a school-girl, and is quite as unspoiled by the success of her -book as by her diplomatic successes. - -One day this week an American friend, who lives here in a beautiful old -palace, sent us her box for "Les Huguenots." The box was in the centre -of what we call the balcony, near the royal box. We were hoping that -the King and Queen would appear, but we have learned since that they -seldom go to any plays except those given in their own royal theatre. -Otherwise the house was as brilliant as we had expected, and the -singing very fine, the choruses unusually strong. - -Ludovico brought the Marquis de B. to our box. He has charming manners; -indeed, so much manner that one does not get beyond it. I prefer our -American heartiness to this studied politeness. Ludovico has asked -permission to bring the young Marquis to call on us, assuring us that -he belongs to one of the oldest families in Italy. I told him that as -a gentleman and his friend the Marquis de B. would be welcome without -the glory of an ancient lineage. Ludovico laughed, and said, "Oh, you -Americans are so proud--as proud of your democracy as if you were all -nobles!" - -President Loubet is coming to Rome next Sunday, and the whole city -has begun to put on yards of bunting to receive him. These people -possess a genius for decoration, and have a clever fashion of hanging -bright-colored shawls and bits of carpet out of their windows; the -effect is really very good. - - Sunday, April 24th. - -Rome is _en fete_ to-day, a brilliantly gay city! We were invited to -see the reception of M. Loubet from a balcony overlooking the Esedra -di Termine, from which we had a fine view of the great concourse -of people--a wonderful sight! All the school-children of Rome were -seated on stands surrounding the piazza; there were lines and lines -of soldiers, cavalry and infantry, and people were standing everywhere -except in the space reserved for the carriages; those of the nobility -were like gilded Cinderella coaches, their coachmen and footmen in -gorgeous livery. The carriage of the Mayor, Prince Prosper Colonna, was -especially fine. - -The band played the Marcia Reale, a curious little quickstep air, which -announced the approach of the expected guest. A troop of cuirassiers -opened the way; then came the royal carriage with the red liveries of -the house of Savoy, the King and President Loubet seated side by side. -Prince Colonna received the distinguished guest with much grace and -dignity; the band then struck up the Marseillaise; the applause was -wild, vivas, bravos on all sides. These Italians are not, I fancy, -devotedly attached to the French Republic or to its President; but -like all Latin peoples they delight in a celebration, a general hurrah, -martial music, flying banners, and tumultuous applause. - - Monday, April 25th. - -We have quaffed our last draught from the Fountain of Trevi, thrown a -penny into the pool to ensure our return to Rome, and taken a farewell -look at Neptune and his floundering steeds. Our trunks are packed, as -we had planned to leave Rome this morning, but the men did not come -for our boxes, which are to go by _petite vitesse_ to Florence while we -loiter by the way in several hill towns. We set forth to discover the -reason of the delay, and found the express office closed, all business -being suspended during the grand review which is being held on the -Piazza d'Armi in honor of the French President. It is evident that we -shall have to adapt our movements to those of this worthy gentleman; -but after all, this detention cannot be looked upon as an unmixed evil, -as it gave us a few hours more in Rome which we spent in the Vatican. -After taking a last lingering look at the Apollo and the Laocoon, we -had an hour in the Sistine Chapel for the ceiling frescoes of Michael -Angelo. To-day being brilliantly clear, the faces and figures stood -out as we had never seen them before, and we ended by feeling grateful -to M. Loubet, for had he not detained us we might never have so truly -appreciated the magnificent Prophets and Sybils, which are difficult to -see properly in cloudy weather such as we had during Holy Week. - - EN ROUTE FOR VITERBO. - -Ludovico and the Marquis de B. were at the station this afternoon to -see us off, although they had spent a part of the morning with us. -They both brought offerings of flowers, which was certainly a graceful -attention on the part of the Marquis, whom we only know casually; but -here they offer flowers with almost as little thought as one says good -morning in America. Zelphine and I have the dark red ones that we love; -Angela's are white and pink. The Marquis paid our youngest and fairest -some compliments about the roses matching the color in her cheeks, -which served to spread a pink glow all over her face and to make -Ludovico angry. It is quite evident that we are not leaving Rome too -soon, as these good friends might quarrel if we should stay longer, and -my duties as a chaperon would certainly become more arduous. We shall -miss Ludovico at every turn, and I flatter myself that he will miss -us. We have all so enjoyed our Roman days together, and he and Angela -were simply _bons camarades_, after the comfortable, unsentimental -fashion of the modern boy and girl, until the Marquis came into our -little circle with his too evident admiration and florid, Continental -compliments. - - - - -XI - -SHORT JOURNEYS - - - ORVIETO, April 27th. - -We have been travelling so fast, in the last days, that there has been -no time for writing, which is my excuse for not sending you a letter -from Viterbo, whose middle-age charms might fill many pages. Now I am -writing with the brilliant colors of the facade of Orvieto's great -cathedral still dazzling my eyes. We saw it first at sunset, when -its exquisite colors were intensified, and glowed in harmony with the -delicate rose and rich golden glory of the sky. With its vast mosaic -front and exquisite Gothic arches and spires, the Cathedral of Orvieto -is the central point of shining light in the old gray-brown town which -it crowns. This evening it was like a jewel with a thousand facets -gleaming in the sunset light, and, as many travellers have asserted, -its immense rose-window above the cathedral portal is in itself worth -a journey to Orvieto. This window with the lovely mosaic above it of -Christ and the Virgin Mary enthroned and surrounded by angels, all -in the softest blue, crimson, and gold, quite enthralled us, and we -lingered so long before the cathedral that the sunset colors faded, -the delicate hues of the mosaic grew dim, and darkness fell upon the -huge mass, wrapping it about as with a garment. "We shall never again -see anything so beautiful in this world," said Zelphine, solemnly, -as we walked back to our hotel through the narrow, dark streets. And -indeed I doubt if we ever shall; to behold a sunset of such brilliancy -illuminating a building of beauty so entrancing is something that one -need not expect to have repeated in a lifetime. - -We intended to come here directly from Rome, a journey of only a few -hours; a detour to Montefiascone and Viterbo was decided upon, on the -spur of the moment, just before leaving Rome. Zelphine came across -some notes about Montefiascone in her Baedeker that reminded her of Mr. -Longfellow's description of his visit to the tomb of Johannes Fugger of -Augsburg, upon which she insisted that we linger a day and night on our -journey hither, in order to visit the sacred city of the Etruscans. - -You probably recall the story in "Outre-Mer," and will be laughing at -us for going many miles to do honor to the memory of a wine-loving -old bishop; but I was glad that we had listened to Zelphine's words -of wisdom, as the place itself, quite aside from the strange tomb, -is so interesting--a little gray town towering above the green plain, -with narrow streets and high stone houses, plastered, to be sure, but -still ancient and impressive. Just outside the gate is a small inn, -the Aquila Nera, which is said to occupy the site of the shrine of -Voltumna, the tutelary goddess of the Etruscans, where the princes -of the nation once gathered in council. Here we discharged our -_vetturino_, as this hill town is not adapted to the luxuries of modern -transportation, and made our way on foot to the Church of San Flaviano. - -We did not, like Mr. Longfellow, make a midnight pilgrimage to Bishop -Fugger's tomb; our visit was at high noon. The eleventh-century Church -of San Flaviano is unique and imposing, with its huge Romanesque -columns, Gothic doorways, and upper and lower buildings. Here before -the high altar is a well-worn gravestone with a relief of a bishop -in his robes, a goblet on each side of his head, and at his feet the -cabalistic words "Est, Est, Est." The remainder of the inscription we -could not decipher, but we afterwards learned that it ran thus: - - "EST. EST. EST. PR(OPTER) NIM(IUM)--EST. HIC - IO(ANNES) DE VC DO(MINUS)--MEUS MORTUUS EST." - -The strange inscription and the two goblets confirmed the story of the -convivial bishop, who, in order to secure good wine at each inn, while -travelling through Etruria, sent his servant a day's journey in advance -of him, instructing him to write "Est" in some agreed place if he found -the wine good. When the taster came to Montefiascone, he was so charmed -with the native wine that he wrote "Est, Est, Est," on the wall. Bishop -Fugger arrived in due time, thoroughly endorsed the opinion of his -servant, and drank of the "Est" wine so freely that in a short time he -himself was _non est_. With his last breath the bishop dictated a will, -by which he bequeathed a considerable sum of money to the town upon -condition that a cask of the "Est" wine be annually poured over his -grave. This, they tell us, was actually done until within a few years, -when the wine became too precious to be poured forth in libations so -generous. Now you will surely come to Montefiascone--"mountain of the -flask," as everything has a vinous association here--and drink to the -peace of his soul who drank "not wisely but too well." - -From San Flaviano we strolled back to the Aquila Nera, where, if the -bread was of the color and consistency of leather, the eggs were fresh -and the fried artichokes delicious, while the wine--well, the wine, -like dear Charles Lamb's sublimated roast pig and many other delectable -things, must be tasted to be understood. No words of mine can convey to -you any idea of its sweetness and fragrance and general deliciousness, -cooled as it is with snow from the surrounding mountains, after the -fashion of the ancient Romans. After tasting of the "Est, Est, Est," -we were more ready to shed a tear over the tomb of the bishop than we -had been before luncheon, and we can also better understand how the -peasants of this region live on their poor fare when it is accompanied -by nectar of the gods--a wine which does not seem to intoxicate, as -they drink it, but is an article of diet like coffee or tea or cocoa or -oil. Another characteristic of the "Est, Est, Est," is that it must be -drunk here, as it will not bear transportation even to Rome. - -After luncheon we climbed up the steep street which leads to the -cathedral. This great building, with its gigantic dome, richly colored -marbles, and its many statues and frescoes, in a little out-of-the-way -town whose history is all over and done with, affords one of the -striking contrasts that add so much to the charm of Italy. A brilliant -gem in a dull setting is this old church, and yet with its many points -of light the jewel irradiates the sombre setting, instead of making it -seem darker by contrast. We left the beautiful cathedral reluctantly to -take an afternoon train to Viterbo, where we were told that we should -find a much more comfortable inn than at Montefiascone. - -Zelphine, living over again the glorious past of the great Etruscan -city which we were about to visit, scorned all thought of creature -comfort, yet Angela and I noticed that she seemed to enjoy the -unexpected luxuries of the really good hotel in Viterbo as much as we -more mundane beings. Angela was in her element in a brilliantly lighted -hotel, with a large, bright dining-room and well-appointed tables, and -began at once to wish that we had better gowns in which to grace the -festive scene than the light silk waists which we had brought with us -to wear with our travelling-skirts. And yet, this very morning, we had -all been congratulating ourselves upon our small amount of luggage, -declaring that we were only free women when we had sent our trunks -in advance of us and could hold our worldly goods in our two hands. -Zelphine and I still rejoice in our freedom; but we are not Angelas, -with youth and all its possibilities. - -Viterbo is the oldest-looking place that we have seen except Pompeii. -In the most ancient portions of the city, in the little dark streets -with their high walls, tunnels, and archways, one may go back a -thousand years to the ninth and tenth centuries. Here are many towers -for defence, and massive fortified dwellings with richly carved -porticos, balustrades, and balconies; and in keeping with the antique -architecture are the peasants, in their wide-brimmed hats and sheepskin -breeches with the hair outside, still wearing their cloaks like the -ancient Romans, one end thrown over the left shoulder. The storm-cloaks -of the peasants of this region are heirlooms, descending from father -to son, often more than a hundred years old. The walls of Viterbo are -almost as perfect as in the twelfth century, when, like Troy of old, it -stood a long siege for the sake of a woman's beauty and charm. Galiana, -for whose possession two powerful families of Rome and Viterbo waged -war, must have been a far nobler creature than the lady of Trojan fame. -When the Romans outside the walls promised to end the war if Galiana -would but grant them a sight of her fair face upon the town walls, -she promptly yielded to the request, and appeared upon a tower which -still bears her name. Here Galiana fell, pierced by the arrow of a -treacherous Roman. We saw the tomb and an inscription to the heroic -Galiana on the facade of the Church of St. Angelo, which stands on the -Piazza del Plebiscito. - -"I wonder if women are beautiful enough nowadays to lead men to war -for their sakes," said Angela. As she stood there, her perfect outline -silhouetted against the gray background of Galiana's old tower, the -slanting sunbeams lighting up her fair hair, I wondered whether Helen -of Troy or Galiana of Viterbo had either of them been more beautiful -than our American Angela. Then, suddenly recalling the little scene at -the railroad station in Rome, I answered so emphatically, "I hope not," -that Zelphine started, and came back from the past long enough to look -at me questioningly. - -"How seriously you take it all, Margaret," said Angela, with her light -laugh. "Even if we are not as beautiful as those old-time ladies, we -are certainly much happier, travelling about to please ourselves, as -we are doing, instead of being carried off to some castle to please -somebody else, and then having a long war about it all. I do wonder, -though, that some great poem has not been written about Galiana on her -tower." - -"No doubt Italian poets have written about her again and again," said -Zelphine. - -"Oh yes, of course, but I mean in some language that people can -understand. Mr. Browning, for instance, could have written a great poem -about Galiana." - -I doubt if Mr. Browning ever found his way here; few English-speaking -people came to Viterbo before the railroad from Rome was built. But -was not Angela's explanation sufficiently original to please you or -Zelphine or any other ardent admirer of Mr. Browning? - -Zelphine was delighted, and said, as she linked her arm in mine to -descend the narrow, steep street that leads towards the hotel, that -under her tutelage and mine Angela was really beginning to develop -some sentiment. Angela's sentiment did not impress me as much as her -linguistic perspective, which made me think of the Scotchwoman who said -that the Lord would not listen to the prayers of the French, because -they were "sic jabberin budies."--You remember the story; was it before -the battle of Agincourt? How one forgets English history, here in towns -that so long antedate the Norman conquest! - -This morning we drove to Bagnaja, only a short distance north-east of -Viterbo and built upon one of the slopes of the Ciminian Hills. From -an eminence near Bagnaja we had a noble view of Montefiascone ten miles -away, a little, gray town dominated by the dome of the vast cathedral, -while much nearer lay Viterbo, with its lofty campanile and one hundred -towers, dark, formidable, and majestic. We stopped at Bagnaja to -see the great mediaeval castle, with its huge machicolated tower; and -then driving to the south of the main piazza over a fine macadamized -road, if one may venture to use a term so modern in describing this -land of the ancients, we were soon face to face with one of the most -beautiful of the Italian villas, that of the Duca di Lante. We were -admitted to fairyland by a very conventional method, the presentation -of visiting-cards, and were then conducted by a most obsequious -servant, evidently with generous expectations, who unlocked gates that -led to the more secluded precincts of this garden of delight. Rest -and refreshment for body and spirit we found in the loveliness and -harmony of our surroundings. Surely the queen of the fairies, Titania -herself, must have presided over the laying out of these grounds. -Zelphine and I ignored the lore of guides and guide-books, not caring -to learn that any mortal man had had a hand in producing such beauty as -this. The great basin in front of the house, with its central fountain -bordered by blooming plants, glittered in the sunshine. Beyond were -the terraces, with their tiers of fairy cascades and fountains, where -ilexes as large as those in the Borghese Gardens cast a shade so deep -that nymphs and sprites might dance under them, as freely as in Corot's -pictures, unseen by loiterers on the adjacent parterres. - -Sitting under the shade of a huge ilex, while a bird sang to us from -its sheltering branches, we all breathed a deep sigh of content, and -congratulated ourselves, in Jeffersonian phrase, upon life, liberty, -and the pursuit of happiness, after our own vagrant fashion. We might -suffer from cold and even from hunger in some wretched inn to-night, -but to-day we drank from a full cup of delight; the largess of the gods -was ours, in a wealth of Italian sunshine and an air as intoxicating -as the muscatel wine for which this region is famous. For the moment -we possessed all the glories of the dead and gone Dukes of Lante, with -neither their sorrows nor their crimes to deepen the shadows upon those -gay parterres and sparkling fountains. - -"It matters little whether or not we lunch to-day," said Zelphine, "for -we - - "'on honey-dew have fed, - And drunk the milk of Paradise.'" - -"Speak for yourself, Zelphine," said Angela. "Honey-dew and the milk of -Paradise may satisfy your delicate appetite, but mine needs something -more substantial to feed upon. A good slice of American roast beef -would be more to my taste." - -"Oh, Angela!" exclaimed Zelphine. "And in such a spot as this!" - -Evidently Angela's sentiment was not developing as rapidly as Zelphine -could wish. - -"Yes," continued our practical youngest, "I would not turn away from a -slice of roast beef and a baked potato, even in this enchanting spot. I -really am almost hungry enough this moment to share with our driver the -crust of leathery bread that he is probably enjoying while he waits for -us." - -"Poor child," said Zelphine, compassionately, delving into "Mrs. -Lecks," from which convenient receptacle she produced a cake of -chocolate. - -"Zelphine, you certainly are a dear, and have a human heart," said -Angela, as she contentedly munched the chocolate, "even if you are as -romantic as--as----" - -"As her own great-grandmother's portrait by Stuart," said I, helping -out Angela, who is not strong in the line of similes, "a beautiful -lady, chiefly composed of fine eyes and hair, with a marvellous -complexion and no anatomy to speak of." - -Laughing and talking we sauntered on toward the entrance gate, near -which we found our _vetturino_. As Angela had predicted, he was eating -his dry crust, flavored, we were glad to notice, by a crisp bit of -fennel, which they use here as we do celery. - -When we returned to Viterbo, it looked like a deserted village; the -picturesque peasants in their sheepskin suits were nowhere to be seen -on the streets, and shops and windows were closed. It appeared as if -some public calamity had befallen the beautiful old city. We afterwards -learned that the inhabitants of Viterbo, adhering to a time-honored -custom, retire for a siesta at mid-day, from which they emerge at -three or four in the afternoon to spend the evening gaily on the Corso, -thronging the shops, which are brilliantly lighted. Fortunately for us, -the employees of the hotel do not demand a mid-day rest, and a luncheon -was served us sufficiently substantial to satisfy appetites sharpened -by a long morning in this bracing mountain air. - -Here at Orvieto we are lodged in a modern hotel, something of a -surprise in this ancient, isolated city, which is built upon a rock, -like the habitation of the wise man of the Scriptures. This morning -we spent some time in the Necropolis, which is under the precipitous -cliffs of red tufa that seem to buttress this old town. In the Campo -Santo, which is all that is left of the Etruscan city of Orvieto, we -found avenues lined with tomb chambers. The streets are like those of -a city, except that the houses are without windows, and no eager eyes -look forth from the doors that open upon the silent street. Within is -a square chamber containing stone couches at its sides for the repose -of the dead, all of the other furniture of an Etruscan tomb, vases, -bronzes, terra-cotta portrait busts and statues, having been carried -off for the enrichment of various museums. From the Necropolis we made -our way to the famous Well of San Patrizio, with its curious corkscrew -stairway leading down into the huge basin below. - -We would gladly spend another day in Orvieto, in order to view the -cathedral's matchless facade once more by morning light, and at noon, -and again at sunset, and so allow its beauty to print itself upon our -minds, and also to study the Signorelli frescoes in the interior, the -Fate of the Wicked and the Saints in Heaven, which, with their muscular -devils and saints, are strangely suggestive of Michael Angelo. - -"Why do you not stop another day?" I hear you ask. Because if we tarry -here longer, we shall be obliged to cut off a day in Perugia or Assisi -or some ancient city quite as interesting as Orvieto, and Katharine -Clarke is writing to us urging us to get to Florence early in May, if -we wish to see the City of Flowers in the exquisite freshness of its -spring beauty. The roses on the hillside garden near San Miniato are -budding and blowing, and she tells us that we must be there soon if we -would see them in their prime. No matter how charming a spot we may be -in, there is always some other delightful place beckoning us on and on! - -We quite agree with the traveller, whose name I forget, but whose -advice is, "Whatever towns you neglect between Rome and Florence, do -not fail to see Orvieto." And yet we are filled with regret because we -must pass by so many of the interesting towns of this region, Terni -with its rushing waters, "rapid as the light," Bolsena on its lovely -lake, and Orte. Of this latter town we saw little from the window -of the railway carriage, except a line of hungry tourists struggling -to reach the buffet during the short stop at the station, a scene so -suggestive of our own land of rapid transit and hurried luncheons that, -for a moment, we almost felt that we were travelling in America. - - - - -XII - -AN UMBRIAN IDYL - - - PERUGIA, April 28th. - -The journey from Orvieto to Perugia is a short one, and we had our -first sight of this fine old town in the brilliancy of a spring -afternoon. We were fortunate in finding a cab at the station, and -a _vetturino_ who welcomed us to his coach with great cordiality, -we being the only arrivals by the afternoon train. Having with many -ejaculations disposed of us and our various pieces of hand-luggage, -large and small, he hospitably invited a comely peasant woman to a -seat by his side. Her luxuriant black hair was fashionably dressed and -guiltless of hat or kerchief; her black dress was coarse but tidy, -while a pair of kid gloves, which had evidently seen service, gave -a touch of elegance to the simple costume. A large kerchief, which -is the favorite shopping receptacle, marketing bag, and portmanteau -of the Italian peasant--this one as full as the proverbial horn of -plenty--occupied one gloved hand, while with the other she gesticulated -and accentuated her animated conversation, to the evident interest -and amusement of her host. With their heads close together, deep -in conversation, one talking, the other listening and occasionally -interjecting a comment, we wondered whether the pair were lovers or -only _bons camarades_ discussing the last bit of home news or village -gossip, for village gossip is said to flourish under the shadow of the -shrine of St. Francis, just as here the cheerful and apparently honest -_vetturino_ will cheat you out of a franc as cleverly as a cabby of -Naples or any other Sodom of the plain. - -A cheerful town Perugia seemed to us, as we drove up the long hill and -saw the old fortress, with its weed-grown ramparts and many towers, -basking in the April sunshine. Like all of these hill towns Perugia is -gray, and yet with a difference: a dash of chrome in its stones gives -a warmer tone to the old palaces and walls, which seem to be all of -a piece with the rock from which they were hewn. This rock forms the -foundation, and was once the strength, of this "empress of hillside -Italian cities." - -We had no hotel addresses for Perugia except the Brufani, and, as -we often find it more enlightening to our minds as well as more -advantageous to our purses to stop in small hotels or pensions, we -asked the driver if he knew of a good stopping-place. He seemed to -understand, shook his head as if in deep thought, then consulted his -companion; upon which they both looked us all over as if taking our -measure, and, evidently being agreed as to our status, he exclaimed, -reassuringly, "_Ecco, ecco_, we know the _albergo_ that will suit the -_societa_!" Whipping his horse as we drew near the Porta Nuova, he -rattled through the gate, across the wide piazza, and down a long hill, -to a house on a narrow street, where we are comfortably lodged. - -This pleasant little pension is kept by an English lady, with whom we -have already established relations, as some of our friends stopped here -last year, and we are all now basking in the genial atmosphere of good -will created by them. - - April 29th. - -This morning we found our way to the little Piazza delle Prome, on the -verge of the cliff, below which is a sheer fall of one hundred feet to -the ancient city wall of the Etruscans. Below us, as we stood in the -garden of the Prefettura, were the remains of Etruscan buildings, above -them massive blocks laid by the Romans, and spread before us was the -wide valley bordered by near and distant mountains. This marvellous -view from the Prefettura is second to none that we have seen, always -excepting the vast sweep of the green and fertile plain at Grenada as -we saw it from the heights of the Alhambra. - -We afterwards wandered from street to street, across piazzas and -under arches, until we found ourselves in the Via Vecchia. Well named -indeed is this ancient street, for the Via Vecchia has been trodden -by the foot of man for three thousand years! This street, with its -high buildings of heavy Roman workmanship, more like fortresses than -dwelling-houses, leads to the great Arch of Augustus. The arch, -constructed of solid blocks of travertine and sustained by huge -buttresses, is adorned by a graceful pavilion and loggia, a noble -monument to the Roman Emperor who rebuilt Perugia and inscribed upon -its gateway "Augusta Perusia." - -After we had revelled for a couple of hours in the delight of strolling -about in the open, we retraced our steps to the Via Vanucci, and -entered the Collegio del Cambio, in whose audience-chamber are many -Perugino frescoes, all lovely save a horribly realistic Beheading of -John the Baptist, from which we were glad to turn to a Nativity and -a Transfiguration and to the noble Sibyls and Prophets. The head of -Daniel is said to be a portrait of Perugino's greater pupil, Raphael. -Even if Perugino was lacking in breadth and sometimes in grace, there -is a depth and delicacy of color in his work and so much sweetness and -tenderness in the faces of the women and children that, as we stood -before these charming groups, we could well believe that this Umbrian -artist was, as his chronicler said, "possessed of a stainless purity of -soul," and that Raphael owed much to his early master. - -Perugino was named after the town, not of his birth, but of his fame; -_mais, de grace_, monsieur, I do not intend to give you a disquisition -upon the Umbrian school of painting, of which there are many notable -examples in the churches here and in the Pinacoteca. This last, let me -explain, is the name, unpronounceable by English-speaking people, which -is given to the picture-galleries in some of these old towns. There are -really treasures of art in Perugia, with whose beauties I might fill -many letters, interesting paintings by Manni, by Bonfigli, the great -forerunner of Perugino, by Pinturicchio, his associate, and by many of -his pupils; and in the Sala del Fra Angelico are some of the exquisite -works of the idealist whose name it bears. - -The Pinacoteca Vanucci is on the third floor of the Palazzo del -Municipio. The doorway of this palace, with its mediaeval lions and -griffins--the emblem of Perugia--in exquisite Gothic carving all -dominated by three saints, presents a much more harmonious whole than -this confused grouping would lead one to suppose. - -This afternoon we drove to Lake Thrasymene, passing the tower of San -Manno, with its Etruscan inscription, and castles and battle-grounds -of long ago, until we reached that most ancient one on the shores -of the beautiful lake where Hannibal and Flaminius fought until the -little stream ran red with blood, and so ever after has been named -"Sanguinetto." A grewsome association this, with a fair stream of -running water, and yet how much more euphonious, especially with the -soft Italian lingering over syllables, than our American equivalent -"Bloody Run!" - - April 30th. - -We wandered joyously through the streets and squares of the old town -this morning, for here one does not set forth to walk to a given -point--one simply wanders at will. We generally cross the Piazza -Vittorio Emanuele, with its heroic statue of Italy's soldier king, -stroll along the Corso Vanucci, the main street of the town, and -then go down steps, many steps, which descend into narrow winding -streets and _viali_ with most alluring names, as Via Curiosa, Via -Deliziosa, Via Bontempi, and the like. Angela says that the last sounds -delightfully convivial and suggests no end of a good time; but it -probably means nothing less prosaic than good weather. - -After winding in and out of narrow streets and up and down steps, -all exquisitely picturesque if somewhat fatiguing, we came out on -the Piazza del Municipio and before a beautiful thirteenth-century -fountain with three basins, which are richly decorated with scriptural -and mythological figures. The many slender columns which support these -basins give to the whole a charming lightness and grace. This lovely -fountain of Fra Bevignate was without water for centuries until, -in 1899, the new aqueduct, which comes directly from the springs -of Nocera, was opened, whereupon it played gayly in the sunshine, -as it does to-day. The Nocera water, for which, bottled, we paid a -considerable price in Rome, is free as air on this favored hill-top. - -Facing the fountain is the Cathedral of San Lorenzo. To the left of -the doorway is a bronze statue of Pope Julian III., who restored some -ancient privileges to the Perugians, and on the right is a handsome -Gothic pulpit from which St. Bernardino once preached to the faithful -in the square. Inside the cathedral we saw the beautiful tomb of Bishop -Baglioni, a fine Deposition by Baroccio, and a miraculous picture of -the Madonna delle Grazie by Manni. - -San Lorenzo claims the distinction of being the burial-place of three -popes, Innocent III., Urban IV., and Martin IV. Here, too, is the -betrothal ring of the Virgin. This precious relic is preserved in a -silver casket guarded by fifteen locks, the keys of which are entrusted -to fifteen persons of distinction, and is only to be seen five times -during the year. The mystery and exclusiveness with which this relic -is guarded whetted Zelphine's curiosity, and she insisted that it was -in a certain sense our right to see the precious ring, having been -shown the hair of the Blessed Virgin in Rome. Angela said that as -American travellers we had a right to see anything and everything, -but, as the next date for the exhibition of the ring was the second -Sunday in July, the real question at issue was, were we willing to -stay in Perugia so long, and, even if the Perugians were disposed to -make an earlier date for us, was it likely that the fifteen persons of -distinction with their fifteen keys could be collected on short notice? -From my own observations, I was inclined to doubt the existence of -fifteen Perugians of distinction at any date. However, distinction is -a descriptive quite as subject to variations as the clear or cloudy -day of the scientific gentleman who arranges our weather for us in -America, and some of the men whom we passed on the piazza this morning -may be lineal descendants of the ancient lords of Perugia, and now in -possession of the important keys. - -The celebrated Sposalizio of Perugino--a unique conception of the -Virgin's espousal--which should be here with the betrothal ring, has -unfortunately been carried off to France; but there are still many -more treasures in painting and sculpture in San Lorenzo than we could -appreciate in one morning, among the latter a statue of Leo XIII., -who was Archbishop of Perugia. Over across the piazza is the Episcopal -Palace, where this Prince of the Church lived for many years, preparing -himself by study and reflection for the great future in store for -him. We passed from the church into the cloisters, which are ruinous, -but charming, as are all the ruins here, with their bits of lovely -sculpture and flowers growing in the "crannied walls" and on the little -balconies above our heads. - -Retracing our steps along the Via Bontempi, and losing ourselves -several times, after the fashion of travellers who will not consent to -have their pleasure interfered with by guides, we reached the quaint -covered Via della Stalla and suddenly emerged upon a gay scene--the -Piazza Garibaldi on a market-day. Here were flowers and fruits heaped -upon wagons, and booths gay with colored prints, gorgeous kerchiefs, -and endless lines of small stockings of all colors, which the Perugians -doubtless buy even if the feet of their children are as guiltless of -covering as those of the Venus and Adonis. The stockings are probably -for Sundays and high holidays. Here above all were the peasants from -the surrounding country, not wearing the elaborate, gayly colored -costume of the Italian peasants of our childhood, but something more -picturesque than the work-a-day costume that has disappointed us so -much through Italy. The older women had brilliantly colored kerchiefs -on their heads, while some of the younger women wore nothing upon -theirs except their own glossy, luxuriant hair, which is always neatly -and tastefully dressed. - -We have often wondered why there are so many _old_ women in Italy. Is -it because they live long in this favored clime, or, sadder thought, do -the young grow old early under the heavy strain of bread-winning, where -wages are low and the mouths to be filled numerous? - -Angela, who is an enthusiastic shopper, suggested that we should stop -and buy some of the native products, urging that a little shopping -would be good for us all and relieve our minds from the strain of -cathedrals, statues, and tombs. Indeed the fruit, flowers, and gay -handkerchiefs displayed upon the booths were sufficiently alluring to -detain us. - -Most interesting were the color, movement, and chatter of the sunlit -piazza against the gray background of the old Palazzo del Podesta, -which is built on the ancient Etruscan wall. It is just such contrasts -that make these old Italian towns so charming. - -At one of the booths, presided over by a pretty young peasant girl -with eyes of brown velvet, Angela found a gay red and yellow bandana -which she insisted that the _contadina_ should try on. The effect -was so charming that Zelphine took the girl's picture on the spot, -to her evident delight. Nothing but a brush and colors, the latter -well mixed with the atmospheric transparency of Perugia, could give -you any idea of the lovely effect of the girl's soft, dark eyes and -the peach-like bloom of her cheeks, both enhanced by the brilliant -head-dress. Then the signorina must try on a kerchief. "Ecco! ecco!" -Carefully selecting one of dark blue with a yellow border, with -many exclamations and more gestures the deft peasant fingers removed -Angela's hat, and adjusted the kerchief over her golden crescent of -hair. I must confess that the bandana became Angela well enough to -excuse the chorus of admiring expressions that arose from a circle of -voluble crones gathered around us. "Bella donna! Bella signorina!" was -heard on all sides. Some of the women pressed near Angela to kiss her -hand, saying that she looked like the pictures of the Madonna over -there in the cathedral. The child was a little frightened, and drew -closer to me for protection. Zelphine cleverly diverted the attention -of the group by taking Angela and the pretty young Rosa Maria across -the piazza to the large door of the old Palazzo del Podesta, to take -their photographs against this fine background. Nothing could have been -more charming than the blonde and brunette heads and graceful girlish -figures against the old palace gateway. After taking two or three -pictures Zelphine thanked Rosa Maria, pressing a silver coin into her -hand; upon which she, with charming ingenuousness, intimated that she -would take it as a wedding-gift, and, beckoning to a handsome young -peasant whom we had noticed standing over in the shadow of the statue -of Giuseppe Garibaldi, she presented him to us with smiles, blushes, -and courtesies. Then, as we gathered from the few words that we could -understand and by the pair standing hand in hand before Zelphine, -Umbrian etiquette demanded that she should take a photograph of the -_fidanzati_ together, which congenial task Zelphine set about with -alacrity before shyness should overcome the happy couple. - -We all hope that the pictures may prove a success, as copies are to -be sent to Rosa Maria and Battista, whose names we have in full, their -address being the Central Post Office of Perugia, where they are always -to be found on market-days. - -The groom elect was so manly and gentle and the little bride so -sweet and confiding that they both won our hearts. We left them with -good wishes on our part and _molte, molte grazie_ on theirs. These -expressions were in view of our small contributions toward a little -household soon to be established over near Spello. Angela, in a sudden -enthusiasm over this charming picture of young love, unfastened a -pretty chain that she wears around her neck, and linked it about that -of Rosa Maria. We shall long remember the lovers as we left them, -standing hand in hand on the sunlit Piazza Garibaldi under the shadow -of the ancient Gateway of Justice, and they, I am sure, will never -forget the _forestieri_, above all the _bella signorina_. They will -show their children the pictures and tell them they were taken on the -old piazza; and, to be quite foreign in my prophecy, I am certain that -they will name their first daughter Angela. - -From this "charming bit of local color," as Zelphine catalogues our -little adventure, we returned to Rosa Maria's booth, now presided -over by her mother, and bought many other bits of local color in the -form of kerchiefs--Angela more than any of us. As she succumbed to -the temptation of each one, she excused herself by saying, "These -people are so poor, Margaret!" or "That gay red one will make a fine -bandana for old Susan!" or "This will cover the little table in my -morning-room." As we are travelling with only dress-suit-cases, which -are crowded with the bare necessities of life, I know not how we are -to dispose of these new possessions, to which Zelphine has added a -number of books about Perugia and Assisi. She is still lugging around -the beloved Narcissus, from Pompeii, because she will trust him to no -trunk. - -After our delightfully vagrant forenoon and a substantial breakfast, -for which we were quite ready, we decided to dedicate the afternoon to -tombs. We had intended to visit the famous Etruscan tombs on our way -to Assisi, driving thither after the conventional fashion of Perugian -tourists, but, hearing from some of our countrymen who sit near us -at the table d'hote that there are two or three fairly good inns in -Assisi, we have decided to go there by rail to-morrow, and thus have a -Sunday in the good company of the blessed St. Francis. - -Angela flatly refused to go on the afternoon expedition, saying -that she had taken a full course on tombs in Rome and would have no -more of them, so Zelphine and I drove alone to the ancient Etruscan -Necropolis of Perugia, a drive of not over an hour from the Porta -Romana. These tomb chambers of the Volumnii are most interesting, -with their portrait figures in terra-cotta and carvings of sun-gods -and dolphins, quite different from anything we have seen except in -Orvieto, and, as Angela says, we have had experience in tombs. Zelphine -and I were much impressed by the fact that these massive stone tombs -of the third century B.C. should have been buried under the earth -until the middle of the last century, when a peasant discovered them -while ploughing. Another story is that the tombs were unearthed when -the new road was being made, but Zelphine and I prefer the tale about -the peasant ploughing. After all, it matters little which tradition we -adopt; the wonder remains that these richly adorned sarcophagi still -testify to the wealth and artistic ability of the Etruscans of more -than twenty-five centuries ago. - -So much history lies underground in this land of the past that we do -well to tread softly lest we be, at any moment, walking over graves, -pagan or Christian; and yet these devout Italians are far less jealous -of the desecrating foot of the stranger than the "heathen Chinee." - -When we returned from our drive we found Angela in the gayest of moods, -having evidently enjoyed her respite from sight-seeing. She had met -some American acquaintances, and had afternoon tea with Mrs. Allen and -her fascinating children in the charming hall at the Brufani, where one -may sit under the shade of palm-trees all the year round. - - May 1st. - -Our modest luggage is in the hall in charge of several porters and -_facchini_, and while we wait for the cab that is to take us to the -station, I jot down a few impressions before they are dimmed or quite -swept away by the interests of our next stopping-place. One should -really have two or three days in an absolutely dull and unattractive -place, if such a spot is to be found in Italy, after each one of these -entrancing cities and towns. Our minds are steeped with the beauties -and associations of Perugia, and now Assisi will overwhelm us with its -own charm. - -Our way this morning was down the Via Marzia and the great stone steps -of San Ercolano, by the church of the same name, which is built against -the Etruscan wall. I wondered why Hercules should have been canonized; -but we learned afterwards that this curious octagonal church was built -in honor of Perugia's patron saint, the heroic Bishop Ercolano, who -defended his city against the Goths thirteen hundred years ago. From -the Church of San Ercolano we passed on to the Corso Cavour and the -Church of San Domenico, which has the distinction of possessing the -largest Gothic window in Italy. Here also is one of the most beautiful -tombs we have seen anywhere, that of Pope Benedict XI. This fine -monument, designed by Giovanni Pisano, represents Benedict asleep, -guarded by two angels. Above the face and figure, which are lovely in -their perfect repose, is a lofty canopy supported by graceful spiral -columns. Bits of the fine mosaic with which this tomb was once enriched -are to be found here and there, the greater part having been carried -off by Napoleon's soldiers, who seem to have played much the same role -in the destruction and sacking of Italian churches as that enacted by -Cromwell's army in England. Indeed I never before realized the ruthless -manner in which the French army ravaged this land of beauty and art; we -hear so much less of its depredations than of those of the Roundheads. - -Zelphine, who, for some unaccountable reason, includes the conqueror of -Europe among her heroes, undertook to defend him, while Angela, who, -perhaps with more justice, reckons Cromwell among hers, resented my -mentioning the French and English soldiers in the same breath, which -led to an animated discussion, in the midst of which we passed through -the beautiful and richly decorated Porta San Pietro, and so on to the -old Benedictine monastery, which is now used for a very practical -purpose, that of an institute for experimental agriculture. Seeing -large bunches of millet and other cereals over the fine old doors, we -thought we had made a mistake, but some peasants at work on the road -assured us that San Pietro was just beyond. - -After passing through the agricultural school we crossed the courtyard, -and entered the great doorway of beautiful carved stone-work, and so -found ourselves in the basilica, which, with its flat, elaborately -decorated ceiling, its high altar adorned with lapis lazuli, agate, -and other colored stones, and its many columns of granite and marble, -is wonderfully rich in depth and harmony of color. Around the sides -of the church are a number of large paintings by Vassilacchi, two by -Guido Reni, and some charming little paintings by Sassoferrato. But the -crowning glory of the basilica, the great Perugino of the Assumption, -has been carried off to France, although the five saints that once -surrounded it still hover above the altar. - -The exquisitely carved choir-stalls of San Pietro, attributed to -Raphael, are the most beautiful that we have seen anywhere. The lovely -traceries, the infinite variety of faces and figures, the quaint -masks interspersed with carvings of beasts, birds, and flowers, could -only have been designed by an artist of delicate fancy and marvellous -genius. - -The verger opened the great doors at the back of the church, thus -disclosing a noble panorama of distant hills and fertile valleys. - -On the opposite side of the road is the Giardino del Frontone, and -beyond, the Porta San Costanzo, inside of which is a church of the -same name, dedicated to the patron saint of all Perugian lovers. Here -many happy couples are to be seen wending their way along the hillside -park, to gain the blessing of the unlovely Byzantine Madonna who -presides over the marble doorway of San Costanzo. Beyond the garden -and the church lies the wide-spread Umbrian plain, girt about by the -ample belt of the Apennines. Off to the north and west are Cortona and -Siena, with Lago Trasimeno between, quite near, although shut off from -us by a screen of green hills. To the south, following the windings of -the Tiber, lies Rome, where our hearts still linger, and to the east, -so near that we can see the twinkling of their lights at night, are -Foligno and Spello and Assisi, which last, we are told, we shall end by -loving more than any other spot in Italy. - - - - -XIII - -A SUNDAY IN ASSISI - - - ASSISI, Saturday Evening, May 1st. - -As we first beheld Assisi from the railroad station at sunset, the -delicate mauve pink of her towers and walls glowed with a more rosy -hue and it seemed as if the old town for a brief moment must have worn -something of the grace of her long-vanished youth. - -On one side of the station is the little village of the plain, Santa -Maria degli Angeli, with the church from which it takes its name, -so christened by St. Francis in memory of the angelic visions here -granted him. On the other side of the road, across a sweep of green -meadows, is the town, built upon terraces half-way up the hill, Mount -Subasio towering beyond it to a height of over three thousand feet -above the sea-level. The crowning glory of Assisi is the great basilica -of San Francesco, with its remarkable substructure--a vast colonnaded -monastery standing guard over the happy valley beneath. - -Our approach was by winding roads bordered by hedges, with fields -beyond green as England and bright as Italy alone, all abloom to-day -with poppies and buttercups. Up and up the shining way climbed the -shabby _vettura_ with its lean horse, until we seemed to be getting -near the blue of the sky, so close does the arch of heaven lean to -these hill towns of Italy. - -We all felt that we had left the world of to-day far behind us when we -drove through the ancient Porta San Francesco, so entirely does Assisi -belong to the past. Here where everything is ancient one ceases to -make comparisons, and it seemed no more remarkable to find a Temple of -Minerva standing beside twelfth-century buildings, than that we three -twentieth-century Americans should be driving about these old streets, -hearing the _vetturino_ talk about St. Francis as if he had lived but -yesterday. - -You really must not expect an ordinary letter of to-day from this -place, where we are so absolutely dominated by the twelfth century. -Zelphine, who is in a state of rapture and quite lifted above the -ordinary affairs of life, is probably writing a poem at this moment, -having been incited thereto by the history of Assisi's celebrated -poet, Propertius, which she has just read to us from a charming little -book which she found in Perugia. The story runs thus: Propertius, who -was a contemporary of Virgil and Horace, relinquished the congenial -atmosphere of Rome and the friendly companionship of the author of the -"Metamorphoses" for the love of his Umbrian birthplace, where the Muse -had first visited him. Recognized in his own day as the leader of a new -school of poetry, Propertius appreciated his own powers sufficiently to -write of himself in connection with his native town: "Ancient Umbria -gave thee birth, from a noted household. Do I mistake, or do I touch -rightly the region of your home, where misty Mevania stands among the -dews of the hill-girt plain, and the waters of the Umbrian lake grow -warm the summer through, and where on the summit of mounting Asis -rise the walls to which genius has added glory?" His own genius! And -yet, to prove to us that he was not wanting in modesty, Propertius has -placed this charming compliment in the mouth of a soothsayer. If this -is all familiar to you, O most learned, it is so fresh to me that you -must allow me to repeat it, because it reveals once more the truth of -the Scriptures--that a prophet is not without honor save in his own -country. Propertius would not have been forced to sing his own praises -if his contemporaries had sung them in the right key. - -The little inn at which we are stopping, with its bare, stone floors -and whitewashed walls, is quite primitive enough to have suited St. -Francis and his brothers. We are told that there is another and larger -hotel, which is more modern in its appointments. - -"The idea of caring for a modern hotel or anything modern in Assisi!" -exclaimed Zelphine, walking with me toward the window of one of the -rooms offered us. - -A single glance out of that window decided us to stay. The Albergo -Giotto is built on a cliff, and literally overhangs the valley. From -our windows we look out upon green slopes billowing beneath us until -they break away into the long reaches of the plain, where the dome of -St. Mary of the Angels stands out against the sky. - - HOTEL GIOTTO, ASSISI, Sunday, May 2d. - -A May-day in Assisi!--could anything be more delightful? - -Last night, after dinner, or supper, or whatever the nondescript meal -is called which was served to us in the chilly _salle a manger_, a -little lady, unmistakably American and evidently fresh from a study -of the hotel register, joined us, and asked Zelphine if she were Miss -Vernon, and did she happen to know Dr. Vernon of New York? Zelphine, -who adores her brother, Dr. Vernon, and is immensely proud of him, was -quite ready to fall upon the little lady's neck when she found that -she was one of his admiring patients, and we all adopted her at once, -she, Miss Horner by name, being alone and glad to be adopted, as lonely -women usually are in remote places. - -I spoke to a bright-faced girl who sat on my right at table, and after -some conversation learned that she had come from an old Pennsylvania -town in which we have many friends and acquaintances. Miss Morris is -also alone, and we have adopted her. Angela says that our party is -growing too rapidly, and that we really must stop attaching waifs and -strays, even if their precious lives have been saved by our brothers, -and their social status established by the most irreproachable -visiting-lists. Angela may be right; but after all we found it so -cheering to gather around the table in the reading-room and talk over -friends at home that we quite forgot that we had intended to spend this -evening in storing our minds with the history and traditions of Assisi. - -As I was drifting away into dreamland to the sound of some sweet, -distant bells (the bells are always ringing in Assisi), Zelphine -called in to me from her room, "Do you think there is a spot on the -habitable globe where one would not be likely to meet some person -who had known some one who had met a friend of our friends?" With -this puzzle floating through my mind, rather hazily I confess, I fell -asleep, soothed by a pleasant sense of the smallness of the world and -the friendliness of the inhabitants thereof. - -This morning we banished from our minds all irrelevant present-century -associations, and have spent our Sunday in the goodly company of the -early Franciscans. An enthusiastic party of five, for even Angela has -succumbed to the influences of Assisi, we made our way to the Church of -San Francesco, which we approached across a wide piazza framed on both -sides by long arcades. Through the great Gothic portal, with its rich -carvings, we passed into the twilight beauty of the lower church, for -even on a bright May morning the light in this vast basilica is "dim -and religious." The arches of the nave and chapel are richly decorated, -as you will see from the pictures that I send you; but it was not until -we reached the south end of the eastern transept that we realized the -full beauty of these decorations, whose color glowed like jewels in the -light that reached them from three windows in the far apse. Over the -vaulting above the high altar are the wonderful frescoes of Giotto. In -one of the most beautiful of these paintings the artist has represented -the marriage of Francis with Lady Poverty. The cold, pale bride, her -white robe torn by the acacia thorns around her, draws away from her -lover as if to warn him of the trials and hardships that are in store -for him who links his life with hers. She, who, as Dante says, - - "slighted and obscure, - Thousand and hundred years and more remain'd - Without a single suitor, till he came," - -is now crowned with love and honor by the adoring Francis. Dante's face -appears among the many representative and mythological spectators who -are gathered around the altar, where Christ himself gives the hand of -the saint to the Lady Poverty, while the angels above rejoice over the -holy marriage. A wonderful conception is this, rich in color and in -devotional feeling, worthy of the hand and mind of the realistic and -imaginative Giotto. - -After studying the four symbolic compositions above the high altar we -turned to Cimabue's work in the western transept, of which in many -places only the lovely lines remain, as much of the color has faded -out. If only something could be done to save the noble, sincere work of -those who are now recognized as early masters and regenerators of art! -The colors are fading so fast from the walls of San Francesco that very -soon these valuable frescoes will be lost to the world. - -As we turned to enter the sacristy, from which a stairway leads to the -upper church, Miss Morris called our attention to a very interesting -fresco of the Madonna and Child near the door of the sacristy. In this -charming little painting the Madonna, instead of gazing upon the Child -with adoring love or placid content, as in so many pictures, looks into -his uplifted face with a wondering, questioning look in her eyes. Miss -Morris, who is not only an artist of some merit but an investigator of -no mean order, stood before the painting and looked her questions, upon -which our guide explained, partly in English and more in Italian, that -in this picture, by Lorenzetti, the Bambino is represented as speaking -for the first time. The figures are a bit stiff and wooden, but the -face of St. Francis, on the left, is full of devotional feeling, and -there is something indescribably touching in the attitude of the Child -as he turns lovingly and confidingly toward his mother, with words upon -his baby lips that all Christendom would gladly hear. We missed Miss -Morris an hour later, when we were crossing the piazza, and found that -she had returned to the little fresco, drawn to it by an irresistible -fascination. - -From a narrow winding stairway we stepped into the lofty, spacious -upper church, lighted by large, three-storied Gothic windows which -flood the interior with sunshine. Here in twenty-eight great frescoes, -executed by the pupils of Giotto, more or less faded and in some places -badly restored, we followed the life of St. Francis from the early days -when he is represented as giving his cloak to a beggar to his final -parting with his brothers. - -When we at last emerged from the upper church and made our way down -the outside stairway to the piazza, the scene which met our eyes -seemed strangely modern and bizarre to us whose minds were filled -with thoughts of St. Francis and his holy life. All along the side -of the piazza were long tables filled with relics, rosaries, and -the ubiquitous postal-card, which represents everything, real or -imaginable, that has been seen or could be seen in Assisi. Old women -and little girls were spreading out their wares under the very shadow -of the sanctuary, and we, noticing the pinched, careworn faces of -the women and the poor, scanty clothing of the pretty little girls -who helped them, could not grudge them the limited revenue that comes -to them from their Sunday sales. The little money that reaches these -Assisian peasants is chiefly from tourists, and from a lace-making -industry that has recently been established here. Miss Morris says -that these old women were intoxicated with delight over the brilliancy -of their financial prospects when they were told that they could make -ten cents a day by lacework, if they plied their needles and shuttles -industriously. Does not everything in life depend upon the point of -view? - -When we finally turned from the piazza, we accepted the eagerly offered -guidance of a lad of fourteen or fifteen, who led us through steep, -narrow streets and under heavy stone arches to the Chiesa Nuova. -Within the walls of this so-called new church is the house of the -once prosperous cloth-merchant Pietro Bernardone, the home in which -St. Francis spent his early years. A peasant woman unlocked a heavy -wooden door and showed us with reverent pride the stable in which -St. Francis was born, and our young guide spelled out with care the -inscription upon one side of the church wall which records that here -the Madonna Pica, the mother of Francis, had a vision of the future -greatness of her long-desired son. The sacristan opened the door of -a cell in the wall where Francis was confined by his father in the -hope of disenchanting his son with his chosen bride, the Lady Poverty, -and perhaps, as Angela suggested, to punish him for having taken good -cloth from the paternal storehouse and given it to the Church. Zelphine -was shocked at the idea of any one thinking that St. Francis could -ever have done anything wrong; but as the gift of cloth figures quite -prominently in the narrative and involves a nice question in ethics, we -discussed the question, with some warmth, on our way to the Church of -Santa Chiara, which is at the eastern end of the town. - -This church, handsome as it is, with its pink and white stone, vast -flying buttresses, and beautiful rose-window, interested us far less -than Santa Chiara's convent, the San Damiano, which we visited later -in the morning. We all regretted that we had gone down into the crypt -at Santa Chiara to see the tomb of the founder of the Poor Clares and -the friend of St. Francis. We would so much rather think of the gentle -abbess at San Damiano than lying under a glass case in the dark crypt, -the once beautiful face, which is quite clearly outlined against her -veil, darkened by time and no longer beautiful. We turned hastily from -the crypt, and were glad to be again in the open air and under the blue -sky wending our way to Clare's hillside convent, which is only second -in interest to the basilica of San Francesco. - -It was after Clare, the daughter of Count Favorino Scifi, had listened -to the preaching of St. Francis, and decided to devote her life to -works of love and mercy, that he prepared the San Damiano as a retreat -for her and other noble ladies who desired to accompany her. From the -hour when the high-born maiden, Clare Scifi, yielded to the burning -eloquence of Francis Bernardone, to the day of her death, her story -is surrounded by all the charm of mediaeval romance. The door of the -Palazzo Scifi is still shown through which Clare escaped at night -and made her way to the Portiuncula, where, in the presence of her -aunt Bianca Guelfucci and several companions, she took upon herself -the vows of poverty and obedience. The picture of the beautiful girl -kneeling before the altar in the dim light of the Portiuncula, while -the golden glory of her fair hair is shorn from her head, is one -that has captivated the artist as it does the traveller. Every part -of the Convent of San Damiano is associated with the lovely young -abbess. Standing in the tiny terrace garden, with its few straggling -wallflowers, we imagined Clare taking the air in the bloom of the -lilies, surrounded by her nuns. Here is the cell where she lay ill, -when tidings reached the quiet convent that a detachment of Saracen -troops was advancing toward Assisi. The sisters gathered around the -abbess like so many frightened doves; the bold invaders were already -scaling the walls, when Clare, who was endowed with the high courage -of her race, appeared at an upper window, holding aloft the chalice -containing the Blessed Sacrament, which she was allowed to keep in a -little chapel near her cell. At the sight of the holy and beautiful -vision, so runs the legend, the soldiers upon the walls dropped to -the ground and fled across the plain. As we saw the little convent, -peaceful and bathed in the bright sunshine of May, it was difficult to -imagine the confusion and terror that reigned there seven hundred years -ago. - -Still under the spell of Francis and Clare, whose story seems to be -on the lips of all Assisi, young and old, we spent the long spring -afternoon in the basilica of St. Mary of the Angels. The brother -who showed us about the church, a namesake of Assisi's saint, spoke -fairly good English, of which he was as proud as a Franciscan could -venture to be, and took pleasure in relating to us some quaint and -homely tales of the early days of the order. More especially did the -good brother delight in speaking of the love of his Father Francis for -the wild creatures of the wood, which instinctively turned to him for -protection. One day a leveret hid itself in the folds of his gown, and -upon another a timid hare sought shelter in his breast, still returning -into the father's bosom, he said, "as if it had some hidden sense of -the pitifulness of his heart." - -When Angela spoke of the story that we had just been reading of Brother -Juniper and the chickens, the brother laughed heartily, and said: -"Chickens is goot; but Brother Juniper spoiled his by cooking the two -weeks' portion of chickens in one day, and with the feathers on, to -save much time for prayer; but it was not goot, and the brothers was -angry." - -Do you remember the story, Allan?--how Brother Juniper set the stew -upon the table, "crying up his wares to find a customer for his -unsavory dish, when," as the chronicler quaintly added, "there was not -a pig in all the land of Rome so famished as to have eaten it." - -"But he was goot," said our guide, "Brother Juniper was goot, and the -guardian forgive him, and he was goot when he cut off the pig's foot -and cooked it for to make the sick man well, and the herdsman forgive -him this time and brought the maimed pig all killed and roasted for the -brothers at St. Mary of the Little Portion to eat of it." - -"This must have been the occasion," said Miss Morris, "when St. Francis -exclaimed, 'Would to God, my brothers, that I had a whole forest of -such Junipers!'" - -"Yes, yes," said the brother, "roast pig is goot," leading us, as -he talked, from the modern pictures that adorn the many chapels of -this large church to the most interesting object within its walls, -the Portiuncula. Here, surrounded by much that is too modern to be in -harmony with the old, is the simple little Portiuncula, within whose -walls many pilgrims, Protestant and Catholic, kneel feeling that -this is a holy spot, for here were born the high purposes and noble -aspirations that led to a great movement for purer religion in the -Christian world. Near the Portiuncula, under the same roof, is the -rude hut in which St. Francis spent his last days, and here, opening -out from the cloisters, is the little rose-garden which witnessed -his earlier struggles with the powers of darkness. The rose-bushes -are still free from thorns, a miracle, the good brother tells us, and -spotted with blood. The green leaves _are_ covered with brown spots, -the stems are thornless. We look at them as we listen to the earnest -words of our guide; the spell is still upon us, we offer no word of -dissent; for whether the thornless rose-tree is natural or miraculous, -whether the spots on the leaves are from blood or rust, the truth -remains that this little garden witnessed the struggle of a human -soul, and from its soil there arose something more wonderful than the -greatest miracle over material forces ever recorded--a soul born from -clouds and darkness into life and light eternal. - -An overwhelming sense of Italy, of what it means to be in this old -hill town, with its remains of Etruscan occupation and pagan Roman and -Christian Roman life, has possessed my mind to-day. You will never -quite understand what Mr. Emerson means by the oversoul until you -stroll through Italian highways and by-ways, knowing that what you -tread upon is only common earth and stone, well worn by many feet, and -yet among the many feet there were some whose footsteps seem to have -turned the common earth ways into paths that lead to the stars. But why -should I try to explain that which is unexplainable, and to you, who -have read more books about Italy than I shall ever read, and yet, here -I triumph over you, no books, no, nor even letters of mine, can make -you understand the compelling charm of this - - "Woman-country, wooed not wed, - Loved all the more by earth's male lands." - -Some day you must come here, Allan, and see and feel it all, while I, -off in some prosaic spot, will envy you the penetrating joy of first -impressions, the grace of a day that can never quite come back again. - -The long twilight had deepened, the shadows of the hills had lengthened -upon the wide-spread plain, when we turned from the church and the -little town to retrace our steps along the hillside road. Upon the -stillness of the evening air, seldom disturbed except by the ringing -of church-bells, there broke forth a sound like a fog-horn, and a large -red object suddenly appeared upon the crest of the hill. There followed -a whizz and a whirr, a rush through the air, and a flutter of blue -and white veils, as a great automobile sped past us along the white -windings of the road. - -"Is there any spot too sacred for the intrusion of an automobile?" -asked Zelphine. - -"No," exclaimed Miss Horner, "not even the tomb of St. Francis!" - -"And yet," said Angela, her eyes wistfully following the brilliant -auto car and its gay company, "I should like to be in it, this moment, -speeding along these perfect roads." - -"Of course," said Miss Morris, "everything depends upon the point -of view, and the only one from which an automobile is entirely -unobjectionable is when you are in it, with all its machinery in -perfect order." - - HOTEL GIOTTO, ASSISI, May 4th. - -You will be surprised to learn that we are still in Assisi. Yesterday -afternoon, on our way to the station with our adopted companions, we -spent an hour at St. Mary of the Angels to take a last look at the -Portiuncula, the rose-garden, and Della Robbia's fine terra-cotta, and -then repaired to a little tea-house near by for a parting love-feast, -as we were all about to start for different places. Miss Morris was on -her way to Perugia, Miss Horner was bound for Florence, and we three -for Siena. In the midst of an exchange of cards, addresses, and quite -sincere hopes of meeting again, Bertha Linn and Mrs. Robins surprised -us by walking in, having driven over from Perugia. - -You will laugh at me, I am sure, when I tell you that those two women -persuaded us, three in number, with our luggage at the station, to go -back with them to Assisi and stay over another day. In justice to our -steadfastness of purpose I must tell you that we only yielded when we -learned, what the _padrone_ had not been clever enough to tell us, that -on the following day the feast of the Holy Cross was to be celebrated, -and the great basilica lighted with scores of wax candles. - -We are truly glad that we yielded to Bertha's persuasions. Consistency -in adhering to a schedule is not always a jewel in one's crown, -especially when one is rewarded by such a view of the frescoes in San -Francesco as can only be had by the light of many long candles and -tapers. - -It is just such incidents by the way, such turning back and retracing -of steps at one's pleasure, that make for the happiness of the -freeborn American traveller who carries her luggage with her and is -not dominated by trunks--I say _her_ instead of _him_, because most -of the travellers we meet are women; and, as if to give weight to my -reasoning, Bertha adds, "In a land where one reckons time by hundreds -of years, what difference does one day more or less make?" - -"Especially," said Angela, "if you are not hampered by a hard and -fast schedule, or a conscience about disappointing our landlady at the -Pension Riccoli in Florence." - -"She will not be disappointed," said Mrs. Robins, oracularly, and Mrs. -Robins, having travelled much, knows the ways of Italian landladies. - - - - -XIV - -THE CITY OF FLOWERS - - - LUNG' ARNO DELLE GRAZIE, - FLORENCE, May 6th. - -Do you realize that your letter in answer to mine of March 18th from -Rome was not quite within the pact? I found it awaiting me at Siena, -with a number of others. I thought my explanation quite clear and -eminently sane, but you seem to have strangely perverted my meaning; -then you revert to an earlier letter from La Cava, and are pleased to -imagine that we are taking risks all the time and leading a reckless -life generally. I shall really hesitate to tell you again of any of our -adventures such as that drive home from Paestum, which I merely related -as an amusing incident. There is no danger of brigands in these days -and we did not "need a protector," especially as kind Providence looked -after us. That drunken driver would not have surrendered his reins to -you or to any one except the _padrone_; and then "all's well that ends -well," and we returned from our excursion with nothing worse than a -grievance. - -I was so vexed with you for two whole days that I wrote you not one -line from Siena or Pisa. Now your indiscretion is partially atoned -for by a letter which has just reached me here, and I am trying to -forgive you and "be friends again," as we used to say when we were -children. But the charms of Siena are already so eclipsed by those of -Florence that it is quite impossible for me to give you an atmospheric -description of its streets and churches, above all of the shining -cathedral, rich from dome to pavement with colored marbles, frescoes, -and mosaics. This may be no loss to you, who are doubtless well tired -of my Italian rhapsodies; but your respite is only temporary, as I -quite missed writing you that letter. I wanted to tell you that the -campanile at Pisa leans quite as much as the little Parian model -on your desk, and about the famous Campo Santo with its interesting -paintings, and many other things. The habit of relieving my mind of the -burden of surplus impressions, or of what I might call my "oversoul," -has become second nature. Do you remember, Allan, the man in Frank -Stockton's story who, on his return from abroad, found his friends and -acquaintances so much interested in their own affairs that he engaged -a young man at twenty-five cents an hour to listen to his traveller's -tales? You seem to be all unwittingly playing the role of that youth, -less the twenty-five cents, and I, alas! shall never know whether you -prove yourself more worthy than that faithless one, who fell asleep in -the midst of the most thrilling adventures. - - [Illustration: A Street in Florence] - -I must explain to you for your benefit, when you travel this way, that -we did what is discouraged by Baedeker and most of the guide-books; -we changed cars at Empoli and took a train to Pisa, where we spent a -night and day. The usual plan is to go directly from Siena to Florence, -and make a separate day-trip to the city of the Leaning Tower. One of -Zelphine's pet economies is to save the retracing of steps or railway -journeys by doing all that we can _en route_. In this case I think her -plan was a good one, as we shall never be willing to spend one whole -beautiful day in any other city, no matter how long we may tarry in -Florence. I overheard Zelphine, this morning, telling Katharine Clarke -that she intended to stay here indefinitely and stifle the promptings -of conscience with regard to Venice and all the rest of Italy, adding, -in her earnest way, "After all, Katharine, the true pleasure of -travelling is to settle down in one place and let its charms sink into -your mind." - -Katharine was so much amused at Zelphine's novel definition of the -joys of travel that she repeated it to an English acquaintance, who -exclaimed, "Really!" with a delicious rising inflection, "would not -that be rather unpractical?" Refreshingly English, was it not? The -truth is, we are all well tired of short journeys, and look forward -with pleasure to a whole month of Zelphine's kind of travelling, living -in Florence and making half-day trips to Fiesole, La Certosa, and some -of the lovely villas on the hillsides near by. - -We reached Florence last night so late that the long twilight had quite -faded, and darkness veiled the charms of this most beautiful city. -As we drove along the Lung' Arno, its lights revealed glimpses here -and there of the shining river and picturesque bridges, with a line -of dark mountains rising beyond and above them. There is something -fascinating and stimulating to the imagination in such a first view -of a strange city, especially when, as in this instance, she discovers -fresh beauties when she lifts her veil to the morning light. - -We were not able to get into the delightful pension that Katharine -Clarke told us of. Madame had not received my note from Assisi advising -her that we would be two days later than our appointment, and had -promptly rented our rooms, believing, like all Italian landladies, in -the proverbial "bird in the hand." "Never mind," said Zelphine, as we -turned sadly away, "what is any pension, even the Pension Riccoli, -whose feasts are said to rival those of Lucullus, compared with -that incomparable last day in Assisi with St. Francis or that other -red-letter day in the cathedral at Siena?" - -"And then," said Angela, "the Pension Riccoli is a paradise reached by -many purgatorial stairs." - -Being both tired and hungry by this time, we consulted our note-books, -and directed our _vetturino_ to the nearest pension. An indifferent -hostel it proved to be, with the one charm of being directly on the -Arno. Our windows opened on the river, and we were lulled to sleep -by the music of its rushing waters. These rivers, fed by springs from -neighboring hills, are widely different from the sluggish streams of -the plain; the spirits of Undine and her kind seem to inhabit them -and sing their lullabies in storm and calm. Zelphine evidently had the -same thought, as she told me that she had been dreaming all night of -Undine and Sir Huldebrand, and that it would not have surprised her -to have the lovely sprite appear at her window and dash water in her -face. Instead she awoke to find Angela standing by our window, in the -freshest of pink and white morning-gowns, the warm sun lighting up -every thread of her blonde hair to pure gold. She begged us to come to -the window and look out. The Florence of the left side of the Arno, -the Florence of "Romola" and Mrs. Browning, lay before us, with its -churches and palaces, connected with the Lung' Arno delle Grazie by the -oldest bridge in the city, the Ponte alle Grazie. Off to the south are -the heights of San Miniato, and still further the commanding Fortezza -di Belvedere, and beyond, hill upon hill of blue velvet spanned to-day -by a sapphire sky. Behind us are the Duomo, Santa Croce, San Marco, and -a whole world of architectural wonder and entrancing interest, the old -streets through which Dante, Michael Angelo, and Raphael walked and the -churches that resounded to the voice of Savonarola. - - PENSION C., VIA SOLFERINO, - Saturday Evening. - -Among surroundings of so much interest it seemed almost a desecration -to devote an hour to a search for a pension, and yet even this -practical business was illuminated by glimpses of beauty by the way. -We passed through the Loggia dei Lanzi, with its many statues, where -Cosimo's German lancers were once quartered, across the Piazza della -Signoria and by the Strozzi Palace. This middle-age castle, with its -rough-hewn stone walls unbroken by windows except on the upper floors, -must have proved an impregnable fortress in days when war was the -chief occupation of the Florentines and a man's house was primarily -and emphatically his stronghold. Although the Palazzo Strozzi was built -by a merchant, its exterior is decorated by the handsome iron _fanali_ -which were used only by the most distinguished citizens, and here are -the rings to which the party standards were once attached. We passed -the Palazzo Strozzi on our wandering way to Thomas Cook's office, which -is on the same street, the Via Tornabuoni, with its alluring cafes, -confectioners', modistes', and bric-a-brac shops. The massive walls -and huge bulk of the old palace form a picturesque background for -the bright, varied modern life and tourists' life of the Florence of -to-day. - -Katharine told us of an excellent pension on the Via Solferino near -the Cascine, which she feared would be full, like every other place -that we had looked at, as all America seems to have come up here -from the Eastertide in Rome to spend May in Florence. We meet more -acquaintances on the Via Tornabuoni and under the arcades of the -Piazza Vittorio Emanuele than on Fifth Avenue, and almost as many as -on Rittenhouse Square. Zelphine says that it would be pleasant to meet -some Florentines once in a while, "or even some Romans," suggested -Angela. - -"Romans never travel," replied Zelphine, in her most encyclopaedic tone; -"like Parisians, their own surroundings satisfy them entirely." - -"Never travel! How strange, how dull!" exclaimed Angela, shaking her -head, incredulously. Was she thinking of Ludovico or of the Marquis -de B., I wondered, this apparently frank but absolutely inscrutable -Angela? She had a letter handed her at Cook's office this morning, with -a Roman postmark, which she put in her pocket without a word or a sign -of interest. It was not in Ludovico's handwriting, I know; whose then? -Do I seem to be watching straws to find out which way the wind blows? -You must remember, Allan, that I am the appointed chaperon of this -party, and that Angela's father, like the "Father of his Country," has -a great objection to entangling foreign alliances. Indeed, my task is -no light one, as there are times when Zelphine needs a chaperon quite -as much as Angela; her _beaux yeux_ draw many admiring glances in our -direction. But pray do not whisper this above your breath, as Zelphine -is absolutely unconscious of the admiration that she excites, and would -accuse me of gross exaggeration, and then a certain widower of our -acquaintance might become alarmed and feel it his duty to join us "as a -protector," which would certainly interfere with Angela's pleasure and -mine, however it might affect Zelphine's happiness. - -To return to our quest, we found the Pension C. crowded, as Katharine -had feared, but Madame assured us that she would have rooms for us in a -few days, if we would only be content with lodgings in the dependance -for the present. The rooms shown us were altogether captivating, with -their long windows and balconies overlooking a garden full of roses. -When Zelphine learned that in addition to their other attractions -these rooms were presided over by a maid named Assunta, wild horses, -buffaloes, or even the more probable menace of mice would not have -drawn her from the Pension C. "Think of it, Margaret!" she exclaimed, -"to sit on a balcony overhanging a rose-garden, and have our coffee -and rolls brought to us by Assunta! And then," added Zelphine, in her -most persuasive tone, "she seems to understand my French, although -she speaks nothing but Italian!" Although Katharine laughed heartily -at Zelphine's argument, and said that it reminded her of a sign in -one of the shops on the Via Tornabuoni, "French spoken and English -understood," I felt this to be an important consideration and one that -would affect our comfort even more materially than the balcony, the -rose-garden, or the pleasing name of our _femme de chambre_, and after -some conversation with Madame we concluded to await her pleasure. We -are now lodged in the dependance, a dismal apartment-house on the Via -Montebello, connected with the pension by a tunnel-like gallery. Here -we and our belongings hang between heaven and earth until our promised -rooms in the main house are vacant--to-morrow, or the next day, or -the next; nothing is quite certain here, and dates do not seem to be -reckoned with or upon. - -After our first dinner at the Pension C. Angela showed her satisfaction -with her new surroundings by exclaiming, "I am glad that you two -romantic creatures have decided upon a place where the food is so good, -as we cannot be expected to live on antiquities for many days." Angela -is quite right: we are fed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream, while -succulent asparagus, and peas as sweet as those from your garden at -Woodford, have replaced the artichokes and fennel, of which we had -grown a bit tired. I saw Angela tremble this evening when the dish of -green peas was offered to her right-hand neighbor first, according -to the undeviating blindfold justice of table d'hote rules; for -although Madame provides most liberally for her guests, this woman -would create famine in a land of plenty. Our youngest made a grimace -over the small portion left for her on the platter, and then with -resolute cheerfulness essayed to open a conversation with her neighbor, -remarking that we had spent a delightful morning at the Annunziata, to -which the lady, whose thoughts evidently never rise above her plate, -asked, naively, "Why, what's going on there?" - -In view of all that has "gone on" at the Annunziata, especially in art, -the masterpieces of Andrea del Sarto and Ghirlandajo and the lovely -Della Robbias, we were all reduced to silence. - -Although there are some charming people at the pension, we are not -particularly well placed at the table d'hote. Zelphine is not more -fortunate in conversation than Angela, as her neighbor is an Italian -gentleman who, although charmingly polite, is deaf and dumb in every -language save his own. Angela and I have concluded that this Signor -A. is preternaturally dull, as Zelphine can say enough with her eyes -to make most men understand; beside which her adroitly pronounced and -cleverly emphasized French usually appeals to the intelligent Italian -imagination. Occasionally she touches the roses on the table, and -says "Bella," when there follows a rapid flow of conversation on the -part of Signor A., through which Zelphine smiles sweetly. She scored -quite a point this evening when Madame made her appearance, after an -indisposition of a couple of days, and Zelphine bowed in recognition -of the return of our presiding genius, and, turning to her neighbor, -said "Benia." "Benia" may not be the very best Italian equivalent for -"better," but it evidently conveyed Zelphine's idea to Signor A., who -nodded his head in approval and beamed upon her like a sunburst. He has -been her devoted slave ever since, passing everything at his end of the -table to her, evidently quite incapable of helping himself first, and -urging wine upon her until I tremble for her sobriety. Zelphine is of -a yielding nature up to a certain point, of course, beyond which she -is a rock of steadfastness, as Angela and I have learned in the course -of our travels together. We trust that she may discover the rocky side -of her character if Signor A. fills up her glass too often, or makes -her an offer of his heart, his hand, and his fortune. This latter we -are disposed to think is inconsiderable, as one of his chief sources of -revenue is, as we have incidentally gathered, the keeping of Madame's -books. - -Angela looks discontentedly at her own insatiable neighbor and then at -Zelphine, so tenderly cared for by hers, and remarks in the crude slang -of the day that "Zelphine has a soft thing of it, all right!" - -A blooming widow opposite, with a daughter of twelve at her side, -wastes the sweetness of her smiles upon the unrequiting feminine -company of the pension. The only available man, available, I mean, for -excursions and strolls in the Cascine, left this morning for Venice, -wearing a bright red necktie which the lady has been knitting for days -while he sat by her side in the rose-garden. Angela thought it very -unbecoming, because it did not match his hair exactly, scarlet not -being the color one would choose for a red-haired man, but then our -youngest is overcritical in the matter of color. - -Further down the table d'hote are several widows with daughters, one, -two, or three. Zelphine and I have been wondering when the great -mortality among American men occurred, as most of the women whom -we meet are too young to be relicts of the Civil War. The widow _en -voyage_ with grown daughters is the rule. Some few wives are here who -have husbands at home; the exception is when paterfamilias accompanies -the party, and when he does, I must frankly admit that he looks -excessively bored, especially in picture-galleries. - - Sunday, May 9th. - -Katharine came in this morning, bright and early, with her hands full -of roses and her head full of plans. She had been modelling steadily -for ten days, and, having reached a convenient stopping-place, -announced her intention of taking a vacation of three days, which she -would be glad to devote to us and our sight-seeing. Would it please -us to go to Fiesole for the day or to Vallombrosa? Zelphine says that -we must see Vallombrosa if we would know something of the beauties -of Paradise in advance. Milton is said to have drawn his description -of the Garden of Eden from the lovely slopes of the Pratomagno. You, -ardent lover of the English classics, may recall a passage in the -first book of "Paradise Lost," in which Milton speaks of Fiesole and -Valdarno, and of - - "Vallombrosa, where the Etrurian shades - High overarch'd embower." - -As Katharine is a delightful cicerone, intelligent and appreciative, -her enthusiasm well balanced by common sense, we were charmed by the -prospect of three days in her good company, and when she asked us -what we would do to-day, I was about to say, properly and politely, -that we would go wherever it would please her to take us; but -Zelphine interposed, and solemnly protested that it would be quite -impossible for her to spend another day in Florence without visiting -the grave of Mrs. Browning. Being of a cheerful temper and not given -to haunting graveyards, Katharine seemed to have a rather vague idea -of the location of the Protestant Cemetery, but she readily consented -to Zelphine's request, and by dint of considerable questioning we -found it. Not an ideal Campo Santo is this, like that at Rome, where -tall cypresses shut it in from the outside world, and where the vast -pyramidal Tomb of Caius Cestius overshadows it grandly. Just outside -the Porta Pinti is this Protestant burial-ground of Florence. The old -walls that once framed it in have been removed, and it now stands in -the midst of dusty highways where noisy trams pass to and fro with -their freight of eager-eyed tourists. Once inside the enclosure, we -found trees and shrubbery, and roses blooming everywhere. Katharine -and Angela stood under a tree to rest beneath its grateful shade, -while Zelphine walked on and on as if drawn by a magnet, I following -her, until we stood before a square marble sarcophagus, simple and -dignified, with the initials E. B. B. on one side and the date June 29, -1861. A cedar-tree stands guard by the poet's grave, one branch leaning -over it protectingly, roses climb all about it, and as we stood there, -silent and reverent, a bird sang from one of the branches overhead, -and, like Browning's "wise thrush," he sang his song - - "twice over, - Lest you should think he never could recapture - The first fine careless rapture!" - -Standing by the grave of the English poetess in the beauty of a May -day, with the blue sky above it, the air filled with the fragrance of -flowers and the songs of birds, it seemed to us that they were wise who -decided that Elizabeth Browning's tomb should be here, in this Italy -that she loved, and among the Florentines who adored her, rather than -in the vast gloom of the abbey where her husband lies and where she is -by right entitled to rest among the great of England. - -Two other English poets sleep in this cemetery, Arthur Hugh Clough and -Walter Savage Landor. Landor died in Florence in a house on the Via -Nunziatina, in 1864. As we stood by his grave, Zelphine softly murmured -Swinburne's lovely lines to his brother poet: - - "So shall thy lovers, come from far, - Mix with thy name, - As morning-star with evening-star, - His faultless fame." - -This afternoon, returning from Katharine's studio, which is beyond the -Porta Romana, as we passed the vast monotonous facade of Palazzo Pitti -and entered the Via Maggio, we were attracted by a tall gray house -with a white tablet above its first-floor windows. "The Casa Guidi!" -exclaimed Zelphine, reading the words in which the Florentines recorded -their love and gratitude to the woman poet who had by her golden ring -of verse linked Italy to England. The well-known lines by the poet -Tommaseo are inscribed in letters of gold upon the marble tablet, in -Italian of course, but I am quite sure that Zelphine could read an -inscription to the Brownings in Hindustani. After lingering long before -the windows of the _primo piano_, which will always be associated with -the Brownings, we walked around the corner to the Piazza Santa Felicita -and looked up at the terrace where Mrs. Browning spent so many days, -and up and down which she described her husband as walking with the -third Browning in his arms. - -I must frankly confess that we were disappointed in the terrace, as we -had expected to see one of the charming garden terraces, adorned with -blooming plants and even trees, in which the Italians delight to find -rest and seclusion above the noise and dirt of the street; instead -we saw only a balcony overhanging the piazza, with a few straggling -plants in pots. So small is this balcony that Mr. Browning's goodly -proportions must have filled all the available space, even if it was -quite large enough for the fairy-like lady who sat there through long -summer days. Do you remember that she wrote to Miss Mitford that she -was so happy despite the intense heat that she could quite comprehend -the possibility of St. Lawrence's ecstasies on a gridiron? In another -letter Mrs. Browning wrote, "Here we can step out of the window on a -sort of balcony terrace which is quite private, and swims over with -moonlight in the evenings, and as we live upon watermelons, iced -water, and figs, and all manner of fruit, we bear the heat with angelic -patience and felicity which are really edifying." - -It is not strange that, with new happiness and renewed health, -everything in Florence was glorified to Mrs. Browning, and that the -Casa Guidi apartment, with its windows looking out upon the Pitti -Palace on one side and on the other "toward the gray wall of a church, -called San Felice, for good omen," seemed a bit of Paradise. - -Near the Casa Guidi are several classic spots. On the right of the Via -Maggio at the corner of the Via Marsili is the house where Bernardo -Buontalenti lived when the great Tasso came from Ferrara to embrace -him and thank him for the beautiful scenery painted by him which had -contributed so much to the success of his "Aminta." The story runs, as -told by Baldinucci, that after thanking Buontalenti and kissing him on -the neck and forehead Tasso mounted his horse and rode away, leaving -the painter as amazed as if he had beheld a vision from the world of -spirits. - -A little way beyond on the same street is the house of Bianca Capello, -from whose windows her delicate, fascinating face looked forth for -men's undoing. Whether or not Bianca looked out from these windows "to -see the Duke go by," as Mrs. Browning says, it was from her balcony -here that she attracted the admiration of her first husband, Pietro -Bonaventuri, with whom she eloped, and near this house he was murdered -to give place to a princely suitor. The story of Bianca's marriage -with the Grand Duke Francesco, of which we found accounts in several -books at the all-embracing Vieusseux's, reads like a chapter of the -"Arabian Nights." Never, surely, were wrong-doing and shame so gilded -and glorified!--gilded literally, as the bodies of men and women were -painted with gold that they might represent the deities of Olympus -in the nuptial procession of Bianca, whose own car was drawn by real -lions, while to other chariots were harnessed horses and buffaloes -dressed in the skins of wild animals to represent griffins, unicorns, -and elephants. - -At the corner of the Via Toscanella an old wall marks the site of "the -darksome, sad, and silent house" where Boccaccio lived and wrote. - -As we regained the Piazza Pitti and turned for one more look at the -Casa Guidi windows, Angela was indiscreet enough to say what I had -been thinking all the time: "After all, it does not look much like -a palace, although Mrs. Browning dated some of her letters from the -Palazzo Guidi. It's just like an ordinary apartment-house." Zelphine -vouchsafed no word in reply to this irreverent criticism, but with a -withering glance at Angela strode before us along the Via Guicciardini -and across the Ponte Vecchio, her head in the air and her thoughts -doubtless "commencing with the skies," which were of Italy's bluest -this evening. The emotions of the day had evidently been quite too much -for Zelphine. She left us abruptly after dinner, and shut herself up -in her own room, "to think great thoughts," Angela said, while we more -practical travellers turned to our Hare and our Baedeker to plan out a -campaign for to-morrow. - -I forgot to tell you that we went across the river this afternoon to -the little American Church on the Piazza del Carmine, where there was -a short service, after which we had quite enough daylight to study -Masaccio's interesting frescoes in the Cappella Brancacci of the Church -of the Carmine near by. There is something intensely realistic and -hopelessly sad in Masaccio's Expulsion from Paradise. Here despair -and anguish are portrayed in every feature and line; our first parents -really suffer, as Masaccio represents them being driven by an avenging -angel from the Paradise in which, according to Filippino Lippi's panel -near by, they seem to have lived in a placid and rather dull content -before the Fall. - -Angela reminds me of the lateness of the hour and of our early start -for Vallombrosa to-morrow, whither we have elected to spend two of -Katharine's holidays, thus breaking through our resolve at the very -start, you see, and leaving Florence for two whole days; but as you are -already familiar with my sentiments on the subject of changes of plans, -I offer no apology, especially as Katharine says that one really cannot -do justice to Vallombrosa in a hurried day's journey. - - - - -XV - -AN EARTHLY PARADISE - - - HOTEL CROCE DI SAVOIA, - VALLOMBROSA, May 10th. - -The day has been spent in driving, walking, and climbing hills, yet we -seem to feel no fatigue, so invigorating is this air, "mountain air, -sheathed in Italian sunshine," as Mrs. Browning aptly described it. -Vallombrosa is three thousand feet above Florence--small wonder that -we have been ascending skyward since we drove away from Pelago this -morning! - -Zelphine's pet project was to stop over night at the hermitage of Il -Paradisino, which is on a rock more than two hundred feet above the old -monastery of Vallombrosa; but here again Katharine's common sense stood -us in good stead. The inn at Il Paradisino is, she says, wretchedly -kept, so we have adopted her plan and are spending the night here in -comfort. We climbed up to the hermitage and chapel this evening for the -sunset view of the valley of the Arno, in which Florence lies. In the -far distance we could see the strangely indented line of the mountains -of Carrara, with Mount Cimone, and other remote peaks of the Apennines. - -Zelphine found a copy of Mrs. Browning's letters _chez_ Vieusseux, that -good friend of all English-speaking travellers. We have brought the -first volume with us, and are thus enjoying, in Mrs. Browning's good -company, the charms of this region which she described so vividly. - -Although we did not set out from Pelago at four in the morning, nor -journey in a sledge drawn by white oxen, but in a carriage, even in -this less picturesque conveyance we felt that we were ascending the -heights of Paradise, and were awed into silence by the rugged grandeur -of the scenery, the hills with their heads among the clouds, the dense -pine forests and the beech and chestnut woods hanging from the mountain -sides. We were at times reminded of Switzerland, although some of our -fellow-travellers found a stronger likeness to Norway in the black -ravines, gurgling waters, and mountain torrents; but alas and alas! as -we drew near the summit, instead of Milton's - - "Shade above shade, a woody theatre - Of stateliest view," - -we found that most of the fine trees which once adorned the ascent -had been ruthlessly destroyed. They tell us that a public-spirited and -beauty-loving Englishman offered to pay a fair price for some of the -goodliest trees if they might only be left standing in their places; -but the offer was refused, and the vandalism continues. How you will -mourn these noble trees when you come here!--feeling, as you do, that -the wanton destruction of trees is a crime near to that of homicide in -the category of sins. Yet, in the midst of this wholesale destruction, -a school has been established for the training of foresters. It is -to be hoped that this Foresteria, which occupies the old monastery -buildings, may disseminate so much light that in the future trees may -be preserved as well as planted. We were told that thousands of trees -had been planted within a short time. - -With the suppression of the monastery many of the characteristic -features of Vallombrosa have disappeared, and so we may not see the -place as the Brownings saw it when they came here in the summer of -1847. Do you remember how they were ingloriously expelled from the -monastery at the end of five days, as Mrs. Browning says, "by a little -holy abbot with a red face, who was given to sanctity and had set his -face against women"? We could well understand what it would have been -to those lovers of nature to spend two months, as they had planned, in -the midst of the majestic beauty of this mountain paradise. We long -inexpressibly to stay a week here and then take a couple of days for -La Verna, where again one comes upon footprints of St. Francis and his -brothers, but we all learned from our school copybooks that "time and -tide wait for no man," and we have promised to be in Florence to-morrow -night to meet Bertha and Mrs. Robins, who are to join us in a trip to -the Certosa on the following day. Zelphine and I make solemn vows, -as we have done in many other entrancing spots, that we will return -to Vallombrosa some day and stay as long as we wish. These resolves -comfort us, and yet--and yet--do we ever have "the time and the place -and the loved one all together," especially the time? To-morrow we -shall be up betimes to enjoy the early morning view from Il Paradisino, -with the clouds rolling away beneath our feet to show us once again -the dome of our beloved Santa Maria del Fiore above the shoulder of a -hill, a sight which it is worth while climbing mountains to see, and -if the day is fine, and here days usually are fine, we may even catch -a glimpse of the glistening sea beyond Florence and its hills. - - PENSION C., FLORENCE, May 12th. - -We found Ludovico's cards on our return from Vallombrosa. He had come -quite unexpectedly on military business, so he says, for of course -he returned later in the evening and we had a long talk with him. -He proposes to act as our guide here, as in the old Roman days, and -is planning a number of delightful excursions for us. As the sun is -very hot now we are glad to spend our mornings in the galleries and -churches, which are delightfully cool. - -This morning, to our surprise, and also, I think, to Ludovico's, -the Marquis de B. appeared. He also has come upon military business, -being in the army, like most young Italians of good family. Indeed, -as Ludovico ingenuously remarked, the other day, "There is nothing -else for us to do, unless we go into the Church or marry an American -heiress; and neither of these," with perfect sang-froid and not a trace -of embarrassment, "is to my taste." - -Although there is nothing in the least alarming in the appearance of -these sons of Mars, I must confess that their arrival has filled me -with misgivings. Ludovico still bears himself with the air of frank -camaraderie that charmed us when we first met him. The Marquis is -formality itself, his manners simply perfection as such; what lies -beyond and beneath an exterior so impressive I have never been clever -enough to discover. Both of these young men address much of their -conversation to Zelphine and me, after the polite Continental fashion, -yet neither one misses a glance or a movement of Angela's, and they -both furtively watch each other. It is interesting and exciting, and -would be amusing were I not the chaperon and temporary guardian of this -apparently unconscious charmer. - -It is not easy for such good Americans as we are to adapt our tongues -to foreign titles, and for some inexplicable reason "marquis" is much -more difficult for us "to handle," as Angela says, than "count," and -the Italian "marchese" is quite impossible. Ludovico has relieved our -embarrassment by telling us that it is quite immaterial whether we -call his friend "marquis" or "count," as they have both titles in his -family, and several others beside. - -This morning we spent in the Church of San Lorenzo, where the first -Cosimo de' Medici is buried. In one of the chapels are some statuettes -by Donatello and in the other the world-famous Medici tombs, the -thoughtful Lorenzo, the most expressive of all marbles, and beneath -him, the Dawn and Twilight, the former the finest of the four statues, -the effort of waking from sleep being plainly revealed in every line. -The narrow niches in which these masterpieces are placed are so out of -all proportion to their size and grandeur that, as Ludovico pointed -out to us, they seem to be slipping off the pitiable pedestals which -support them. Do you remember what Ruskin said of these impressive -figures? To him they spoke "not of morning nor evening, but of the -departure and the resurrection, the twilight and the dawn of the souls -of men." Zelphine and I think that those few lines give the _motif_ -of the statues better than any of the elaborate descriptions that have -been written about them. - - May 13th. - -Ludovico and Count B. accompanied us to-day on our morning stroll -through the galleries. Ludovico has the excellent taste in art that -seems born in these Latins, and draws our attention to the best -pictures in each gallery without recourse to guide or catalogue. -Count B. doubtless has good taste also, but it is not in the line of -antiques at present, as he seldom withdraws his eyes from Angela's -face, except when she expresses admiration or asks him some question, -when he reveals his knowledge of Florentine history and tradition by -long, erudite, and somewhat tiresome explanations. This morning when -I expressed my preference for the Raphael Madonnas over and above all -others, the Count delivered himself quite sententiously of Vasari's -opinion of Andrea del Sarto's work, especially of the Madonna del -Sacco, which we saw again yesterday at the Annunziata, that "for -drawing, grace, and beauty of color, for liveliness and relief, no -artist had ever done the like," after which he repeated Vasari's story -of Michael Angelo writing to Raphael that there was "a certain sorry -little scrub of a painter going about the streets of Florence who -would bring the sweat to his [Raphael's] brow, if he had his chance." -You know the tale; Browning refers to it in his "Andrea del Sarto." -The Count told this story with a glint of humor in his handsome eyes -that I have never seen there before. Zelphine says that I am not quite -just to Count B. I am willing to admit that he is taller and handsomer -than Ludovico and has more the air of a _grand seigneur_; but then I -like Ludovico far better, and no matter what the Count says or whom he -quotes to support his arguments in favor of the Del Sarto Madonnas, for -tenderness and motherliness we must always come back to the Raphaels. -Our two companions found us this morning lingering before the lovely -Madonna with the Cardinal-bird, which in its sweetness and domesticity -is, I think, only equalled by the Belle Jardiniere of the Louvre. -Zelphine agrees with the Count in his estimate of Del Sarto, but Angela -and Ludovico are quite in sympathy with me in their loyalty to Raphael. -When the work of both these great masters is so supremely beautiful, it -seems absurd to be discussing their comparative merits so hotly. Which -side would you take, I wonder? - -We crossed the Arno by the picture-gallery of the Ponte Vecchio, a -passageway lined with portraits of dead-and-gone kings and queens, -dukes and princesses, many of these latter proud Spanish ladies with -whom the crafty lords of Tuscany allied themselves. How luxurious -and beauty-loving were those Medici princes! Not content with a -noble gallery of paintings on each side of the river, Cosimo spanned -the distance between them with a third, having already turned the -Florentine butchers out of the lower part of the Ponte Vecchio and -given their stalls to goldsmiths, whose successors still display their -wares here. Half-way across we stopped before the large windows cut in -the sides of the bridge, which frame in a fine view of the heights of -San Miniato upon one side and on the other of the windings of the Arno -and the Cascine with its trees and shrubbery. From the bridge, by many -stairs, we reached the vast salons of the Pitti Palace, which contain -priceless treasures of art with which photographs and engravings have -made us all familiar. We passed from one glorious Raphael to another, -pausing before a superb Del Sarto or Murillo in a state of rapturous -delight, until, as we stood before Fra Bartolommeo's Marriage of St. -Catherine of Siena, beautiful in composition, drawing, and relief, a -pleasant English voice at our side said, "Rather nice, is it not?" - -We turned to see a fresh-faced girl, who addressed this remark to the -typical John Bull _en voyage_. We waited, like her, for the reply which -came slowly, in a gruff voice. - -"Yes, rather. A pastel?"--and in just such a tone as one might have -spoken of a chromo. An Englishwoman standing near, from the London -cockney district but evidently with an appreciation of art, looked -at the girl compassionately, and ejaculated, "Poor lidy!" Whether -the pitying tone was in consequence of the girl's art-limitations or -because the pretty creature was the bride of the dull, red-faced giant, -with whom she walked away, hand in hand, we shall never know, for just -at this moment we heard a clock striking one. How the morning had sped -away! - -"It will be quite impossible to get back to the pension in time for -luncheon," said Angela. Upon which Count B., with elaborate courtesy, -begged us to honor him by breakfasting with him in a little garden-cafe -near the entrance to the Boboli Gardens. The luncheon had all been -ordered in advance, this being, as we afterwards discovered, a cleverly -arranged plan of the Count's and Ludovico's, and there was nothing to -do but accept the invitation as graciously as it was given. - -The little garden had been converted into a bower of roses, and the -table was a dream of beauty, covered with exquisite flowers, sparkling -glass and silver, and, not less important to hungry sight-seers, the -menu was delicious. It was all like a fairy feast to which we had -been bidden by Prince Charming himself. Zelphine said she would not be -surprised to see a white cat or a genie appear at any moment. - -"Priest and book are what we are in more danger of than white cat -or genie," I whispered, as I bent over the table to admire some rare -lilies that adorned its centre. - -I feel as if a spell of enchantment were being spread around Angela's -path, and yet she talks and laughs and is as free as air, never by word -or look revealing which of her suitors she prefers, or whether she has -a penchant for either. The modern girl is a study, as you well know, -and Angela is not the least interesting one that I have met. - -After luncheon the Count proposed that we should stroll over to the -Boboli Gardens. Here in one of the marvellous pergolas, where, by the -careful clipping and training of the ilexes, a refreshing twilight -shade is to be found at high noon, we sought refuge from the scorching -heat of the sun. Again it appeared that our host's thoughtful care had -preceded us, as camp-chairs awaited us in this green bower, and here -coffee and ices were served to us as if by magic, which we enjoyed -in the coolness of our pergola, from which we looked forth upon the -terraces beneath us, where the horse-chestnuts are covered with pink -feathery bloom, and upon the old amphitheatre, the fountain, and the -"cyclopean massiveness" of the walls of the great Palazzo Pitti. - -The amphitheatre was filled with children at play and nurses with -babies, as it always is on the free days at the Boboli. - -"Why are the boys catching so many crickets and putting them in cages?" -asked Angela of Ludovico. - -For several days we have noticed the children in the Cascine busily -engaged in catching crickets, on the grass and among the bushes. Some -of the boys go off with dozens of them, sometimes in large cages, but -more frequently in a number of pretty little cages of wire or wood, all -strung on a stick, a single cricket in each one. - -"Yes," added Zelphine, "what is the meaning of all this catching of -crickets?" - -"For Grilli Day, of course," said Ludovico, laughing heartily at the -idea of our not knowing anything so well known. "On the feast of the -Ascension, to-morrow, you will see what the boys do with the _grilli_, -and you will be buying _grilli_ like the rest." - -"And why should I buy crickets," asked Angela, "especially as I don't -like them at all?" - -"For luck, of course, signorina; everybody buys the _grilli_ for luck." -And then Ludovico sang, in his light, gay Italian fashion but in a -voice in which a minor chord seemed to dominate the gay notes: - - "'Grillo, mio grillo! - Si tu vo' moglie dillo!'" - -To our surprise, the Count joined in Ludovico's song, in a rich bass -voice that resounded through the little pergola and brought a crowd of -urchins to our retreat with their hands full of _grilli_ in cages. The -Count laughed good-humoredly, and presented each one of us with a caged -_grillo_, saying, "For luck, ladies; if the _grilli_ live, the luck -will be good; if not," with a shrug, "it may be good all the same." - -He then insisted that Angela should buy him a _grillo_ in a cage, which -she did laughingly, but which he received quite seriously, looking as -if he intended to guard it with his life. - -Zelphine, her thirst for knowledge still unsatisfied, asked for -information as to the origin of this curious custom. - -"It is a custom of great antiquity," replied Ludovico, which, as we -have learned by experience, is his method of silencing troublesome -American questions that he is unable to answer. The Count, who appeared -to be in an especially genial mood, then told us many stories and -legends about the _grilli_, in which fairies and princesses figured -quite prominently and goodness was rewarded and wickedness punished -after the charmingly judicial fashion of fairyland. One of the -prettiest of these tales we found afterwards in Mr. Leland's "Legends -of Florence," in the form of a poem called "The King of the Crickets." - -About four o'clock a delightful breeze sprang up, and Ludovico proposed -that we drive to San Miniato. The suggestion was made apparently on -the spur of the moment, and yet when we descended from our airy height -to the street below, carriages were awaiting us, not ordinary cabs but -fairy coaches fit for princesses. - -The drive through the Porta Romana and along the hillside road of Le -Colle was enchanting. The church which Michael Angelo called "La Bella -Villanella" is beautiful in its simplicity. After we had admired _some_ -of the frescoes on the walls--not all of them--and the exquisitely -wrought marble screen and pulpit, and explored the crypt with its -twenty-eight columns, we were glad to go out upon the marble steps -and enjoy from thence the view of Florence in the distance, and the -intervening hills covered with olive-groves and vineyards. Count B., -who had lingered with Angela in the lovely cypress avenue that leads -to the church, joined us on the terrace and took us back into the nave -to show us the chapel tomb of young Cardinal Jacopo of the royal house -of Portugal, with its beautiful low reliefs by Luca della Robbia. -Descanting eloquently upon the virtues and charity of the Portuguese -cardinal, who died at an early age, Count B. led us down the steps -of the church and out upon the Piazza Michelangelo, where the David -stands, as best becomes him, _en plein air_. You know that the original -marble, of which this is an admirable copy in bronze, was sculptured -for the Piazza della Signoria. It is now carefully guarded from the -elements in the Belle Arti. This noble figure is the embodiment of -glorious, inextinguishable youth and strength, and is to me the most -inspiring of Michael Angelo's statues. - -Zelphine and I walked around the piazza to view the statue from all -sides, while Count B. and Ludovico took turns in trying to keep the -sun off Angela, whose complexion seems to require unusual care in these -days! - -"Is there any other American girl who could resist all this devotion -and a title to crown it?" asked Zelphine. - -"You seem to have decided this important question for Angela," said -I. "What makes you think that she will turn a deaf ear to Prince -Charming's suit?" - -"I cannot say just why. Angela is charmingly polite and appreciative, -and yet----" - -At this moment, having suddenly recalled the fact that we existed, -Ludovico came over to point out to us the beauty of the Duomo from this -hill-top, Giotto's pink tower glowing to rose in the warm sunset light. - -Ludovico looks rather sad and distrait, to my thinking; his views may -differ from Zelphine's, whose "and yet--" may be variously construed by -the three onlookers who anxiously await developments. - - Ascension Day, otherwise Grilli Day. - -Zelphine and Angela, with the two cavaliers of the party, started off -early this morning in a great stage-coach to breakfast _al fresco_ -in some pretty garden after the Florentine fashion. The idea of a -festival here seems to be to breakfast or to dine anywhere in space -except at home; consequently all Florence seems to be breakfasting -abroad. The little dairies in and about the Cascine are surrounded by -so many tables filled with family parties and gaily dressed folk that -they look like huge bouquets of many-colored flowers. It is delightful -to see people take their pleasure after so natural and simple a -fashion as they do in these Latin countries. To be out of doors, with -ever so simple a menu before them, seems to make a _festa_ for these -light-hearted people. - -Although I admire the Florentine custom, I was glad to stay at home -to-day to write letters and to sit in the Cascine, as I am doing this -minute, where the great trees spread "their webs of full greenery" -above me and the children are playing all around on the grass. - -I was rejoicing in the beauty and restfulness of this lovely spot, -having up to this time escaped the vendors of _grilli_, when several -boys approached me with their crickets in especially pretty cages. -"Quanto?" I asked, pointing to a dainty wire cage. "Una lira," was -the reply. This was too much by half, and having managed to reduce -the price to the proper sum, I handed the boy a lira, and waited for -the change with the cage in my hand. The small salesman seemed to have -considerable difficulty in finding the desired change, turned out his -pockets, questioned his companions, and finally rubbed his eyes hard -and began to weep piteously. At this moment a policeman appeared, and -asked the boy what troubled him, when he, accomplished actor that he -was, pointed to the cage in my hand, and explained that I had taken -his wares and not paid him the half lira demanded. To prove this he -pointed to his empty pockets. What he had done with my lira, whether -he had swallowed it or deposited it with a confederate, I know not. -The policeman, looking very stern, asked me for an explanation, which -I gave in the best Italian that I could muster, feeling quite sure -that had Zelphine been there, her ready tongue and eloquent gestures -would have convinced that distrustful policeman of my innocence. An -Englishwoman who had witnessed the transaction approached, and gave in -her testimony in much better Italian than mine, all to no purpose. - -By this time quite a crowd had gathered around us, all deeply -interested. The boy, encouraged by a sympathetic audience, wept -copiously and repeated his tale of woe; the big policeman looked at -me threateningly. My English ally repeated her explanation, and seeing -that it made no impression, and the lira not being in the boy's hands, -she whispered to me, "You had better pay him again for the cage; the -policeman is evidently on the boy's side, and between them they may -make a disagreeable scene for you." "Never," I replied, resolutely, -"but he shall have his cage again," handing it to the little gamin, -saying, "I have paid for it twice already, but you may have it." - -The scene was already sufficiently disagreeable, and, supported by -my English friend, I made my way to another part of the Cascine, with -visions of a Florentine court and jail floating through my mind. - -"That is one of the stock tricks of these gamins," she explained. "It -would have been all right if you had given him the half lira at once, -but with the whole lira in his hand there came the temptation to keep -it all. These people see so little money, a lira is quite a fortune to -them." - -The _grilli_ had certainly brought me no luck, and I now carefully -avoid looking at a cage, although I do want one of the pretty little -wire ones to take home with me. Perhaps Ludovico will get me one. When -he joined me later and heard of my experience, he was so indignant that -if he could have laid hands on that small actor it is doubtful whether -his histrionic powers would have been allowed to develop to maturity. -The humor of the situation did not appeal to him, as it did to Angela -and Zelphine. - - May 16th. - -As Ludovico and Count B. do not speak of leaving Florence soon, we -conclude that the military affairs that keep them here must be of a -rather protracted nature. They do not, however, complain of the delay, -nor do we. To be escorted by two devoted cavaliers through palaces and -villas and gardens of delight is an experience that one might wish to -prolong indefinitely. Halcyon days are these, truly, and if storms and -rain come, it is only at night, as we awake each morning to find the -sun shining upon the rose-garden beneath our windows and a new day of -pleasure beckoning us on. - -We have had some charming afternoons in the villas near Florence. -Yesterday we went to Sesto in a tram that starts from the Piazza del -Duomo, and from Sesto a short walk brought us to Castello. This royal -villa, which once belonged to the Medici, is full of family portraits, -and some of its beautiful rooms look really home-like--"as if one -could live in them," Angela said, which remark seemed greatly to amuse -Count B., who has, I fancy, spent all his days in such cold, formal -apartments as are to be found in most of these palaces. It was in the -gardens, however, that we were tempted to linger. Those of Castello are -elaborately laid out and adorned with fountains and statues, and now -with the orange and lemon trees in blossom are filled with delicious -fragrance. We stopped so long on the terrace under the great ilexes -and beeches that the twilight had begun to fall and the nightingales -to sing before we started homeward. _Usignuoli_ Ludovico calls these -birds of the night. He and the Count were so pleased with Zelphine's -delight over Castello and its nightingales that they insisted upon -taking us this afternoon to Petraja, an even more elaborate villa on -the heights above Castello. In this villa, which is on the southern -slope of the Apennines, Scipione Ammirato wrote his celebrated history -of Florence. In the last century Petraja was elaborately fitted up by -Victor Emmanuel II. for Madame Mirafiore, for which reason, probably, -it has not been a favorite residence of the royal family of Italy, -and its lovely gardens and terraces are enjoyed only by tourists and -occasional visitors. - - - - -XVI - -FIESOLE - - - FIESOLE, Tuesday, May 17th. - -We women, in the absence of our cavaliers, who will be away for two -days upon some special military service, have planned to spend a day -in fairyland and an evening in Bohemia. Is not that a sufficiently -sensational beginning to please one of our own newspapers at home? This -morning, Bertha and Mrs. Robins having joined us, we all set forth in -a tram from the Piazza della Signoria for Fiesole. Half-way up the -hillside we stopped at the Domenico, where Fra Angelico lived as a -monk, gathering here, as one of his brothers relates, "in abundance -the flowers of art which he seemed to have plucked from Paradise." -One of the richest of these treasures, the Coronation of the Virgin, -has been carried away to the Louvre, but there is still in the choir -of the Domenico a lovely memorial of him--a Virgin Enthroned between -St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. Behind the group -are five guardian angels with tributes of flowers in their hands. -This and a Baptism of Christ, by Lorenzo di Credi, are the treasures -of the Domenico. We stopped at La Badia and enjoyed the fine view -from its terrace, and walked slowly past the Villa Landore, now shut -in by tall cypresses, where Walter Savage Landor once lived. Here -in these beautiful grounds described by Boccaccio in his "Valley of -Ladies," surrounded by his little children and his many pets, Porigi -the house-dog, the cat Cincirillo, whose original sin showed itself in -a decided taste for birds, the tame martin, and the leveret, Landor -spent the most peaceful years of a life that was far from happy. -"Aerial Fiesole" he might well name this lovely hillside garden, in -which he promised Mr. Francis Hare and his bride "grapes, figs, and -nightingale concerts galore." At the Medici Villa, a favorite residence -of Lorenzo the Magnificent, we admired once again the unerring taste of -old Cosimo, who chose for a summer residence this favorite spot which -overhangs Florence. Brunelleschi's superb dome, Giotto's belfry, Santa -Maria Novella, beautiful as a bride, Santa Croce, San Marco, and San -Spirito, all stood out in fairy-like beauty this lovely May morning. - -After stopping at the cathedral on the Piazza of Fiesole, and at Santa -Maria Primerana to look at a tabernacle by one of the Della Robbias -and a painting by Andrea da Fiesole, Angela insisted that we had done -our whole duty as sight-seers and might now begin to enjoy ourselves -in earnest. To this Bertha heartily agreed, suggesting that as we had -come to Fiesole for a day of rest and recreation in the open, we should -lunch on the terrace of the little hotel, and spend the afternoon in -the ancient theatre. - -We have learned in Florence, even better than in vast Rome, whose -historic past appealed to us so insistently on all sides, that it is -not in the galleries and churches, interesting as they are, that we -find the most pleasure, but in the market-places and on the streets, -with their chatter and life, or in sitting, as we sat to-day, on -the hotel terrace, with the fertile plain spread before us and the -garden at our feet, in which the peasants were singing at their tasks. -Beyond are villa-dotted hills, and still beyond, the chain of distant -mountains veiled in purple light, which melts into the azure sky with -an indescribable charm of its own. - -Florence is on the other side of Fiesole, and from the terrace we had -a rural view, with nothing but hill, valley, and mountain, excepting -the villas, of course, among these Vincigliata, which Katharine says -we must see if we would know what a castle of the middle ages is like. -Vincigliata is built on the ruins of a castle of the Bisdomini, and -contains great collections of ancient furniture and armor. We shall -drive out to Vincigliata in a coach and four some day, as this is a -favorite afternoon excursion from the Pension C. - -Having finished our luncheon, which was quite Italian and really -delicious, we strolled down to the old amphitheatre, where we sit on -the stone seats and look away toward Florence while Mrs. Robins reads -to us Browning's "Old Pictures in Florence" and "Andrea del Sarto," -both poems so full of the atmosphere of the beautiful city. - -The other day when we were at the Annunziata, at the corner of the -Via della Mandorla, we saw the little house where Andrea and his fair -and false Lucrezia sat in the evenings and looked over toward "yonder -sober, pleasant Fiesole." We seem to see the old-world pair sitting -there - - "Inside that melancholy little house - We built to be so gay with," - -Andrea with the face of an artist and dreamer, a trifle weak withal, -and she with the - - "Perfect eyes, and more than perfect mouth, - And the low voice my soul hears, as a bird - The fowler's pipe, and follows to the snare." - -How beautiful this Lucrezia was we know from many a picture of -Andrea's. Zelphine and I think that the Madonna del Sacco must have -been likest to her. The superb beauty of flesh and blood, line and -color, so satisfies us that we do not miss the soul that seems to have -been wanting in the original; or did Andrea, artist-like, give to the -pictured Lucrezia graces with which his imagination endowed her? We -hope so, for if he saw her as Browning represents her in his poem, he -must have been indeed the most unhappy of men. - -While I write, Angela and Zelphine try to get snap-shots of us as we -sit under the trees, and Katharine warns us that we shall soon have -to turn our faces homeward, if we wish to be in time for the dinner in -Bohemia to which she invites us. - - PENSION C., Tuesday Evening. - -Our evening in Bohemia was, in its way, quite as much of a success -as the day in fairyland. Katharine conducted us through winding -streets, whose twistings and turnings we shall never be able to follow -without Ariadne's thread, to a cafe in a cellar, where artists most -do congregate. A friend of Katharine's, an exceedingly pretty and -vivacious Englishwoman, joined us at table, and amused us very much by -telling us that she had sometimes been taken for an American and was -said to talk like an American, which evidently pleased her very much. -Did I think so? I laughed, and said that she would have to talk many -different ways in order to verify the description, as that was a part -of our infinite variety. She said that she had recently met a unique -American man. - -"Why unique?" asked Bertha. - -"In being selfish," was the prompt reply. "All the American men I -had met before were unselfish, chivalrous, ready to do anything and -everything for the comfort and pleasure of the women of their party; -but this man, this unique specimen, seemed to forget that we existed." - -Now was not that a pleasant hearing, and are you not proud of the -reputation of your compatriots? - -While we were discussing national traits the cook, in white cap and -apron, was broiling our beefsteak and cooking vegetables over his -little charcoal fire; these he served to us smoking hot and delicious. -The wine was brought on the table in a huge bottle, which was weighed -before and afterwards, like the unfortunates who are fattened on -cereals and predigested foods, with this difference, that the bottle -lost in weight instead of gaining, and we paid for the shortage. We had -an _omelette soufflee_ of the lightest for our dessert, after which a -man in a white paper cap handed around a tray of sweets, all manner of -delicious confections on sticks, for each of which we paid one soldo. -It was all delightfully novel and Bohemian, and as we strolled home by -the Arno, with the sound of its rushing water in our ears, its shining -breast gleaming like silver in the moonlight, we sang old songs, like -college-girls, and were so happy that one drop more would have caused -our cup of content to overflow in tears--and if tears had been shed -it would have been because some of those we care for were not here -to share with us the pleasure of this day of days and this night of -perfect beauty. - - May 18th. - -If we think of Dante and Savonarola as we cross the Piazza of the -Signoria and walk through the narrow winding streets that lead from it, -every old building and quaint corner recalls some line or verse of the -Brownings, husband or wife. In the Via Belle Donne we naturally thought -of them, as it was in this little street, which opens into the Piazza -di Santa Maria Novella, that the poet lovers first made their home, and -in the Cascine, where we saw some of the lovely Florentine beauties, -as Mrs. Browning described them, "lean and melt to music as the band -plays," and above all at the Belvedere, that crowns the many terraces -of the Boboli Gardens, from which height Florence, with her domes and -towers and palaces, framed in by hills of blue velvet, answers to the -poet's own picture of the beautiful city, and - - "Of golden Arno, as it shoots away - Through Florence' heart beneath her bridges four!" - -To-day has been devoted to Browning pilgrimages. An American woman -at our table rashly asserted that Mr. Browning had made a mistake -in his "Statue and the Bust" by placing the lady with the "pale brow -spirit-pure" at the window of the Riccardi Palace, as it would be quite -impossible for the great Duke Ferdinand to look up from the Piazza -of the Annunziata at the casement of the Palazzo Riccardi, now the -Prefettura, which is way over on the Piazza San Lorenzo. This statement -may seem to you a trifle confusing; but it was sufficiently clear to -rouse Zelphine's ire, and after breakfast we set forth determined to -clear up the seeming inconsistency. In the Piazza of the Annunziata -Duke Ferdinand still "rides by with the royal air," as John of Bologna -has represented him, "in subtle mould of brazen shape," his face turned -directly toward the one window of the palace, from which a terra-cotta -bust should look forth. - -"This all answers perfectly to the description," said Angela, "except -that there is no bust of the lady at the casement; it seems as if Mr. -Browning had made a mistake this time. I really don't care very much, -but I can't stand having that flippant, red-haired woman get the better -of you, Z." - -"She shall not," said Zelphine, with determination in every line of her -lithe figure. "Vieusseux to the rescue!" - -Zelphine set forth to gain what information might be had from the -library shelves, while Angela and I crossed over to the Piazza San -Lorenzo, and spent a delightful hour in studying the wonderful frescoes -that adorn the chapel of the debatable Palazzo Riccardi. - -Here is that most remarkable procession of the Magi winding along a -rocky hillside, the perspective of the most original character: Cosimo, -Pater Patriae, well in the foreground, the Three Kings represented by -the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Emperor of the East, and, youngest -of the three, Lorenzo the Magnificent, on a white charger. You know -the painting well, but no photograph can give you any conception of the -richness of color and exquisite details of this impossible, fairy-like -landscape, in which distant mountains, hovering angels, birds, beasts, -and flowers unknown to this lower world, add to the variety and charm -of Gozzoli's great work. It is of this fresco that Mr. Ruskin wrote, -"Bright birds hover here and there in the serene sky, and groups of -angels, hand joined with hand and wing with wing, glide and float -through the glades of the unentangled forest." - -Angela and I were so absorbed in the beauty of the painting that we -had quite forgotten about Zelphine's quest, when a voice at our side -exclaimed, triumphantly: - -"I have solved the riddle. The palace on the Square of the Annunziata -was a Riccardi palace at the time of Mr. Browning's poem, and at -the window toward which Duke Ferdinand's eyes are turned there was a -bust of a lady as late as 1887. The present Palazzo Riccardi, now the -Prefettura, was once a Medici palace; it was sold many years later to -the Riccardi family. Here Duke Ferdinand made his feast on the night of -the wedding, the one and only time that the lovers met: - - "'Face to face the lovers stood, - A single minute and no more, - While the bridegroom bent as a man subdued-- - Bowed till his bonnet touched the floor-- - For the Duke on the lady a kiss conferred, - As the courtly custom was of yore.' - -"Cannot you see it all?" continued Zelphine, breathlessly, quite -regardless of the interest that her animated face and eager words were -exciting in the little group around us, - - "'the pile which the mighty shadow makes, - For Via Largo is three-parts light, - But the palace overshadows one, - Because of a crime which may God requite!' - -"This crime was the murder of Duke Alessandro by his distant cousin -Lorenzino, and this, you see, fixes the fact beyond dispute that the -feast was given by the Duke in this great Riccardi palace on the Square -of San Lorenzo. Isn't it all wonderful and thrilling, and is there any -place in the world so filled to the very brim with interest and romance -as Florence?" - -"No place except Rome," said Angela, true to her first love. - -"Yes, but the history seems less remote here; everything seems nearer -and closer, more intimate--you understand what I mean, Margaret." - -When Zelphine appeared at the lunch table, flushed with the joy of -victory and quite ready to annihilate her scoffing adversary, whom -Angela disrespectfully designated as "Red-top," she found, to her -dismay, that the lady had left for Venice before noon. This is surely -one of the incompletenesses of life. To think of that misguided -woman proceeding on her way to scatter misinformation broadcast, when -Zelphine could have set her right in five minutes! - -When Bertha heard of Zelphine's disappointment, she was most -sympathetic, and proposed, as a congenial and solacing occupation, that -we should return that afternoon to the Square of San Lorenzo and try to -find the old stall where Mr. Browning, on a memorable June day, bought -for a lira the little volume that contained the whole story of "The -Ring and the Book." - -The piazza, a market for old clothes, old furniture, and all manner -of cooking-utensils, still answers to Mr. Browning's description, -and here, close to the statue, which is of Giovanni delle Bande Nere, -father of the first Cosimo, is just such a table full of nondescript -rubbish as the one upon which the poet found the parchment-covered -book which furnished him with his plot. Then at Bertha's suggestion, -to humor our fancies as to the associations of the time and place, we -followed in the poet's footsteps, as he described himself, walking and -reading, - - "on, through street and street, - At the Strozzi, at the Pillar, at the Bridge; - Till, by the time I stood at home again - In Casa Guidi by Felice Church, - Under the doorway where the black begins - With the first stone-slab of the staircase cold, - I had mastered the contents, knew the whole truth - Gathered together, bound up in this book." - -To my surprise, when we reached the doorway of the Casa Guidi, Bertha -also entered "where the black begins," and began to ascend "the -staircase cold." - -"Where are you going?" we called after her, standing within the doorway. - -"Follow me," said Bertha. "I have some friends who live in an apartment -in the Casa Guidi, and we are all invited to afternoon tea here." - -"Why didn't you tell us before?" asked Angela, "so that we might have -made ourselves a little smart?" - -"Because I wanted to give you all a surprise. My friend asked me to -bring you any afternoon, so I sent a messenger to tell her that we -were coming, to make sure of her being at home, as she often spends the -afternoon up in the Boboli Gardens with her baby." - -Alas! Bertha's artist friends do not live in the Browning apartment, -as that, by some irony of fate, is in the possession of an Austrian -family; but as Zelphine said, with a rapturous look in her eyes, it was -worth much to pass over the stairs that had known the footsteps of the -two poets. Mr. and Mrs. Cobbe's apartment is on what we should call the -fourth floor, which here they more encouragingly designate the third. -Charming airy rooms, at the top of many stairs, we found the home -of the two American artists, where a warm welcome awaited us. Later, -refreshments were served to us in the large room that corresponds to -Mrs. Browning's drawing-room on the floor below; but whether we ate and -drank ordinary cakes and tea, or were regaled with nectar and ambrosia, -Zelphine and I cannot tell you. It was all so delightfully homelike and -yet so filled with associations that this afternoon in the Casa Guidi -will always be one of our most cherished memories, and we parted with -our compatriots feeling that the old palace was an appropriate setting -for artist as well as for poet lovers. - - PENSION C., FLORENCE, May 20th. - -What will you say when I tell you that since writing my last letter -to you I have received a proposal of marriage? M. le Marquis de B. di -T., of ancient Roman lineage and irreproachable family connections, -laid his heart, his hand, and his fortune at my feet--for Angela. Are -you amused at my role? I assure you that it was not in the smallest -degree amusing at the time, and the fact that the _pretendant_ acted -in a highly honorable manner, and did not consult Angela definitively -before speaking to her stern guardian, added to the difficulties of -my position. I explained, at some length, that affairs of the heart -are arranged by the young people themselves in America, always, of -course, with the consent of their parents and guardians--for this last -unqualified statement I trust that I may be forgiven--to which I added -that if Miss Haldane returned the Count's affection, we would both -write to her father. After delivering myself of a series of appropriate -phrases I sent for Angela, and awaited the result of the interview -between the two young persons with some anxiety, as you may believe. -You will be laughing at me and reflecting upon the inconsistency -of women when I tell you that I felt quite disturbed over Angela's -absolute and unequivocal dismissal of the Count's suit. He has been -growing in favor with me ever since that fairy-like afternoon at the -Boboli Gardens, and when he came to take a solemn and ceremonious -farewell of me, assuring me that he had spent the happiest hours of his -life in _our_ society, and was so exquisitely courteous, so evidently -anxious to save me from embarrassment, I found myself liking him -almost as much as Ludovico. We shall miss him sadly, and, to add to our -sorrows, Ludovico, loyal friend that he is, has gone with the Count. - -"Did you send him away, too, heartless one?" I asked Angela. - -She looked at me reproachfully, her lovely blue eyes full of tears, and -replied, with gentle dignity, "How can you be so unkind, Margaret? You -know very well that I did not." - -It appears that this is all that Zelphine and I are to hear on -this most exciting subject, although we are naturally devoured with -curiosity to know more. If only Count B. had not declared himself just -at this time, when we were all so happy together in this beautiful -Florence! I am quite sure that the affair was brought to a crisis by -Angela's charming appearance last Sunday in a ravishing costume of -pale blue muslin, her golden crescent of hair adorned with one of the -Tuscan hats that we buy for next to nothing at the Mercato Vecchio. -This particular hat was of silvery blue turned up with white roses, -and became her almost as well as a coronet--so I am sure the Count -thought. To-day there is nothing gay in the heavens above or on the -earth beneath, as the skies, suiting themselves to our mood, are heavy -and gray, and the Arno is dull green instead of lovely blue. - - [Illustration: The Michael Angelo Well at the Certosa, Florence] - -The Convent of San Marco was decided upon as an appropriate place in -which to spend this morning, and there, walking through the cloisters, -adorned with their exquisite frescoes, Zelphine and I to some extent -renewed our interest in life. Angela has gone off on a sketching trip -to Certosa with Katharine Clarke. She has been wishing ever since -she first saw it to get a sketch of the Michael Angelo well in the -convent garden, and then I think that she is glad to be away from our -questioning eyes for a day. Poor child! she looks pale and wan; the -excitement of the last weeks has been too much for her. We are thinking -seriously of leaving for Venice soon. Of course we have not seen half -the things we wish to see in Florence, but we can never be quite as -happy here as we have been, and Miss Morris writes from Venice, urging -us to join her there for the full o' the moon. - -Zelphine and I talked over our plans as we strolled through the -cloisters, and in the little convent garden tried to fancy the great -preacher of San Marco sitting under the "damask rose-tree," with his -disciples gathered around him. The spirit of Savonarola dominates San -Marco as that of St. Francis holds one spellbound in Assisi. - -Some of the little cells of the brothers are adorned with exquisite -frescoes by Fra Angelico, which must often have cheered their sad -hearts. We stood in Savonarola's own small room, which is marked by a -memorial tablet, and here in the adjoining chapel are his rosary and -the crucifix before which he knelt in prayer. - -Curious and unexpected, savoring more of the pride of life than of -the humility of the spirit, in one of the cells of San Marco is an -elaborate genealogical tree giving the descent of the monks. It was -with some difficulty that we deciphered the name of Savonarola, now -almost obliterated by the kisses of the faithful. - -One of the most beautiful paintings in the convent is a Last Supper, -by Ghirlandajo, in the smaller refectory. This picture, with its -lovely details, decorated background, and well-spread board, does -not represent poor men or fishermen at meat; but in Italy one becomes -accustomed to the rich surroundings of Madonnas, saints, and apostles. -Realism is not demanded; it is enough if one finds reverence and -devotion; and as Mr. Henry James says of this picture, "the figures -in their varied naturalness have a dignity and sweetness of attitude -which admits of numberless reverential constructions." The grouping -is charming, and through open arcades one looks beyond at a garden of -full-fruited orange-trees, clusters of fruit are scattered over the -table, strange birds fly through the air, and a peacock perched on -the wall looks down upon the sacred feast. I shall always recall this -painting, so lovely in composition, so rich in color, when I think of -San Marco--this and Fra Angelico's beautiful Annunciation, which is -familiar to us all. We shall not see them soon again, or any of the -other pictures that we love so well in the Uffizi and the Pitti and the -Belle Arti; instead, we shall be studying the Carpaccios in Venice. - - May 23d. - -The skies have cleared to-day and life looks brighter, yet this is -the anniversary of a most tragic event, the execution of Savonarola. -The great Piazza della Signoria has been crowded with people all -morning; there have been processions, and services in the churches, -and hundreds of men and women going to offer their tribute of flowers -to the memory of the great martyr for conscience' sake, until the -tablet that marks the spot where Savonarola's body was burned is -heaped with wreaths, crosses, and bunches of roses of various colors. -Some of these offerings have cards attached to them with Savonarola's -name written on them; upon others are inscriptions and sentiments, -the one that most impressed us being "To Savonarola, a Martyr to -Democratic Christianity." If time has its revenges, it has also its -justifications! - - - - -XVII - -HAPS AND HAPPENINGS - - - BEAU RIVAGE, VENICE, May 25th. - -As we first saw Venice from the train, across a stretch of green -marsh, its domes, spires, churches, and bridges seemed to rise out -of the water just as you see them in Turner's pictures, with such an -atmosphere as that great artist knew how to paint, veiling the delicate -ethereal beauty of this bride of the sea. We were aroused from our rapt -contemplation of the scene before us by the bustle and commotion of -the arrival of the train and questions about luggage, hotels, and the -proper fees to be given to the men who pushed our gondola off from the -landing. If ever trunks are endurable it is when, as in Venice, one -glides away with them in a gondola over summer seas. - -There was some sort of a celebration last night, something special, -I mean, for Venice must always appear more or less _en fete_. When -we stepped into a gondola after dinner, the many boats with their gay -pennons of all colors and the skiffs with their rich brown and yellow -sails made the Grand Canal appear like a carnival of nations. And what -a background for a carnival is the Canalazzo, as the Venetians call it, -with its long vista of palaces, their _pali_ painted in various colors, -the Dogana surmounted by its curious weathercock, Fortune, aptly -typifying the vicissitudes of Venice, Santa Maria della Salute glowing -in the evening light with the shades of a bride rose, San Giorgio of -a deep red, the Doge's Palace with its long, low water-front, the -Bridge of Sighs spanning the dark canal that lies between a palace -and a prison, and out on the open Piazzetta the two huge granite -pillars which we see in so many pictures! One of these pillars is -surmounted by the statue of St. Theodore, an ancient and now deposed -patron saint of Venice, the other by the Lion of St. Mark, eager, -watchful, dominant, clearly defined against the blue of the sky--for -here the twilight lasts long, and far into the night the sky is of an -exquisite, translucent blue such as one usually sees far north, much -farther north than Venice. This is a part of the atmospheric charm, -which makes it as impossible to describe this city of pearl and opaline -tints and golden and crimson glows as it is to put the colors of a -sunset on paper. Later the moon rose, and we floated over a silver sea, -while strains of music, the cries of the gondoliers, and the songs of -pleasure-parties were wafted to us across the water. Zelphine's eyes -shone with rapturous delight; the excitement of the stimulating air -and the beauty of the scene sent the red blood to Angela's cheeks until -they flushed to as deep a rose as under the fire of the Count de B.'s -most extravagant compliments, and I--well, I have no idea of how I -looked, I only know that I felt as if every craving for beauty that I -had known in all my life was satisfied entirely. - -Miss Morris, who had already experienced her first thrills of delight -"upon such a night as this," watched us in silence and we were thus -spared the distraction of voluble enthusiasm; of deep, restrained -enthusiasm there was quite enough for one gondola. - - May 27th. - -We are lodged in a pleasant, airy hotel on the Grand Canal where it -begins to widen out toward the sea, and opposite the Island of San -Giorgio Maggiore. This hotel is not absolutely in the canal, like most -of the houses of this "water-logged town," as some Western traveller -dubbed it, but has a strip of pavement in front, just enough dry -land to make us realize that we still belong to the earth. On general -principles I should say that the Venetians never sleep, for over the -stone flagging between our hotel and the Canalazzo people are tramping -all night, laughing, chatting, and singing. And we, in sympathy with -them, sit by the windows for hours, feeling that the nights are too -radiantly beautiful to be devoted to so prosaic a business as sleeping, -which, as Angela remarks, "can be done in any old place." The child has -so considerately refrained from having "the time of her life" in Italy -and from measuring things generally by "galores," that we occasionally -allow her to indulge in an innocent bit of slang. - - May 28th. - -Our days glide by as swiftly as those of the "pilgrim stranger" in -the hymn that we used to sing at Sunday School. We spend our mornings -in churches or at the Accademia, revelling in the gorgeous canvases -of Tintoretto, Titian, Paul Veronese, and Carpaccio. The color in -Carpaccio's Presentation of Christ in the Temple is beautiful, and as -vivid as if it had been painted yesterday, quite equal to Ghirlandajo's -in his Adoration of the Magi, which we saw at the Foundling Hospital -in Florence. The Child in Carpaccio's Presentation is a happy, -smiling human baby, and the three little angels playing upon musical -instruments are charming. The most fascinating of these cherubs, -however, are in Giovanni Bellini's Madonnas at the Church of the -Redentore and at the Frari. Zelphine has bought a dozen photographs -of her favorite cherub in the picture in which the Madonna holds the -sleeping Babe upon her lap, while the two darling cherubs play to -him on mandolins. The little fellow on the right is not as pretty and -chubby as his brother; but to prevent jealousy between the two I have -bought some of his pictures for my collection. - -Of course we spend many hours in and around St. Mark's, for, like the -bride of the Scriptures, this church is beautiful within and without. -The day after our arrival, on our way home from the Posta and the -Rialto, through the Merceria, a part of Venice in which one may really -walk a considerable distance, we suddenly stepped into the Piazza of -San Marco, with its fluttering pigeons, its arcades, its Clock-tower, -and at the end the marvellous facade of the church, rich in color, its -gilded mosaics glittering in the sun and the "glorious team of horses" -dashing toward us. Since then, wherever we may be going, we always -seem to cross the Square of St. Mark, and by sunlight or twilight -or moonlight, or even electric light, by which we saw San Marco last -night when we went to Florian's for ices, it is always bewilderingly -beautiful. Rich and varied, "gorgeous in the wild, luxurious fancies -of the East," is St. Mark's; almost too gorgeous it would be, had not -time softened and mellowed its vivid colors, and if its setting were -not against a sea and sky of surpassing brilliancy. - - [Illustration: Palazzo Rezzonico] - -Our afternoons and evenings are spent on the water or at the Lido, -where we have tea in the garden, or with one of our Philadelphia -friends who has a cabin, after the Venetian fashion, on this narrow -strip of land that runs out into the ocean. It is hot now at mid-day, -and one needs to keep out of the sun between the hours of one and four; -but after that there is usually a breeze and always coolness at the -Lido. - -We spent some hours to-day in the Palazzo Rezzonico, which now belongs -to Mr. Robert Barrett Browning. One large room on the second floor is -filled with furniture and pictures from the Casa Guidi in Florence, -among other things Mrs. Browning's little table upon which she wrote -her songs for Italy, and her small, old-fashioned, green leather -writing-desk, which looked as if she had left it but yesterday, with -pen and paper and some pressed flowers inside. On one side of the room, -toward the canal, in a recess in the wall, is a little shrine that the -poet's son has placed here in memory of his mother. In gold letters on -a white ground are the well-known lines from the tablet upon the Casa -Guidi. - -The poet Browning spent the last weeks of his life in a suite of rooms -on the lower floor of the Palazzo Rezzonico, and here he died, which -fact is recorded upon a tablet on the outside wall. We stopped to -reread the inscription upon the gray palace wall. A young girl who was -with her mother in a gondola quite near was reading aloud in English -the Italian words upon the tablet, "Robert Browning died in this -house, December 12, 1889," and the impressive and quite untranslatable -"Venezia pose." With a questioning look at us she repeated the familiar -lines from "De Gustibus": - - "Open my heart and you will see, - Graven inside of it, 'Italy,'" - -adding, "But I don't see where the poetry comes in." - -Although Zelphine, amiable as she is, is quite capable of withering -and shrivelling with a glance any one who speaks slightingly of Robert -Browning's poetry, she turned to the girl and said quite pleasantly, -"No, there are no rhymes or jingles, only the deep thought of a great -poet who loved Italy truly." - -"Oh," exclaimed the girl, "I did not understand." - -"Evidently," said Zelphine, as we rowed out into the Grand Canal, "and -for the same reason that Kipling's girl of 'the rag and the bone and -the hank of hair' did not understand." - -We really should have become used to people who do not understand, we -meet so many of them. - - RIVA SAN LORENZO, VERONA, - Sunday, June 5th. - -You will be surprised to learn that we have quitted our beloved Venice, -and quite suddenly, which is, I believe, the only way that we could -have disentangled ourselves from the allurements of that fairy city. -In the last week quite a number of our friends arrived from Florence -and elsewhere, and there have been afternoon teas at the Lido and at -Mrs. Allen's little apartment on the Grand Canal nearly opposite the -palace of his superseded majesty, Don Carlos of Spain, water-parties -every night, and just as we were stepping into a gondola yesterday -morning, _en route_ for Padua, a note was handed to Zelphine containing -a charming invitation from Mrs. B., to take tea and spend the afternoon -with her at the Palazzino Tasso. She has been at Borca in the Dolomites -for a fortnight, and wrote that she would be at home in time to receive -us on Monday afternoon. So you see how difficult it was for us to -get away from this fascinating place; but having planned to take this -little _giro_ with Miss Morris, we set our faces resolutely westward. - -We spent a day at Padua, which is on the way to Verona, as there are -some frescoes by Mantegna, Titian, Giotto, and Palma Vecchio that Miss -Morris was particularly anxious to see. Our visit to the Basilica -of St. Anthony of Padua, which with its seven domes is larger than -San Marco, was not entirely satisfactory, as a high mass was being -celebrated before the altar above which are the Donatello bronzes, -and we were obliged to return in the afternoon or give up all thought -of seeing those superb reliefs. At the Scuola del Carmine we were -abundantly compensated for all other disappointments, as here we found -a series of frescoes representing events in the life of the parents of -the Blessed Virgin, as realistic in design and as frank in execution -as the Giotto paintings in Assisi. We wondered in what fertile brain -had originated the pathetic story here represented by Giotto and his -pupils. Miss Morris says that she intends to look up the story of -Joachim and Anna in the lives of the saints, assuring us that we shall -find a continuation of their domestic trials and experiences on the -walls of the Brera at Milan. No frescoes except those at Assisi have -interested us as much as these, not on account of their beauty, but for -their human feeling. These early Paduan masters treated sacred subjects -with realistic simplicity and yet with perfect reverence and devotional -spirit. - -On the piazza of the Cappella San Giorgio is Donatello's fine bronze -statue of General Gattamelata. This statue, the Marcus Aurelius in -Rome, and the Colleoni in Venice are considered the greatest equestrian -statues in the world. Beautiful as is this Gattamelata, which possesses -all the spirit and grace of Donatello, it does not compare with the -Colleoni. No man of bronze or marble ever sat his horse with the -strength and ease with which the grand, dominant figure of the Italian -_condottiere_ sits his superb charger and rides out boldly into space. -Miss Morris says that we may be pleased to know that Mr. Ruskin quite -agreed with us about the Colleoni. - -As Verona is only a two hours' ride from Padua, we reached here in time -to gain a general view of its fine old sculptured buildings, arches, -and bridges, and to see in the glow of sunset Diocletian's famous -amphitheatre, which looks almost as large as the Coliseum and is more -complete, as its stones have not been carted off so ruthlessly for the -building of palaces. - -This morning we saw the Casa di Romeo and the balconied home of -Giulietta, sorry-looking abodes for youth and beauty such as theirs, -although some of the carvings on these old buildings and the exterior -frescoes still suggest bygone grandeur. A beautiful outside stairway in -the Piazza dei Signori near the Scaliger tombs so charmed Miss Morris -that she stopped to sketch it, while we visited the cathedral and -several churches. - -We are now sitting upon a balcony--the place of all others to sit upon -a balcony, even if there is not a Romeo in sight--listening to the song -of the rushing Adige which flows beneath us, and looking out upon the -mountains beyond. Zelphine and I are writing, while Miss Morris and -Angela make water-color sketches of the scene before us, and try to -get on their brushes some of the soft, rich shades of brown and yellow -that time and the light of the setting sun have given to the ancient -palace of the Scaligers and to the fourteenth-century bridge that spans -the river a short distance from this hotel. On the terrace beneath our -balcony some Italians are dining and chatting gaily. When the lovely -sunset glow has quite faded out and the evening light has deepened to -twilight, we shall join them and dine _al fresco_. - -To-morrow we take a train for Milan, that is, if the sketches are -satisfactory; if not, we may stay here another day. - - HOTEL DE L'EUROPE, June 7th. - -Instead of writing to you from Milan, I am sending you another letter -from Venice. A strange thing happened yesterday, or, rather, two -strange things have happened. Zelphine came to my room at the Riva San -Lorenzo late on Sunday night, her face wearing the anxious look that -betokens an uneasy mind. - -"What is the matter, Zelphine?" I asked. "You look as if you were -trying to make up your mind." We have long since decided that this is -the mental process that is most wearing to the brain of the traveller, -and I was not surprised when she said, "Yes, that is the trouble. I -have attempted three separate times to answer Emily B.'s note, and I -simply cannot do it." - -"Oh, I took for granted that you had mailed that note on Saturday -evening." - -"No, Margaret, I have never written it at all. The truth is, I want -to see Mrs. B. so much that I have almost decided to return to Venice -to-morrow, instead of going on to Milan." - -"That is rather against your principles, Zelphine, you are so much -opposed to doubling journeys and retracing steps," I said, trying to -appear judicial in my tone, although I was delighted at the idea of -returning to Venice, even for an afternoon. - -"Yes, I know," said Zelphine, quite penitently, "but I may not soon -again have a chance of seeing Emily B. I could meet you in Milan in a -day or two." - -"No, Zelphine," I said, in the tone of one who confers a distinguished -favor, "I will go back to Venice with you. Angela may prefer to stay -here, if Miss Morris remains." - -"Angela will go with you," said our youngest, opening her door, which -was scarcely necessary, as the transom was already open. "There is -a blue necklace in one of those fascinating shops up on the piazza -near the Clock-tower that I have been regretting ever since we left -Venice. I thought it would be an extravagance to buy it, but nothing -is extravagant when you want it so much, and when this is the very last -chance to get it." - -"Nothing," said Zelphine, laughing at Angela's comforting sophistry, -"when your father's purse is always ready to honor your demands upon -it. But what will Miss Morris say?" - -That lady came to her door as if in answer to Zelphine's question, -saying, "I have been wishing that I had bought another of the pretty -lace collars that they are positively giving away in one of the little -shops opposite the Church of San Zaccaria. I shall not return to buy -it, but will commission Angela to bring it to Milan for me." - -With so many good reasons for returning to Venice, I am sure that you -will agree with me in thinking that it would have been flying in the -face of Providence and turning our backs upon the gifts of the gods not -to have retraced our steps. - -I must confess to a positive thrill of delight when I again beheld the -shining water-ways of Venice. Even the great warehouses, with their -heaps of gorgeous dyes and stuffs, have a picturesqueness of their own; -the palaces, no matter how dilapidated they may be, stand out rich and -sumptuous in the sunshine; luxuriant vines depend from their balconies -and drape the seamed and cracked walls; great barges heavy with their -golden freight of fruit and melons go by; and ever on the steps are -the children, "those untiring spectators of life." Why those children -playing on the very edge of doom do not all come to an untimely end -no man knows. The very small children are often fastened by a strap -to the arm of the mother or grandmother, who knits placidly while her -nursling plays on the steps near the water; but for those little boys -who hop in and out of boats and hang over the piers as they gaze into -the canals there must be an especially detailed guardian angel--the -same, probably, who saved Mr. Cross from instant death when he fell -into the Grand Canal. By the way, we are stopping at the Hotel de -l'Europe, where he and George Eliot spent their honeymoon, and where -this accident occurred which might have ended so tragically. You may -remember that at the time there was some foolish talk about suicide; -but we, who stand on these balconies and terraces overhanging the -water, realize that drowning and suicidal intent do not need to go hand -in hand in Venice. - -Our afternoon at the Palazzino Tasso was delightful. We had tea and -much pleasant conversation with Mrs. B., in her pretty drawing-room. As -she has lived long in Venice, and in consequence of her own literary -connections has met most of the writers who have come here, she had -many pleasant and amusing recollections to relate of the Storys, Mr. -Browning, and many other great folk. - -We were afterwards taken into the large garden, where dear -old-fashioned pinks and tall annunciation lilies filled the air with -delicious fragrance. Mrs. B. generously broke off for us great heads -of lily-blooms, which we carried off with us, sweet mementos of an -afternoon that was well worth coming back to Venice for. - -As we drew near our hotel we noticed on the terrace a portly figure -that had a familiar look, as it stood there silhouetted against the -facade of the Europe. A strange light shone from Zelphine's eyes; but -it was Angela who broke the silence by exclaiming, "That gentleman on -the landing really looks like Mr. Leonard!" - -"It _is_ Mr. Leonard," I said, as we drew nearer, and thus we -recognized him first, although he was waiting there for us. He -naturally did not expect to see a gondola full of women bearing tall -lily-stalks in their hands, looking for all the world like part of a -Venetian pageant. The smile that irradiated Walter Leonard's face, when -he finally recognized the three Botticelli ladies as those he had come -to seek, was beautiful to behold. The mingling of surprise and delight -on Zelphine's face entirely exonerated her from any complicity in this -sudden appearance, although Angela and I chaff her unmercifully about -her determination to return to see Mrs. B., and ask her if she does not -believe more strongly than ever in telepathy. It was a rather curious -coincidence, was it not? Yet, to quote a very trite saying, "truth is -stranger than fiction." - - VILLA D'ESTE, LAKE COMO, June 15th. - -Since my letter of June 7th, telling you of Mr. Leonard's sudden -arrival in Venice, I have not sent you a line, not even an announcement -of the engagement which of course soon followed. How or when the -important affair was settled I know not. I can only tell you that the -happy pair came to me with shining faces and asked for my blessing, -which I freely gave. Angela has so far withheld her approval of -the match, and is evidently very jealous of the "suitor," as she is -pleased to call Mr. Leonard. She had begun to look upon Zelphine as -her particular property, and Mr. Leonard's attempts to propitiate this -unrelenting goddess are really quite pathetic. He offers her flowers -every time that he brings them to Zelphine, and then, as he is far too -polite to overlook my claims as chaperon-in-chief, I come in for my -share of votive offerings. - -Zelphine is so pleased with her own estate that she wishes to see all -her friends equally happy. When Angela is pale or tired, she looks -at her compassionately, and whispers to me that she is evidently -regretting the Count de B. If Angela regrets any one, it is not the -Count. She has long and frequent letters from Ludovico, from which she -reads me choice bits, and there is always a message for me. Angela and -I are naturally thrown very much upon our own resources, and the last -days in Venice would have been rather dull for her had they not been -enlivened by a number of entertainments given by our friends there -in honor of the _fidanzati_. At one particularly charming afternoon -tea, at the Lido, Angela was so much admired by a young Italian that -I should have had another Count de B. affair on my hands had we not -left Venice soon after. Zelphine and Walter Leonard would have been -satisfied to stay on indefinitely, spending their afternoons and -evenings floating about in gondolas and their mornings in the shops -buying presents for the children at home, whom the mamma elect has -already adopted with enthusiasm. We were, however, fairly driven away -from Venice last week by the heat and the mosquitoes, which are said to -be unusually venomous this year. We have noticed that in whatever place -we happen to be stopping, the disagreeables are always _unusual_. - -Having spent most of the beautiful springtime in cities, we concluded -to come directly to this pretty place on Lake Como, from whence we can -make day-trips to Milan, which is only a little over an hour from here. -The Villa d'Este, once a royal villa, now a delightfully comfortable -hotel, was for some years the home of the discarded wife of "the most -elegant gentleman in Europe." The entrance-hall and stairways are -handsome and imposing, and the rooms spacious and airy. We breakfast -in the _salle de conversation_ and dine in a great banqueting-hall. -The grounds of the villa are quite extensive, and during her residence -here Queen Caroline interested herself in improving them in every way, -so Dr. A. tells me, for, to add to our pleasure, my "Doctor Antonio" -from San Remo is spending the month of June here. He knows every inch -of this beautiful region and promises us many excursions in his motor -car. - -Picturesque as is the view of the lake and mountains from the front -piazza and terrace, the part of the grounds that we most enjoy is -the hillside behind the house, which abounds in mountain streams and -cascades over which rustic bridges have been thrown, and where many -wildwood paths lead to vine-covered pavilions, temples of love and -temples of fame, these latter adorned with busts of distinguished -men--all so odd and foreign, and so different from our idea of -pleasure-grounds! - -Adjoining the grounds of the Villa d'Este are those of the Villa -Maximilian, which was the home of the unfortunate Archduke Maximilian -and his wife during the early and happy years of their married life. -The estate now belongs to a wealthy Milanese gentleman, who has had the -good taste to make few changes in the house and gardens. This afternoon -we all rowed across the lake to the Villa Pliniana on the opposite -shore. This really classic spot owes its name to a remarkable spring -of water near by, which Pliny speaks of in his letters. To-morrow we -expect to make an all-day excursion to Bellagio and Cadenabbia. There -are so many attractive resorts on the shores of this lake that we have -not yet planned for a day in Milan at the Brera, whose wonders we hope -to enjoy in the good company of Miss Morris. - - June 17th. - -I have a most humiliating confession to make: yesterday, in getting -off the boat at this landing, I made a misstep and sprained my ankle. -It is not a serious affair, I fancy, "pas grand chose," as Dr. A. -says, but it is most vexatious, as we may be obliged to stay here -for a fortnight, and we really need a couple of weeks in Paris to get -Zelphine's trousseau and make other preparations for the wedding, which -is to be in London the second week in July. I think the groom elect is -secretly rejoiced over this delay, although openly most sympathetic -and considerate, as it gives him a longer time here with Zelphine, -and really, if I had looked all over Europe for a fitting scene for -an accident, and with a view to lovers, I could not have found a more -suitable place than this. Mr. Leonard says that I apologize so abjectly -for what is not my fault, but my misfortune, that I remind him of a -story that Dr. William H. Furness used to tell of a saintly old lady -who frequently and formally apologized to her assembled family for -being so long a-dying. - -It is inglorious, as Zelphine says, to have had an accident here that -I might much more conveniently have had stepping off a ferry-boat in -New York or Brooklyn, to which Angela adds, "Yes, it would have been so -much more up-to-date to have been thrown from an auto car, and it would -certainly have been more dangerous." - -I retail these bits of conversation to prove to you that my companions -are disposed to be patient and even merry over my misfortune and their -delay. And I, aside from the inconvenience, have nothing to complain -of. I suffer little pain, under Dr. A.'s skilful treatment, and here -I am, laid up in lavender on a sofa, in a room so spacious and elegant -that I think it must have been Queen Caroline's boudoir. The walls and -ceiling are decorated with Loves and Graces, and the long windows open -out upon a balcony from which there is a fine view of the lake and the -mountains beyond. I have more books than I could read in a month, sent -me by the English people in the house. Zelphine and Angela bring me -flowers and fruits, delicious great black cherries and a fruit unknown -to us which they call _nespole_. These last I fear were stolen from -Maximilian's garden, as the _nespole_ hang most temptingly over the -terraces there. - -Dr. A. entertains me with interesting traditions of the neighborhood. -This morning he brought me an old French book which gives a history -of this villa, which was not, as I had supposed, a former possession -of the princely house of Este, one of whose villas we saw at Tivoli. -The name seems to have been purely a fancy on the part of the Queen. I -am to have some passages translated for my benefit from a recent book -written by an Italian upon Queen Caroline and her life at the Villa -d'Este. - -"A swallow without a nest, which for many years flew from city to city -in Europe, Africa, and Asia," this author calls the unhappy Queen, -upon which Dr. A. shrugs his shoulders, and says that bad as her -husband was, he, for his part, has little admiration for Caroline of -Brunswick. I have always entertained the most profound sympathy for -this unfortunate lady, and we naturally have animated discussions over -her rights and wrongs. I fancy that Signor Clerci is entirely on Dr. -A.'s side of the argument, otherwise he would not so cheerfully offer -to read me passages about the Queen's life at the Villa d'Este. - - June 19th. - -Last evening, to our surprise and joy, Mrs. Coxe arrived. She had -learned that we were here, and of my accident, from Miss Morris, whom -she met in Milan, and came at once, like the good Samaritan that she -is, to cheer and comfort me. Now that I have so agreeable a companion, -the rest of my party will not hesitate to go to Milan for a day at the -Brera. - -Mrs. Coxe is a perfect dear, and entertains me immensely; but, with all -the blessings that I have been recounting to you, I feel a bit homesick -to-night. Am I not unreasonable? The truth is, I shall miss Zelphine -sadly if she and Mr. Leonard sail in August and if Angela and I do -not return until October. Is there any chance of your getting over to -England this summer? You had better come in time for the wedding. - - - - -XVIII - -ANGELA'S LETTER - - - VILLA D'ESTE, LAKE COMO, June 27th. - -DEAR MAMMA: - -When you next send your only daughter abroad, I advise you to choose -for her guardians and companions the young and giddy rather than -the mature and sedate. Here am I, the youngest of the party and -"the likeliest," as Aunt Lyddy would say, in the curious position of -chaperon to my elders and betters, which is not easy, as I have never -learned the art of being in two places at one time. If it were not for -Mrs. Coxe I really do not know what would become of me, as my happy -couples usually choose to be in different places. I generally attach -myself to Z. and Mr. Leonard, who treat me with studied politeness, -although I am quite sure that they would rather have me in the lake -or anywhere else than just where I am, tagging after them. It seems -more important to chaperon Z. thoroughly, because she attracts so -much attention. Her white hair and dark eyes always give her quite an -air, and now, since Mr. Leonard's appearance upon the scene, she has -dropped ten years from her shoulders and developed into a pinkness and -whiteness of complexion that might cause grave doubts on the part of -her chaperon were she not generally in attendance at her toilet. Why -Z. should be any happier than she was before Mr. Leonard claimed her -for his own I fail to understand. She had everything that heart could -desire--health, good looks, plenty of money, and freedom to travel to -the ends of the earth with Margaret and me, and the certainty that she -could have Mr. Leonard at her feet whenever she wished, which Margaret -and I think is quite an ideal position for a lover. If he had not -followed Z. over here and taken advantage of her being in a strange -country, with no one but two helpless women to protect her, and made -love to her in gondolas by moonlight, and sighed for her under the -Bridge of Sighs, and talked of their future happiness under the Ponte -del Paradiso and other perfect places, I doubt whether she would have -accepted him, for several years at least--and then the children! Mrs. -Coxe says that Z. had better take all the pleasure she can get out of -this trip, as she will not be able to get away soon again, with all -those children hanging around her. But I must tell you the rest of the -story, as it is simply thrilling and as good as a novel. - -For some time I have had my suspicions about Margaret. I told you how -sad and depressed she was when we sailed, and what an effort she made -to appear cheerful. I suppose she really did care for that Mr. Grant, -although you and papa thought him a rather poor affair and not at all -worthy of her. In the last two months she has been quite different, -and positively gay at times, especially so on mail days. Z. and I -both noticed this, or, rather, Z. did notice it before she gave up her -interest in the things around her. We didn't think so much of the long -letters that Margaret was always sending off to Mr. Ramsay, because, -as Z. said, they were old friends, and she was quite frank about the -letters and assured us that they were for his mother's entertainment -as much as for Mr. Ramsay's. This sounded very nice and proper, and -as Margaret always seemed a truthful person, I believed her, and so -did Z., but then Z. believes in every one until they are proved to -be thieves and pickpockets. What really aroused my suspicions was -Margaret's absent manner, on occasions. Several times, when I have come -upon her suddenly, sitting in one of the romantic seats up on Queen -Caroline's terrace, with a book in her lap and her eyes gazing off into -space, she has started, blushed, and begun to read her book diligently. -This was of course before the accident. Since then she has been in a -constant state of apology for keeping us here so long, and spends her -days studying maps and guide-books to find out how fast we can travel -when we are once fairly started. Mr. Leonard and Z. both assure her -that they could not be happier anywhere else, and their looks certainly -do not belie their words; and I tell her that nothing could please me -better than to stay in this lovely, cool place, where we may make a new -excursion every day, and Dr. A. is always ready to take me in his motor -car if only Z. and Mr. Leonard will sit in the back of the car to do -propriety. He seems to forget that I am chaperoning them; but it really -doesn't make any difference so long as the proprieties are attended -to--you know how much more exacting they are over here than at home. - -Count B.'s ideas of propriety used to amuse us so much when we were in -Florence. He would pay me compliments by the yard about my cheeks and -my hair, speeches that we should think rather bad form at home, and -yet when he was walking with me, he would never by any chance go out -of Margaret's or Z.'s sight. At first this made me feel uncomfortable, -as if he really was afraid that I should do or say something improper. -Ludovico Baldini, who has been in America long enough to know something -of our ways, was much amused when I said this, but insisted that the -Count was quite right, as a _jeune fille_ must be rigidly shadowed by -her chaperon on the Continent. - -Dr. A. is a really delightful person. We generally call him "Doctor -Antonio," because he reminds Margaret of the Doctor in that queer, old, -deadly romantic novel that you are so fond of, and then his Italian -name is so difficult to twist around our American tongues! He and -Mrs. Coxe have an occasional tilt, which helps to liven us up. She is -perfectly dear and the best fun in the world, but she is a bit bossy, -all the same, and sets up her opinion against the Doctor's, because, -as she is so fond of saying, "Having brought up a family of eight -children, of course I know more than these young physicians." - -Yesterday when Dr. A. had Margaret out on the terrace in a rolling -chair, he said, "To-morrow we will have a little turn in the auto car." -To this Mrs. Coxe objected quite decidedly, said that it was madness -to attempt so much exertion, etc. The Doctor listened to all that she -had to say, with the most angelic patience, and when she was suddenly -called away to receive a visitor, Margaret smiled, and said quite -apologetically, "It is quite evident, Dr. A., that Mrs. Coxe is the -daughter of a major-general." - -"Yes, yes!" exclaimed Dr. A., shrugging his shoulders, "I quite -understand. I knew the daughters of General Garibaldi, and they were -just the same." - -"And," said Margaret, "we shall have our trip in the auto car?" - -"Yes, yes, I never allow any one to interfere with my practice." - -"Even the mother of eight grown children, all well brought up?" - -The Doctor is bright and quick at catching on to our little jokes -and asides. I like him so much that I had almost made up my mind to -Margaret's marrying a foreigner, when--but I must not run ahead of my -story, and of course I have no reason to think that he has asked her to -marry him. - -This afternoon (it really seems as if two whole weeks had passed since -yesterday) Dr. A. said that he thought Margaret could stand the ride to -Varese, which is about eighteen miles from Como. We were all delighted, -and after _dejeuner_ we set forth in gay good spirits, Margaret on the -front seat with Dr. A. and I behind with Zelphine and Mr. Leonard. - -Our way lay through a fine farming country with fertile fields and bits -of woodland here and there, quite different from the rocky hillsides -covered with grape-vines and olives that we have seen so much of all -through Italy. The roads are fine, and a rush through the fresh air -is so intoxicating to me, as you know, that even the company of two -lovers, so absorbed in each other that they probably did not know -whether they were in Italy or in Ireland, was quite powerless to -take off the keen edge of my enjoyment, beside which I could talk to -Margaret and Dr. A., who pointed out all the places of interest to -us as we sped along. We did not stop in the town of Varese, as the -Grand Hotel on Lake Varese was our destination. Here we sat out in the -garden overlooking the lake, with a fine view of the whole chain of the -Western Alps spread before us, "a fine panorama," as the Doctor calls -it. We had tea on the terrace and enjoyed ourselves generally, Dr. A. -and Mr. Leonard trying which could tell the most amusing stories. - -We flew home from Varese on the wings of the wind, far faster than -we made the trip there, and as we drew up before the villa, Margaret -laughing and talking to Dr. A., by far the gayest of the party, whom -should we see standing on the piazza but Mr. Ramsey! - -Such a curious expression crossed his face when he saw -Margaret--surprise, wonder, something like pain; and she grew so pale -that I expected her to faint the next minute. Dr. A. whisked a bottle -of something out of his pocket and called for water and gave Margaret -some drops, all in such a professional manner that Mr. Ramsay's -spirits revived as quickly as if he had taken the dose himself, and -by the time the invalid was ready to get out of the car both their -faces were as red as peonies. The Doctor and Mr. Ramsay then shook -hands in a friendly manner, which was a relief to my mind, as for the -first few minutes visions of pistols and coffee at five o'clock in -the morning floated through my brain. They really did glare at each -other at first. As they helped Margaret out very carefully, a question -suddenly occurred to me: how did Mr. Ramsay know anything about the -sprained ankle? Papa always said that I would make a good detective. I -turned suddenly to Mr. Leonard with my question. From his confused and -unsatisfactory answer, and a quizzical look in his eyes when he met -Mr. Ramsay's, I am almost certain that there has been some collusion -between the two. I have been counting the days since Margaret's -accident, and I find that Mr. Ramsay sailed two days after it. He took -a fast steamer and landed at Southampton, all of which confirms me in -my suspicion that Mr. Leonard sent him a cablegram. You don't approve -of betting, mammy dear, but I am quite willing to wager my new Leghorn -hat, which Margaret says is very becoming, against Z.'s fine pearl -necklace, that Mr. Leonard gave her, that he had a hand in this, having -learned by experience that sudden appearances are sometimes the most -satisfactory ways of settling difficulties of long standing. I shall -probably know all about this some day, and whatever Mr. Leonard did or -did not do, he will doubtless be forgiven, as from present appearances -I should say that Margaret is incapable of cherishing anger against any -living thing. - - June 30th. - -And now, dearest mammy, what do you think of my two frisky chaperons, -who planned this trip for their own improvement and mine? - -There is to be a double wedding, of course. Z.'s date is postponed -until some time later in July; as soon as the happy day is named I will -let you know. - -Before I close this long letter I must tell you of the wedding journey -that Margaret and Mr. Ramsay are planning--nothing less sentimental -than to come back to Italy and visit all the places that she has been -writing about in her letters. They, the places, will not look half -so pretty in the autumn as in the spring, but that won't make much -difference to them. If they invite me very cordially, I may go with -them. You see, I shall be reduced to the necessity of tagging on to -one of these couples, or of marrying some one myself for the sake of -having a travelling companion, unless you and papa come over here and -look after me a bit. Another reason for your coming: there is no proper -person to give Margaret away. Mrs. Coxe says that I shall have to do -it, as the dignified chaperon of the party. I really think that this -and my unprotected position are sufficient reasons for papa's coming to -the wedding, so make your plans, like a dear, and work papa up to the -starting-point. Dr. Vernon is to join us in Paris, so Z. will be given -away by her natural protector. - -Mrs. Coxe is going up to London for the wedding, and I am quite certain -that Margaret's young Italian friend, Ludovico Baldini, will be there, -and perhaps the Marquis de B.--who knows? I for one do not. - -Margaret's ankle is almost well; she walked the length of the piazza -to-day, with the Doctor on one side and Mr. Ramsay on the other. The -Doctor is delighted with the improvement in his patient, and yet he -looks quite serious when we talk of leaving next week for Lucerne, _en -route_ for Paris. Here he comes to ask me to take a spin in his auto -car. As Margaret and Z. are both up on the hillside with their suitors -(I have given up all attempts to chaperon them), I shall have to look -up Mrs. Coxe and make her go with me. She hates automobiles, poor -soul!--says they take away her breath and make her heart thump, but she -will have to go all the same. I shouldn't in the least object to going -with Dr. A. alone, but he would be scandalized at the mere mention -of such a reckless proceeding, so Mrs. Coxe must be sacrificed to the -proprieties. - -I wish you knew Dr. A. He is a perfect dear. I am sure that you would -like him. - -This is the longest letter that I have ever written, but then there -was so much to tell you, and as Margaret seems to have forgotten how to -write, some one must do it for the party. Hoping to see you and papa in -Paris or London, believe me - - Your affectionate daughter, - ANGELA. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - - Obvious typographical errors have been corrected. - - Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have - been preserved. - - The text uses the spelling/punctuation Sant' Angelo, Lung' Arno, and - bell 'alma, which have been retained. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ITALIAN DAYS AND WAYS*** - - -******* This file should be named 44418.txt or 44418.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/4/1/44418 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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