butneitherthestudentnoreitherofhistravellingcompanionsfelttheleastinclinationtothinkofitinthisway.poisonousfliesandgnatsflewintothecoachbythousands.invaintheydrovethemawaywithamyrtlebranch,thefliesstungthemnotwithstanding.therewasnotamaninthecoachwhosefacewasnotswollenanddisfiguredwiththestings.thepoorhorseslookedwretched;thefliessettledontheirbacksinswarms,andtheywereonlyrelievedwhenthecoachmengotdownanddrovethecreaturesoff.

asthesunset,anicycoldnessfilledallnature,nothoweveroflongduration.itproducedthefeelingwhichweexperiencewhenweenteravaultatafuneral,onasummer'sday;whilethehillsandthecloudsputonthatsingulargreenhuewhichweoftennoticeinoldpaintings,andlookuponasunnaturaluntilwehaveourselvesseennature'scoloringinthesouth.itwasagloriousspectacle;butthestomachsofthetravellerswereempty,theirbodiesexhaustedwithfatigue,andallthelongingsoftheirheartturnedtowardsaresting-placeforthenight;butwheretofindonetheyknewtheeyesweretooeagerlyseekingforthisresting-place,tonoticethebeautiesofnature.

theroadpassedthroughagroveofolive-trees;itremindedthestudentofthewillow-treesathome.herestoodalonelyinn,andclosebyitanumberofcrippledbeggarshadplacedthemselves;thebrightestamongthemlooked,toquotethewordsofmarryat,"liketheeldestsonoffaminewhohadjustcomeofage."theotherswereeitherblind,orhadwitheredlegs,whichobligedthemtocreepaboutontheirhandsandknees,ortheyhadshrivelledarmsandhandswithoutfingers.itwasindeedpovertyarrayedinrags."eccellenza,miserabili!"theyexclaimed,stretchingforththeirdiseasedlimbs.thehostessreceivedthetravellerswithbarefeet,untidyhair,andadirtyblouse.thedoorswerefastenedtogetherwithstring;thefloorsoftheroomswereofbrick,brokeninmanyplaces;batsflewaboutundertheroof;andastotheodorwithin-

"letushavesupperlaidinthestable,"saidoneofthetravellers;"thenweshallknowwhatwearebreathing."

thewindowswereopenedtoletinalittlefreshair,butquickerthanaircameinthewitheredarmsandthecontinualwhiningsounds,"miserabili,eccellenza.onthewallswereinscriptions,halfofthemagainst"labellaitalia."

thesuppermadeitsappearanceatlast.itconsistedofwaterysoup,seasonedwithpepperandrancidoil.thislastdelicacyplayedaprincipalpartinthesalad.mustyeggsandroastedcocks'-combswerethebestdishesonthetable;eventhewinehadastrangetaste,itwascertainlyamixture.atnight,alltheboxeswereplacedagainstthedoors,andoneofthetravellerswatchedwhiletheothersslept.thestudent'sturncametowatch.howclosetheairfeltinthatroom;theheatoverpoweredhim.thegnatswerebuzzingaboutandstinging,whilethemiserabili,outside,moanedintheirdreams.

"travellingwouldbeallverywell,"saidthestudentofdivinitytohimself,"ifwehadnobodies,orifthebodycouldrestwhilethesoulifflying.whereverigoifeelawantwhichoppressesmyheart,forsomethingbetterpresentsitselfatthemoment;yes,somethingbetter,whichshallbethebestofall;butwhereisthattobefound?infact,iknowinmyheartverywellwhatiwant.iwishtoattainthegreatestofallhappiness."

nosoonerwerethewordsspokenthanhewasathome.longwhitecurtainsshadedthewindowsofhisroom,andinthemiddleofthefloorstoodablackcoffin,inwhichhenowlayinthestillsleepofdeath;hiswishwasfulfilled,hisbodywasatrest,andhisspirittravelling.

"esteemnomanhappyuntilheisinhisgrave,"werethewordsofsolon.herewasastrongfreshproofoftheirtruth.everycorpseisasphinxofimmortality.thesphinxinthissarcophagusmightunveilitsownmysteryinthewordswhichthelivinghadhimselfwrittentwodaysbefore-

"sterndeath,thychillingsilencewakethdread;

yetinthydarkesthourtheremaybelight.

earth'sgardenreaper!