Part 4 (1/2)

CHAPTER III

_Out into the Country--The Drive--The glorious Land--Sorrento and eternal Summer--The Cave of Polyphee--What is it?--David Relic-hunting--A Catastrophe

--Chased by a Virago--The Town roused--Besieged--A desperate Onset--Plight--Last of the Virago_

A few days after the affair related in the last chapter, our party set out from Naples on an excursion round the environs With the assistance of their landlord they were able to get a carriage, which they hired for the excursion, the driver of which ith theiven suone several days, and to visitinterest; for Naples is a city whose charreat as they are, do not surpass the manifold loveliness hich it is environed, and the whole party would have been sorry indeed if they had missed any one of those scenes of enchantly near the the shore they were all in the highest spirits

The sky was cloudless, and of that deep blue color which is cohtness, being only warh to be pleasant, and not in any way oppressive

Forelse than a street Houses arose on each side; crowds of people, and ons, and droves of cattle constantly met their eyes Caleches dashed about in all directions The street itself was paved with the large lava blocks which prevail throughout the city; and in fact it see itself indefinitely

At length they eed from the close-built city, and entered the country All the way the scenery was exquisite On the left extended green fields, and orchards, and vineyards; spreading away for h mountains Upon these were small villas and hamlets, while occasionally a castle perched upon soht threw an air of romantic attraction about the scene They passed several villages, and at length reached Castella beyond this, they found a change in the scenery The road wound along cliffs which overhung the sea, and was ornanificent one, as smooth as a floor, and by its circuitous course afforded a perpetual variety The far white houses of Naples, the towers that dotted the shore on every side, the islands that rose froloo, all united to form a scene which called forth the eneral features there were others of a more special character, as from time to time they ca in brought the here, seeh such variations of scenery they passed, and at length arrived at Sorrento

This little town is most beautifully situated near the h, encircling hills which protect it from the cold blasts of winter and the hot winds of summer Sorrento has a perfect cliether here, and in the orange groves, that surround the town, there e spectacle of trees in blossom side by side with trees that are loaded with fruit fully ripe

It was evening when they arrived, and they had not uide from the hotel, and set forth to see what they could before dark First, the guide took theloomy, that it looked like the work of a recent earthquake Not far from this were some ancient reservoirs, the work of the times of imperial Rome The arches were yet perfect, and over the reservoir was a garden of orange trees Not far distant was a ruined temple, in the enclosure of which was a e that it fors and several others, the guide took theoes by the nae cavern in the cliff, in front of which is a huge fragment of rock Here the boys recalled the story of Ulysses; and David volunteered to give it in full to Uncle Moses So David told how Ulysses ventured to this place with his coht the up its ht have been that very fragment that now lay on the shore before their eyes; how the an to devour them; how Ulysses devised a plan of escape, and succeeded in putting out the eye of the monster; how he then effected his escape fro his vessel, put forth to sea

Then they went to visit the house in which Tasso was born They were not able to enter it, and as it was now dark, they retreated to their hotel

Oh the following uide, to see the town for the on, which attractednothing else to do, wandered away towards the common centre of attraction They soon lost one another in the crowd, and one by one they worked their way into the interior of the place

The organ was sounding forth, the priests were intoning service, on the altar candles were burning, and far on high, through the lofty vaulted nave, there rolled ”the s!”

David found himself a little distance away from a side chapel, which was evidently the chief attraction to the worshi+ppers within the sacred edifice A dense crowd asseed to make his way, full of curiosity about the cause of their interest He at length forced hih forward to see inside the chapel He saw a structure, in the centre of the chapel, covered with drapery, upon which was a cushi+on Lying on this cushi+on was the iled with jewels, and adorned with gold and silver Whether it was ht it was the forht of it only teed to look at itcrowd to be an object of great sanctity, for they regarded it with the utmost reverence, and those nearest were on their knees Upon the altar, at the end of this chapel, lights were burning, and a priest was engaged in religious cere, that he waited patiently in this one spot for the opportunity of gratifying his curiosity

He had to wait for a long ti athe people, which showed that they were on the point of dispersing After this the crowd lessened, and the people began to take their departure At length but a few ree

David now, in a slow and unassuo close to it, and was able to see it perfectly

An iron rail surrounded the structure on which it was laid, preventing too close an approach; but standing here, outside of the rail, David saw that the ie was very rudely carved out of wood, and was intended to represent a child Why such an ie should be the object of such interest and devotion he could not for the life of hiation into this until he could find out fro desire to obtain a frage, or, its dress, or its surroundings, to serve as a relic His relic-hunting propensities had never been stronger than they were at this est itself than he looked all around to see ere the chances

As he looked around he saw that the cathedral was nearly eh altar, two boys were in the roup just preparing to leave Nearer hie, were tomen They were on their knees, and appeared to be absorbed in their devotions

It seemed to David that it would be quite easy to possess himself of some small and unimportant portion of the drapery He was quite unobserved, for the to him, the drapery ithin easy reach, and a row of tassels, upon which he could lay his hand, offered an irresistible teet one of those tassels, what an addition it would be to his little stock of treasures!

David once more looked all around The priests were still at the altar; but the boys had gone from the nave, and those who had been near the door had departed The women seemed as intent as ever upon their devotions David looked at the drapery once more, and upon one of the tassels which was nearest hi forward his hand, he touched the coveted tassel

Then he drew back his hand, and putting it in his pocket, he drew forth his knife, which he opened