Part 29 (1/2)
”Well,” said Frank, ”I' will it take for us to see it?”
”It will take uide
”More than an hour!” said Frank ”Het our dinner It's ready by this tireat pity,” said David, sadly ”I think I should be willing to go without my dinner, to see that wonderful tunnel”
”I shouldn't, then,” said Frank, ”not for all the tunnels in the world”
”Nor should I,” said Bob
”But what a nificent effect the lake has when embraced in our view!” said Clive ”How finely is the description in Childe Harold adapted to this scene--
'And near, Albano's scarce divided waves shi+ne from a sister valley; and afar The Tiber winds, and the broad ocean laves The Latian coast, where sprung the Epic war, ”Ar star Rose o'er an eht Fully reposed fro ht, The Sabine farht'
”Clive,” said David, who had waited patiently for him to finish his poetical quotation, ”you'll come--won't you?”
”Come? Come where?”
”Why, I want to visit the tunnel of the Alban Lake, and it'll take an hour to do it If we go, we'll lose our dinner What do you say?
You don't think a dinner's thein the world?”
”Of course not,” said Clive ”Besides, we can pick up soe”
”That's right,” said David ”Boys,” he continued, appealing to Frank and Bob, ”you'd better come”
”What! and lose our dinners?” cried Frank, scornfully ”Catch us at it No We require more substantial food than poetry and old ruins Don't we, Bob?”
”Certainly,” said Bob ”For my part poetry and old ruins never were in my line As for 'Arms and the man' and the 'Sabine farm,' why, all I can say is, I always hated theil, and Horace, and Cicero, and the whole lot of them, at school; and why I should turn round now, and pretend to like theil, indeed! Bother Horace and Virgil, I say”
At such flippancy as this both David and Clive looked too much pained to reply They turned away in silence, and spoke to the guide
”So you're not co back to dinner?” said Frank
”No,” said David; ”ant to see that tunnel”
”Well, you'll lose your dinner; that's all”
”Of course We don't care”
”At any rate, don't go and forget about us We want to leave, for Roht to be back in one hour, at the very farthest”
”O, yes; the guide says it'll only take an hour We don't intend to spend any more tiht to come back,” said Bob; ”you know very well how poor old Uncle Moses will fidget and worry about you”
”O, no; it's all right Tell hiuide is with us, you know”
After a few ry, hurried back to the hotel, and David and Clive, ere also, to tell the truth, equally hungry, resisted their appetites as well as they were able, and accouide to the Lake Albano