r；flowers and plants； and a balcony up which I suppose Romeo climbed to hold that immortal love…prattle with the lovesick Juliet。 Boy began to light the candles。 Asked in English the price of such fine rooms。 Reply in Italian。 Asked in German。 Reply in Italian。 Asked in French； with the same result。 Other servants appeared； each with a piece of baggage。 Other candles were lighted。 Everybody talked in chorus。 The landladya woman of elegant manners and great command of her native tongueappeared with a candle； and joined in the melodious confusion。 What is the price of these rooms？ More jabber； more servants bearing lights。 We seemed suddenly to have come into an illumination and a private lunatic asylum。 The landlady and her troop grew more and more voluble and excited。 Ah； then； if these rooms do not suit the signor and signoras； there are others； and we were whisked off to apartments yet grander； great suites with high； canopied beds； mirrors； and furniture that was luxurious a hundred years ago。 The price？ Again a torrent of Italian； servants pouring in； lights flashing； our baggage arriving； until； in the tumult； hopeless of any response to our inquiry for a servant who could speak anything but Italian； and when we had decided； in despair； to hire the entire establishment； a waiter appeared who was accomplished in all languages； the row subsided； and we were left alone in our glory； and soon in welcome sleep forgot our desperate search for a warm climate。
The next day it was rainy and not warm； but the sun came out occasionally； and we drove about to see some of the sights。 The first Italian town which the stranger sees he is sure to remember； the outdoor life of the people is so different from that at the North。 It is the fiction in Italy that it is always summer； and the people sit in the open market…place； shiver in the open doorways； crowd into corners where the sun comes； and try to keep up the beautiful pretense。 The picturesque groups of idlers and traffickers were more interesting to us than the palaces with sculptured fronts and old Roman busts； or tombs of the Scaligers； and old gates。 Perhaps I ought to except the wonderful and perfect Roman amphitheater； over every foot of which a handsome boy in rags followed us； looking over every wall that we looked over； peering into every hole that we peered into； thus showing his fellowship with us； and at every pause planting himself before us； and throwing a somerset； and then extending his greasy cap for coppers； as if he knew that the modern mind ought not to dwell too exclusively on hoary antiquity without some relief。
Anxious； as I have said； to find the sunny South； we left Verona that afternoon for Florence； by way of Padua and Bologna。 The ride to Padua was through a plain； at this season dreary enough； were it not； here and there； for the abrupt little hills and the snowy Alps； which were always in sight； and towards sundown and between showers transcendently lovely in a purple and rosy light。 But nothing now could be more desolate than the rows of unending mulberry…trees； pruned down to the stumps； through which we rode all the afternoon。 I suppose they look better when the branches grow out with the tender leaves for the silk…worms； and when they are clothed with grapevines。 Padua was only to us a name。 There we turned south； lost mountains and the near hills； and had nothing but the mulberry flats and ditches of water； and chilly rain and mist。 It grew unpleasant as we went south。 At dark we were riding slowly； very slowly； for miles through a country overflowed with water； out of which trees and houses loomed up in a ghastly show。 At all the stations soldiers were getting on board； shouting and singing discordantly choruses from the operas； for there was a rising at Padua； and one feared at Bologna the populace getting up insurrections against the enforcement of the grist…tax；a tax which has made the government very unpopular； as it falls principally upon the poor。
Creeping along at such a slow rate； we reached Bologna too late for the Florence train； It was eight o'clock； and still raining。 The next train went at two o'clock in the morning； and was the best one for us to take。 We had supper in an inn near by； and a fair attempt at a fire in our parlor。 I sat before it； and kept it as lively as possible； as the hours wore away； and tried to make believe that I was ruminating on the ancient greatness of Bologna and its famous university； some of whose chairs had been occupied by women； and upon the fact that it was on a little island in the Reno； just below here； that Octavius and Lepidus and Mark Antony formed the second Triumvirate； which put an end to what little liberty Rome had left； but in reality I was thinking of the draught on my back； and the comforts of a sunny clime。 But the time came at length for starting； and in luxurious cars we finished the night very comfortably； and rode into Florence at eight in the morning to find； as we had hoped； on the other side of the Apennines； a sunny sky and balmy air。
As this is strictly a chapter of travel and weather； I may not stop to say how impressive and beautiful Florence seemed to us； how bewildering in art treasures； which one sees at a glance in the streets； or scarcely to hint how lovely were the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace； the roses； geraniums etc； in bloom； the birds singing； and all in a soft； dreamy air。 The next day was not so genial； and we sped on； following our original intention of seeking the summer in winter。 In order to avoid trouble with baggage and passports in Rome； we determined to book through for Naples； making the trip in about twenty hours。 We started at nine o'clock in the evening； and I do not recall a more thoroughly uncomfortable journey。 It grew colder as the night wore on； and we went farther south。 Late in the morning we were landed at the station outside of Rome。 There was a general appearance of ruin and desolation。 The wind blew fiercely from the hills； and the snowflakes from the flying clouds added to the general chilliness。 There was no chance to get even a cup of coffee； and we waited an hour in the cold car。 If I had not been so half frozen； the consciousness that I was actually on the outskirts of the Eternal City； that I saw the Campagna and the aqueducts； that yonder were the Alban Hills； and that every foot of soil on which I looked was saturated with history； would have excited me。 The sun came out here and there as we went south； and we caught some exquisite lights on the near and snowy hills； and there was something almost homelike in the miles and miles of olive orchards； that recalled the apple…trees； but for their shining silvered leaves。 And yet nothing could be more desolate than the brown marshy ground； the brown hillocks； with now and then a shabby stone hut or a bit of ruin； and the flocks of sheep shivering near their corrals； and their shepherd； clad in sheepskin； as his ancestor was in the time of Romulus； leaning on his staff； with his back to the wind。 Now and then a white town perched on a hillside； its houses piled above each other； relieved the eye； and I could imagine that it might be all the poets have sung of it； in the spring； though the Latin poets； I am convinced； have wonderfully imposed upon us。
To make my long story short； it happened to be colder next morning at Naples than it was in Germany。 The sun shone； but the northeast wind； which the natives poetically call the Tramontane； was blowing； and the white smoke of Vesuvius rolled towards the sea。 It would only last three days； it was very unusual； and all that。 The next day it was colder； and the next colder yet。 Snow fell； and blew about unmelted： I saw it in the streets of Pompeii。
The fountains were frozen； icicles hung from the locks of the marble statues in the Chiaia。 And yet the oranges glowed like gold among their green leaves； the roses； the heliotrope； the geraniums； bloomed in all the gardens。 It is the most contradictory climate。 We lunched one day； sitting in our open carriage in a lemon grove； and near at hand the Lucrine Lake was half frozen over。 We feasted our eyes on the brilliant light and color on the sea； and the lovely outlined mountains round the shore； and waited for a change of wind。 The Neapolitans declare that they have not had such weather in twenty years。 It is scarcely one's ideal of balmy Italy。
Before the weather changed； I began to feel in this great Naples； with its roaring population of over half a million； very much like
the sailor I saw at the American consul's； who applied for help to be sent home； claiming to be an American。 He was an oratorical bummer； and told his story with all the dignity and elevated language of an old Roman。 He had been cast away in London。 How cast away？ Oh！ it was all along of a boarding…house。 And then he found himself shipped on an English vessel； and he had lost his discharge…papers； and 〃Listen； your honor；〃 said he； calmly extending his right hand； 〃here I am cast away on this desolate island with nothing before me but wind and weather。〃
RAVENNA
A DEAD CITY
Ravenna is so remote from the route of general travel in Italy； that I a