Be sure that he who planted these hazels on the bleak hillside was no common son of earth, but some wise and inspired mortal. My blessings on his head! May his shadow never grow less! Or, if that wish be already past fulfilment, may he dwell in Elysium attended by a thousand ministering angels, every one of them selected by himself; may he rejoice in their caresses for evermore. Naught was amiss. All conspired to make the occasion memorable. I look back upon our sojourn among those verdant hazels and see that it was good--one of those moments which are never granted knowingly by jealous fate. So dense was the leafage in the greenest heart of the grove that not a shred of sunlight, not a particle as large as a sixpence, could penetrate to earth. We were drowned in shade; screened from the flaming world outside; secure--without a care. We envied neither God nor man. I thought of certain of my fellow-creatures. I often think of them. What were they now doing? Taking themselves seriously and rushing about, as usual, haggard and careworn--like those sagacious ants that scurry hither and thither, and stare into each other's faces with a kind of desperate imbecility, when some sportive schoolboy has kicked their ridiculous nest into the air and upset all their solemn little calculations. As for ourselves, we took our ease. We ate and drank, we slumbered awhile, then joked and frolicked for five hours on end, or possibly six. [34] I kept no count of what was said nor how the time flew by. I only know that when at last we emerged from our ambrosial shelter the muscles of my stomach had grown sore from the strain of laughter, and Arcturus was twinkling overhead. THE END INDEX Abbadé, author Abbadia San Salvatore Abruzzi, limestone deserts Acqua Acetosa, Rome Acqua santa, mineral fountain, its appalling effects Acque Vive, old Scanno Addison, J. Afforestation at Scanno Agave, plant; dislikes change of scene Alatri; its nameless tavern; citadel; ideal families at Alban volcanoes Alpenglühen, an abomination Amiata, mountain Anagni Analphabetics, their charm Anastasio, F. Aniene, river Anthology, Greek Anticoli Apennines, their general coloration Argos Aristotle Arno river, its colour-moods Artena Athene (Minerva), promontory and temple Attilio, a sagacious youngster