‘What did they, while for three hours I and Nicolas ate bravely and drank much, is of a supposition. But now we are again to returning ready, and see! they come, the “bella” with many flowers in her hands; and still their eyes shine, and their noses smell the flowers, and they say, “_Allez, Pietro, allez!_” ‘So, with a crackling of the whip-stick, we roll through the streets, and down to the other road leading through the valley of the fair view to the bridge that cuts in two the great Mother, and so home again. Now I have a liking for this road, and so has Nicolas; it is of a gentle sloping, with many spots where he that is intelligent can ‘_goutez un peu_,’ and so we go pleasantly. ‘The Fiery One is hiding him behind the tall Father and his brethren, and there comes over the earth a great sweet colour as of the sparkling Asti in this my glass, and all things drink deeply of the flushing light--even those lying back with eyes very serene, and arms invisible cunningly--and I, Pietro, even more deeply, for have I not also of the light inside me? ‘Only Nicolas goes like the pighead he is, without reason, now on one side, now on the other, and jumps as does the flea when you catch his tail. ‘Well--well--he is a sure beast, and the way is very long--and safe--and aww--drowsy, and the light has got into my eyes, and also, I think a little into my top--aw--w--w--well, I _will_ perchance sleep a little--’tis a sure--beast--and the way--a--w--w....’ EPILOGUE. The champagne light faded slowly from the snow-crowned tops, and from the green and grey sides of the hills, and the violet shadows crept on over the great blue lake below; the shining in _her_ eyes was fading too, giving place to a look of great rest and faith, and _his_ face turned to hers was the face of a man gazing at the Holy Grail. So, obliviously, unconsciously onwards, the cup of a perfect joy full to overflowing. The carriage rolled slowly along the white and dusty road by the lake-side, the tired horse picking his own way, the pleasantly drunken Pietro heavily asleep on his box. In the fast gathering dusk they came to the iron railway bridge that carved the lake into two halves. The carriage road and railway track lay parallel across the bridge, divided only by a high partition of iron-work running its entire length. The gates of each lay open, and a level crossing tempted the unguided horse past the gate of the road on to the lines of the railway. Perhaps some sting of a dormant yet uneasy conscience, or the jolt of the wheel, caused his slumbering driver to awaken suddenly; the reins, jerked sharply and mechanically to the left, brought the horse’s head round into and through the wrong gate. In a minute the carriage was being dragged along the single railway track with no room to turn.