But neither the student nor either of his travelling companionsfelt the least inclination to think of it in this way. Poisonous fliesand gnats flew into the coach by thousands. In vain they drove themaway with a myrtle branch, the flies stung them notwithstanding. Therewas not a man in the coach whose face was not swollen and disfiguredwith the stings. The poor horses looked wretched; the flies settled ontheir backs in swarms, and they were only relieved when the coachmengot down and drove the creatures off.
  As the sun set, an icy coldness filled all nature, not howeverof long duration. It produced the feeling which we experience whenwe enter a vault at a funeral, on a summer's day; while the hillsand the clouds put on that singular green hue which we often notice inold paintings, and look upon as unnatural until we have ourselves seennature's coloring in the south. It was a glorious spectacle; but thestomachs of the travellers were empty, their bodies exhausted withfatigue, and all the longings of their heart turned towards aresting-place for the night; but where to find one they knew not.All the eyes were too eagerly seeking for this resting-place, tonotice the beauties of nature.
  The road passed through a grove of olive-trees; it reminded thestudent of the willow-trees at home. Here stood a lonely inn, andclose by it a number of crippled beggars had placed themselves; thebrightest among them looked, to quote the words of Marryat, "likethe eldest son of Famine who had just come of age." The others wereeither blind, or had withered legs, which obliged them to creepabout on their hands and knees, or they had shrivelled arms andhands without fingers. It was indeed poverty arrayed in rags."Eccellenza, miserabili!" they exclaimed, stretching forth theirdiseased limbs. The hostess received the travellers with bare feet,untidy hair, and a dirty blouse. The doors were fastened together withstring; the floors of the rooms were of brick, broken in manyplaces; bats flew about under the roof; and as to the odor within-
  "Let us have supper laid in the stable," said one of thetravellers; "then we shall know what we are breathing."
  The windows were opened to let in a little fresh air, butquicker than air came in the withered arms and the continual whiningsounds, "Miserabili, eccellenza. On the walls were inscriptions,half of them against "la bella Italia."
  The supper made its appearance at last. It consisted of waterysoup, seasoned with pepper and rancid oil. This last delicacy played aprincipal part in the salad. Musty eggs and roasted cocks'-combswere the best dishes on the table; even the wine had a strangetaste, it was certainly a mixture. At night, all the boxes were placedagainst the doors, and one of the travellers watched while theothers slept. The student's turn came to watch. How close the air feltin that room; the heat overpowered him. The gnats were buzzing aboutand stinging, while the miserabili, outside, moaned in their dreams.
  "Travelling would be all very well," said the student ofdivinity to himself, "if we had no bodies, or if the body could restwhile the soul if flying. Wherever I go I feel a want whichoppresses my heart, for something better presents itself at themoment; yes, something better, which shall be the best of all; butwhere is that to be found? In fact, I know in my heart very wellwhat I want. I wish to attain the greatest of all happiness."
  No sooner were the words spoken than he was at home. Long whitecurtains shaded the windows of his room, and in the middle of thefloor stood a black coffin, in which he now lay in the still sleepof death; his wish was fulfilled, his body was at rest, and his spirittravelling.
  "Esteem no man happy until he is in his grave," were the wordsof Solon. Here was a strong fresh proof of their truth. Every corpseis a sphinx of immortality. The sphinx in this sarcophagus mightunveil its own mystery in the words which the living had himselfwritten two days before-
  "Stern death, thy chilling silence waketh dread;
  Yet in thy darkest hour there may be light.
  Earth's garden reaper!