As we approached I sought for signs
of a road that would lead us upward, but nothing of the sort could
be discerned; presently I became aware that we were turning into a
side valley, and, to all appearances, going quite away from the
town. The explanation was that the ascent lay on the further slope;
we began at length to climb the back of the mountain, and here I
noticed with a revival of hope that there was a lull in the tempest;
rain no longer fell so heavily; the clouds seemed to be breaking
apart. A beam of sunshine would have set me singing with joy. When
half-way up, my driver rested his horses and came to speak a word;
we conversed merrily. He was to make straight for the hotel, where
shelter and food awaited us--a bottle of wine, ha! ha! He knew the
hotel, of course? Oh yes, he knew the hotel; it stood just at the
entrance to the town; we should arrive in half an hour.
Looking upwards I saw nothing but a mass of ancient ruins, high
fragments of shattered wall, a crumbling tower, and great windows
through which the clouds were visible.
Pages:
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179