them. They would meet later at Jenne. Maria
was greatly distressed about her sister, and secretly reproached herself
for having allowed her to come on foot. She and Giovanni stood silently
watching Noemi, who, though very pale, smiled at them bravely. Upon that
wilderness of mountains, devoid of beauty, upon those sun-baked rocks,
the silence hung with a mortal weight! It was a relief to all three to
hear the voices of some wayfarers who were coming up. There were six
or seven in the party, and they had two mules with them. As they toiled
upwards they sang the Rosary. When the procession had drawn nearer, a
girl and a man could be seen riding the mules; both were emaciated
and almost cadaverous in appearance. The girl opened her eyes wide on
perceiving the Selvas, but the man kept his closed. The others looked
at them with a rapt expression, continuing their prayers. The monotonous
chant and the beat of the mule's hoofs grew fainter, and at last died
away among the heights above. Soon after this sad procession had passed,
a party of young men from the city appeared, laughing merrily, and
talking of Quirites who were on the lookout rather for Sabine women
than for saints. On perceiving Giovanni and his companions they became
silent, but when they had passed them they again began to laugh and
jest; they jested about Giovanni, who, they said, might be the Saint
between two temptresses.

A great cloud with silver edges, the first of a whole fleet, sailing
towards the west, hid the sun. Noemi, greatly refreshed, proposed that
they should take advantage of the shade, and go forward. A few steps
below the cross of which, according to Torquato, the parish priest had
dreamed, they met a _bourgeons_ dressed in black, who was coming down,
riding a mule.

"I beg your pardon," he said, addressing the ladles and reining in his
mule, "but is either of you Her Excellency the Duchess di Civitella?"

On receiving an answer he apologised, saying that a friend of his--a,
senator--had recommended this duchess to his care; that he himself did
not know her, but that she was coming to Jenne to see the Saint.

"Indeed, perhaps you, gentlemen, have come for the same purpose!" he
said smiling. "Everyone comes for that now. Once upon a time they came
to see a pope! Certainly! There was a pope at Jenne once--Alexander IV,
You will see the inscription: '_Colores aestivos vitandi caussa.'_ Now
they come for a saint. He ought to be more than a pop