winding path, 'he! he! he! Go to Rome for money, ho! ho! ho!':
page538.jpg}

CHAPTER XCV

Wooded retreat--Fresh shoes--Wood fire--Ash, when green--Queen of
China--Cleverest people--Declensions--Armenian--Thunder--Deep olive--What
do you mean?--Koul Adonai--The thick bushes--Wood pigeon--Old Gothe.

Nearly three days elapsed without anything of particular moment
occurring. Belle drove the little cart containing her merchandise about
the neighbourhood, returning to the dingle towards the evening. As for
myself, I kept within my wooded retreat, working during the periods of
her absence leisurely at my forge. Having observed that the quadruped
which my companion drove was as much in need of shoes as my own had been
some time previously, I had determined to provide it with a set, and
during the aforesaid periods occupied myself in preparing them. As I was
employed three mornings and afternoons about them, I am sure that the
reader will agree that I worked leisurely, or rather, lazily. On the
third day Belle arrived somewhat later than usual; I was lying on my back
at the bottom of the dingle, employed in tossing up the shoes which I had
produced, and catching them as they fell--some being always in the air
mounting or descending, somewhat after the fashion of the waters of a
fountain.

{picture:I was lying on my back at the bottom of the dingle, employed in
tossing up the shoes, and catching them as they fell: page540.jpg}

'Why have you been absent so long?' said I to Belle; 'it must be long
past four by the day.'

'I have been almost killed by the heat,' said Belle; 'I was never out in
a more sultry day--the poor donkey, too, could scarcely move along.'

'He shall have fresh shoes,' said I, continuing my exercise; 'here they
are quite ready; to-morrow I will tack them on.'

'And why are you playing with them in that manner?' said Belle.

'Partly in triumph at having made them, and partly to show that I can do
something besides making them; it is not every one who, after having made
a set of horse-shoes, can keep them going up and down in the air, without
letting one fall--'

'One has now fallen on your chin,' said Belle.

'And another on my cheek,' said I, getting up; 'it is time to discontinue
the game, for the last shoe drew blood.'

Belle went to her own little encampment; and as for myself, after having
flung the donkey's shoes into my tent, I put some fresh wood on the fire,
which was nearl