she had up stairs in her own room (we afterwards found it
perched there, when taken to see the upper floor of the bachelor
residence), as her familiars and sole associates,--like some enchanted
princess in a fairy-tale.

On entering the house from the terrace, we found ourselves in its
kitchen, which strongly resembled a cavern made habitable. It was hewn
out of the rock on which the dwelling stood; and it only required the
presence of the black man and the old woman who figure in Gil Blas's
story to give, to the life, the cooking-department of the robbers' cave
there. As we ascended a rude stone staircase that led from it, we heard
the lowing of cows; and, turning, we saw two of these animals
comfortably stalled in a side recess, not far from the rocky ledge on
which the culinary apparatus for dressing the food of the establishment
was deposited. Mounting into the parlor, we discovered a good-sized
apartment, its windows looking out through the foliage of the ilexes
over the sea, skirted by the extensive coast view. Behind was the
dining-room; on each side were the brothers' bedrooms; and leading from
a small entrance-hall at the back was a large billiard-room. This opened
on a small garden nook, in which were orange-trees and camellias, full
of bud and blossom,--from which some of the flowers were gathered for us
by the Italian brethren, on our taking leave and thanking them for the
unusual treat we had had in going over their curious abode.

The transient gleam of sunshine that had shone forth while we were
there was the only intermission vouchsafed by the rain, which afterwards
poured down with a steady vehemence and pertinacity seldom seen on the
Ligurian Riviera. The effects of this rare continuance of wet weather
were soon made impressively perceptible to the four as they emerged upon
the open road, after passing the Lighthouse of Genoa and the long
straggling suburbs of San Pier d'Arena, Pegli, and Voltri. The horses
splashed through channels of water which filled the spongy ruts,
smoking, and toiling, and plunging on; while the whoops and yells of the
postilion urging them forward, together with the loud smacks of his
whip, made a savage din. This was farther increased as we crashed along
a ledge road, cut in a cliff overhanging the sea;--the waves tearing up
from beneath with a whelming roar; the rocks jutting forth in points,
every one of which was a streaming water-spout; the rain pelting, the
wind rushing