und a fountain into which poured water from jets at the
four corners, stood a number of persons with jars of earthenware and
bright copper cans. One girl held herself with the fine erectness of a
Caryatid, while her jar, propped against the side, filled itself with
the cold, sparkling water. A youth, some vessel in his hand, leaned over
in an attitude of easy grace; and looking into her eyes, appeared to pay
compliments, which she heard with superb indifference. A little boy ran
up, and the girl held aside her jar while he put his mouth to the spout
and drank. Then, as it overflowed, she lifted it with comely motion to
her head and slowly walked away.

By now the canons had unrobed, and several strolled about the court in
the sun, smoking cigarettes. The acolytes with the removal of their
scarlet cassocks, were become somewhat ragged urchins playing pitch and
toss with much gesture and vociferation. Two of them quarrelled fiercely
because one player would not yield the halfpenny he had certainly lost,
and the altercation must have ended in blows if a corpulent, elderly
cleric had not indignantly reproved them, and boxed their ears. A row of
tattered beggars, very well contented in the sunshine, were seated on a
step, likewise smoking cigarettes, and obviously they did not consider
their walk of life unduly hard.

And the thought impressed itself upon me while I lingered in that
peaceful spot, that there was far more to be said for the simple
pleasures of sense than northern folk would have us believe. The English
have still much of that ancient puritanism which finds a vague
sinfulness in the uncostly delights of sunshine, and colour, and ease of
mind. It is well occasionally to leave the eager turmoil of great cities
for such a place as this, where one may learn that there are other, more
natural ways of living, that it is possible still to spend long days,
undisturbed by restless passion, without regret or longing, content in
the various show that nature offers, asking only that the sun should
shine and the happy seasons run their course.

An English engineer whom I had seen at the hotel, approaching me,
expressed the idea in his own graphic manner. 'Down here there are a
good sight more beer and skittles in life than up in Sheffield!'

One canon especially interested me, a little thin man, bent and
wrinkled, apparently of fabulous age, but still something of a dandy,
for he wore his clothes with a certain air, as