vineyard on which we sat awhile,
it rose like an oasis in a desert, its picturesque outlines clearly
marked against the blue sky. An irregular, half-ruined wall enclosed the
vast precincts. In the far distance were chains of hills. There was no
trace anywhere of a monks' garden, but in their despotic days they
probably had all their wants supplied in the shape of tithes. The
landscape was bare of trees, yet the rich soil yields abundantly the
fruits of the earth. In the vineyard nearly all the grapes had been
plucked; but Francisco wandering to and fro found a few bunches and
plucked them. Warmed by the sunshine they were luscious and full of
sweet flavour. We felt almost guilty of eating stolen fruit.

"Are we not very much like boys robbing an orchard, Francisco?"

"No," laughed the boy, "though I'm afraid if we were that would not stop
me. What we are doing is quite allowed. It is the custom of the country.
Anyone may take the overlooked bunches in a vineyard just as they may
glean in a corn-field. If I had not picked these, they would have
withered. The owner, if he came in at this moment, would wish us good
appetite and digestion and probably hunt for another bunch or two to
present to us. Not a bad dessert after luncheon."

Higher up the road we found a settlement, where in summer people flock
to the hotels to drink the waters and enjoy the country. To-day all was
closed for the approaching winter. A few years ago the place had no
existence beyond a few scattered farm cottages with latticed windows and
thatched roofs, surrounded by small orchards. These still exist. The
place looked light and primitive, as though life might here pass very
pleasantly. It was too far from the monastery to intrude upon its
solitude, and the whole settlement seemed deserted. Not a creature
crossed our path until on the down-hill road on the other side we came
upon an old woman struggling with an obstinate donkey. Approaching, we
heard groans and lamentations: now the animal was threatened, now
implored. He was equally indifferent to both appeals. Looking very
sagacious, his ears working to and fro and his feet well planted upon
the ground, as wide apart as possible, he would not budge an inch.

The old woman would certainly never see eighty again. She was wrinkled
and shrivelled and looked a black object; her old face so tanned by the
sun that she might almost pass for a woman of colour. Her black hair was
wiry and untidy, and a r