Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 1).djvu/16

4 that he will cast any backward look of regret to misty Maremma steaming beneath its torrid suns. And when he comes back another year there,—then he finds some one else.

This day in Grosseto there were many hundreds of these come here for the hiring by owners and stewards of this perilous yet fruitful Maremmano soil; the same men came for the most part year after year, and were well known; the market day was the day to find masters and make terms for their winter labours; and from here they would all scatter themselves far and wide, north and south, east and west, on their several roads; some to the swamps and the thickets; some to the pine and oak woods; some to the sea-shore towns for the industries of the coast; some to the vast wheat and oat fields that stretch level and dreary as moorland, and bring forth the finest grain in all Italy.

There were gathered together hundreds and even thousands of them; but this morning they had other thoughts besides those of their hire and wages; they were standing under the broad, blue autumnal sky, patient, and yet eager to see a great