Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/311

Rh downcast eyes, and with an expression at the same time so good and so suffering, that it excites me to enter the lists against Miss S., in favor of Catholicism, which obtains for me a grateful glance from Mrs. M., as I will call the young widow, and new explosions from the other, who most certainly would have been a first-rate actress.

Whilst she preaches, and Vesuvius smokes, and I wait for an opportunity of visiting it in tranquillity, I will say a few words about the journey from Rome to Naples.

The journey was made by vetturino, in company with Mr. S., a young Englishman, Mr. H., and an amiable elderly married couple, Germans, who were called by their friends Philemon and Bancis. Philemon,—Dr. Steinheim,—who was also called “the learned Rabbi,” is a handsome old man, with snow-white hair, and a countenance which, in feature and expression, reminds one of Franklin. Bancis, again, is a little old woman, till handsome, comfortable, kind, and with a certain solemn dignity in her demeanor,—a true representative of the antique shepherdess. We had, for many reasons, resolved not to take the usual route to Naples, by Terracina, but to drive by way of the Abruzzi, Monte Casino, San Germano, and so on. I was glad to do so, because I wished to see the celebrated old Convent, Monte Casino, and Padre Tosti, whose patriotic work, La Lega Lombarda, did him great honor, as an Italian, and had obtained for him the honor, likewise, of eight months' imprisonment under the paternal protection of King Ferdinand of Naples.

This route—by way of San Germano, and Monte