Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/336

346 made her appearance, together with Mr. N., who had succeeded in finding the little dog and now carried it in his arms. At the same moment the shore was thronged with hundreds of the hopeful youth of the town, of both sexes, who, all of them, without any exception, wildly hooted, laughed, and yelled, and demanded money. Some wanted it because they had sought for the dog, others because they had seen him, others again for having seen Mr. N. who carried him, and all of them because we were foreigners in the town; and when, after having given them some bajocci, we put off from the shore, young men and girls sprang after us into the water, endeavoring to retain the boat, which not succeeding, they assailed us with yells, threatening cries, and with a shower of stones, some of them sufficiently large to have seriously injured any one whom they might have struck. Nothing but the speed with which our rowers removed us from the shore, placed us out of danger from these young savages, the subjects of His Majesty the King of Naples and the children of the Papal church. Mrs. M. was after all struck by a stone as large as a cannon ball.

The willful negligence evinced by the Romish church with regard to the education of the children produces its own fruit, and will one day produce it in another direction than they imagine. We, however, in our little villa Pisani enjoy profound peace. Our host and hostess, Crescens and his wife Irene, are particularly well disposed and agreeable. Crescens is a tolerable cook, and prepares us excellent soups, and the figs, which are beginning to be ripe, are incomparable food.