Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/342

352 them, now that the weather is again beautiful, in an arbor in the garden open to the sea. There we also take our supper. Sometimes little Elsa sings, now German, now Neapolitan songs, which are delightful to hear, because she is really musical and her voice goes to the heart. She executes the most difficult music as easily as a bird sings.

The presence of the King of Naples at Ischia, makes itself felt by a watchfulness and an espionage which appear very extraordinary to us. You see armed guards on every road, and the agents of police have come three times to our unpretending Villa, to examine our passports and to have a look at us. We were called out therefore, each one of us separately, except the youngest, who said that she was quite offended at being treated with so little respect. The next evening they came accompanied by a guard with handcuffs. They were in search of a certain M. Adolphe, who was charged with having sent the king an uncivil and threatening letter, “and who was said to be probably at the present time at Ischia in company with another gentleman and a lady. ” My countryman, Mr. S., and myself, seemed now to be suspected of being the dangerous persons in question, and the king had offered a reward of fifty scudi for the apprehension of Monsieur Adolphe. So many impediments in Naples are thrown in the way of such as desire to come to Ischia, now that the king is there, that people are leaving the island and going to other bathing places.

We have occasionally in our rambles met the king, sometimes with the queen, sometimes with the royal