Page:Zawis and Kunigunde (1895).djvu/13

 had spoken with that candor and frankness of word and manner which denotes a life of naturalness and unconstraint. Looking around to discover whence probably came the sound, one of the men perceived a line of tracks through the shrubs and thickets that betokened the customary presence here of that elementary indication of civilization, a herd of swine.

“Not an inviting symbol,” said the other, when these tokens of habitation were pointed out to him, “but probably the associations of the forbidden creature may possess redeeming opportunities. We are not to avoid that progress towards perfect reason which apparently trivial circumstances frequently supply to us in daily life, during our advance to perfection, which is the end of all being.”

Following the track thus presented, the strangers advanced along an irregular and circuitous, but, considering the unevenness of the ground, a remarkably level line; and before long found themselves in presence of a congeries of huts formed out of the broken walls of what had previously been a large and pretentious edifice. Dogs barked, scared children ran hither and thither, women appeared at doors and at once retired. The strangers stood and looked around, and then at each other without speaking. An old man with long white hair and beard presented himself, and with an air indicating fallen fortunes saluted the strangers. His language was unintelligible. Spanish, Arabic, Provençal, were tried without effect. German he would not or could not understand; it was difficult from his air to determine which. At