s a spot,' said the miller half laughingly, 'the Carabinieri of
the Holy Father have never fancied; they tried it once--I forget how
many years ago--and left eleven of their comrades behind them, and since
that it has been as sacred for them as St. John of Lateran.'

'But I see no road; it seems to be a mere cleft between the mountains,'
said Gerald.

'Ay, but there is a road--a sort of bridlepath; it rises from the valley
and creeps along up yonder where you see a little railing of wood,
and then gains that peak which, winding around it, reaches a wide
table-land. I have not been there myself; but they tell me how from that
you can see over the whole Maremma, and in fine weather the sea beyond
it, and the port of St. Stephano and the islands.'

The miller was now launched upon a favourite theme, and went on to
describe how the smugglers, who paid a sort of blackmail for the
privilege, usually took this route from the coast into the interior. It
saved miles and miles of road, and was besides perfectly safe against
all molestation. As it led direct to the Tuscan frontier, it was also
selected by all who made their escape from Roman prisons. 'To be sure,'
added he, 'it is less frequented now that the Pastore is likely to be
met with; for as it is all chance what humour he may have on him, none
like to risk their lives in such company.'

Though Gerald was aware that 'brigandage' was a Roman institution--a
regularly covenanted service of the State, by which no inconsiderable
revenue reached the hands of some very exalted individuals--he had never
before heard that these outlaws were occasionally employed as actual
agents of the Government to arrest and detain travellers against whom
suspicion rested, to rifle foreign couriers of the despatches they
carried to the Ministers; now and then it was even alleged that they had
broken into strong places to destroy documents by which guilt could be
proved or innocence established--all of these services being of a nature
little likely to reward men for the peril, had they not acted under
orders from above! There might possibly have been much exaggeration
in the account the miller gave of these men's lives and functions, but
there was that blending of incident and fact with his theorisings that
certainly amazed Gerald and interested him deeply. It was, to be sure,
no small aid to the force of the narrative that the yellow moonlight
was now streaming full upon one side of the very s