lly of the incessant rains and
destructive inundation of the winter of 1882.

CHAPTER XXII.

Journey from Padua--The great Quadrilateral--Historic Verona--Hotel due
Torri--Recent inundations--Poetic Verona--House of the Capulets--Juliet's
tomb--Streets and monuments--Cathedral--Roman amphitheatre--Shops--Veronese
ladies--Departure--Romantic journey--Lake Garda--Disenzano--Brescia.

The route between Padua and Verona was not particularly interesting,
until nearing the latter, when we were able to form some idea of the
vastness of its military works. This city, combined with Peschiera,
Mantua, and Legnano, formed the great Quadrilateral, which was
considered impregnable, and from which it was supposed no army once shut
in could ever escape without total defeat. During the last war of
Italian Independence, when France was allied with Italy against Austria,
the army of the latter country was here enclosed within its own strong
fortress, and ultimately had to succumb, after which Verona in 1866 was
restored to Italy.

The city of Verona is of very ancient date, having been founded by the
Rhoetians and Euganeans. It was made a Roman colony about the year B.C.
89. It has been the birthplace of many of Italy's brightest
geniuses--Catullus, the special poet of Verona, as Virgil was of
Mantua, Cornelius Nepos, AEmilius Maca, Vitruvius, Pliny the younger,
Scaliger, Sanmicheli, Paul Veronese; and it also possesses great
historical interest, and many antiquities and remains of ancient
buildings. It is still a considerable town, with some 60,000
inhabitants.

* * * * *

We arrived late in the evening, and drove at once to the Hotel Royal
Barbesi (Due Torri), which I should fancy, in the palmy days of the
city, was the grand hotel. At the present time it has a desolate,
old-fashioned look about it, as though it had not kept pace with the
times. It has a great courtyard open to the sky, round which the rooms
range in storeys, very cold and dimly lighted. However, when the
somewhat elderly chambermaid brought candles and hot water, and the
waiter lit up the dining-room, things began to have a more cheery
appearance, and we sat down to our very late dinner, feeling more
comfortable. The head waiter became quite animated, and, after a little
difficulty, induced the Dutch stove to give out some warmth. I ceased to
wonder at the desolate appearance of the place, when