us
prisoners in the house, which was silent as the grave but for the rain
steadily pattering against the casements.

Weary of the wet and without occupation, our disengaged minds,
wandering out into the mist and rain, dreamily contemplated a slow
band of pilgrims defiling along the distant hillside. Had the day
been bright and clear, we should have seen them as sheaves of corn or
clover stuck to dry upon light stakes with branching arms, the upper
bundle being placed aslant to act as shelter to the rest. As it was,
however, in the plashing rain it required no effort to believe them
tired, defenceless pilgrims ever wandering on. Some despondingly beat
their arms upon their breasts, others, heavy and exhausted, fell upon
their knees; here a woman defended her infant from the biting blast,
there an old man with rugged hair looked mournfully backward; but
these were only a few amongst the endless figures of the tragic band,
on a long, unceasing march.

Everywhere in the Tyrol, especially in the gloaming, whether in Alpine
meadow or arable land of the valley, such weird companies may be seen.
Bands of Indians, societies of cowled monks, ancient Italians fleeing
from a buried city, wandering Israelites,--such and many others are
the shapes which these drying sheaves of corn, hay or clover assume,
all combining to act as one vast funeral procession of the summer that
is no more.

[Illustration: A PROCESSION.]

In the afternoon a different company from these natural objects in the
distance came to occupy our minds for the time being. Gradually the up
stairs sitting-room, which we had foolishly perhaps imagined reserved
for our party of nine, became invaded by priests in long coats down
to their heels and muddy top-boots. We, the new-comers from the
mountains, now learnt that this was the daily occurrence, and really
the most unpleasant feature of the house, where the landlord and
landlady remained as sleepy and unimpressionable as ever. We were
soon, in fact, obliged to vacate the room, driven out not only by
the fumes of bad tobacco, but by the unsatisfactory stare which
was leveled at each intruder. The kellnerin, generally a slow,
incommunicative mortal, now passed, from cellar to sitting-room in a
flutter of excitement, her tongue, otherwise dormant, moving like a
mill-clapper in the enlivening society of her spiritual fathers. These
were the shepherds of the different adjoining parishes, whose custom
it was to derive