. They
imagined their gods and goddesses as magnificent men and women, with
superb bodies but no beauty of soul, and as there was nothing uplifting
in this religion, it soon died out, as all things die in time, if they
don't help us to grow nearer to God. The story of Proserpine is one of
the prettiest of the old Greek legends, and I can just imagine her
gathering these lovely flowers. I believe we're going on to see her
fountain, aren't we, Vittore? She made it with her tears when Pluto
carried her off."

The object of the expedition was indeed to see Proserpine's fountain, a
clear spring out of which flowed a small river. After walking another
mile across the meadows, the party came to this river, where they were
able to engage boats to row them up to the fount. It was a unique spot,
for the whole of the banks were bordered with an avenue of papyrus,
which grew there in greatest profusion. Legend said that it had been
planted by an Egyptian princess who brought it from the Nile, and that
it grew in no other place in Europe, a statement which was satisfactory
enough, though rather difficult to verify. There was much bargaining,
after true Sicilian fashion, with the native boatmen, who demanded at
least four times what they meant to take, protesting that they would be
ruined at the sum Ernesto named to them, and finally, when he pretended
to walk away, accepting his offer with enthusiasm. This very necessary
preliminary satisfactorily settled, the company was packed into the
small boats, about four going in each. In the distribution of the guests
occurred the first hitch in the Ingletons' visit. Mr. Stacey suggested
that it was advisable to sandwich children and grown-ups, and he and
Lilias started in the first "barca" in charge of little Luigia, Vincent,
and Pepino. Dulcie and Douglas were responsible for Gaspare, Rosalia,
and Nina, while Vittore, and Aimee, Claude, and Bertram went together.
Carmel held Tito and Berta each by a hand, and Ernesto helped them all
three into a boat. Everard was in the very act of jumping in after them,
when Ernesto stopped him.

"Excuse me, Signore, that is my place! There is plenty of room for you
in the other boat."

"And surely in this too?" said Everard, flushing with annoyance.

Ernesto shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, no! You and I are too heavy to be together. Vittore and the others
are light; you will just make weight." And, stepping in, Ernesto took
his seat beside Carmel, an