d the Valley of the Princes. As they approached it a vision
burst upon them of the loveliest spot that could be imagined. If gold
and silver and scarlet and green and blue and all the finest colors in
the world were put together into a flower garden they would not make
anything half so beautiful as was this Valley of the Princes. Not only
were the colors so fine, but the perfumes were the sweetest ever
breathed. They went quietly and slowly into the valley and sat down. The
air about them grew darker and darker as the sun set behind the
mountains.

All at once Dante heard some voices singing a gentle hymn. I think it
must have been a hymn something like our own little hymn, "Wearily at
Daylight's Close," for it made Dante think of the Heavenly Father, and
look up into the sky, whose only brightness was the stars shining far
above his head. As he looked he saw sweep down out of the high heavens
two glad angels of God, robed in pale, shining green. Each was
surrounded with a radiance so bright that it was dazzling; both carried
swords of fire. Lightning never came from the sky more swiftly than did
these two angels. They separated as they approached the earth; one
placed himself upon the mountain on one side of the valley and the other
upon the mountain on the other side. Dante wondered what all this meant,
but the man who had told them where to find the valley was still with
them. He explained that the angels had come to protect all travelers
who were staying in the dark valley until light should come again and
they could see to go forward.

Just then Dante turned and saw a large, ugly snake winding its way
silently through the grass. Quick as a flash of lightning one of the
angels descended from his high post, and, with a touch of his flaming
sword, turned the snake, which fled in dismay. Then Dante knew that the
angels had indeed been sent from heaven, and in his heart he felt very
glad that all through this dark night he might be sure of their
protecting love. So he quietly laid himself down upon the grass, and
went to sleep. While sleeping he had a strange dream; an eagle of fire
seemed to be bearing him up through the air.

He awoke. It was morning; the sun was shining and the birds were
singing. Flowers were blooming all around him--and yet it was not the
same place in which he had gone to sleep. He saw on looking about him
that he was farther up the mountain side. He turned with a question to
Virgil, who soon t