bly warm, but that, if you rest in the day, you will find
coolness and energy at evening.

The next morning with daylight I continued the road to Lucca, and of
that also I will say nothing.

LECTOR. Why on earth did you write this book?

AUCTOR. For my amusement.

LECTOR. And why do you suppose I got it?

AUCTOR. I cannot conceive... however, I will give up this much, to
tell you that at Decimo the mystery of cypress trees first came into
my adventure and pilgrimage: of cypress trees which henceforward were
to mark my Tuscan road. And I will tell you that there also I came
across a thing peculiar (I suppose) to the region of Lucca, for I saw
it there as at Decimo, and also some miles beyond. I mean fine
mournful towers built thus: In the first storey one arch, in the
second two, in the third three, and so on: a very noble way of
building.

And I will tell you something more. I will tell you something no one
has yet heard. To wit, why this place is called Decimo, and why just
below it is another little spot called Sexta.

LECTOR....

AUCTOR. I know what you are going to say! Do not say it. You are going
to say: 'It is because they were at the sixth and tenth milestones
from Lucca on the Roman road.' Heaven help these scientists! Did you
suppose that I thought it was called Decimo because the people had ten
toes? Tell me, why is not every place ten miles out of a Roman town
called by such a name? Eh? You are dumb. You cannot answer. Like most
moderns you have entirely missed the point. We all know that there was
a Roman town at Lucca, because it was called Luca, and if there had
been no Roman town the modern town would not be spelt with two _c's._
All Roman towns had milestones beyond them. But why did _this_ tenth
milestone from _this_ Roman town keep its name?

LECTOR. I am indifferent.

AUCTOR. I will tell you. Up in the tangle of the Carrara mountains,
overhanging the Garfagnana, was a wild tribe, whose name I forget
(unless it were the Bruttii), but which troubled the Romans not a
little, defeating them horribly, and keeping the legionaries in some
anxiety for years. So when the soldiers marched out north from Luca
about six miles, they could halt and smile at each other, and say 'At
_Sextant..._ that's all right. All safe so far!' and therefore only a
little village grew up at this little rest and emotion. But as they
got nearer the gates of the hills they began to be visibly perturbed,
and they woul