ough Padua, and there stopped a
few days. Cuthbert could but feel, in looking at the splendour of this
Italian city, the courteous manner of its people, and the university
which was even then famous, how far in advance were those stately cities
of Italy to Western Europe. His followers were as much surprised as
himself at the splendour of the city. Here they experienced no trouble or
annoyance whatever, for to the cities of Italy knights of all nations
resorted, learned men came to study, philosophers to dispute, and as
these brought their attendants with them, you might in the streets of
Padua and its sister cities hear every language in Europe spoken.

From Padua they journeyed to Verona, marvelling greatly at the richness
of the country. The footmen, however, grumbled at the flatness of the
plain, and said that it was as bad as marching in the Holy Land. On
their right, however, the slopes of the Alps, thickly clad with forests,
reached down nearly to the road, and Cuthbert assured them that they
would have plenty of climbing before they had done. At Verona they
tarried again, and wondered much at the great amphitheatre, then almost
perfect. Cuthbert related to Cnut and the archers, how men had there
been set to fight, while the great stone benches round were thronged
with men and women looking on at their death struggles, and said that
not unfrequently British captives were brought hither and made to
contend in the arena. The honest fellows were full of indignation and
horror at the thought of men killing themselves to give sport to others.
They were used to hard knocks, and thought but little of their life, and
would have betaken themselves to their bows and bills without hesitation
in case of a quarrel. But to fight in cold blood for amusement seemed to
them very terrible.

Cuthbert would then have travelled on to Milan at that time next to Rome
the richest city in Europe, but he longed to be back in England, and was
the more anxious as he knew that King Richard would be passing through
great dangers, and he hoped to meet him at the Court of Saxony. His
money, too, was fast running out, and he found that it would be beyond
his slender means to extend his journey so far. At Verona, then, they
turned their back on the broad plains of Lombardy, and entered the valley
of the Trent.

So far no observation whatever had been excited by the passage of the
English knight. So many crusaders were upon their way home, many