e　dawn。　She　could　still；　after　all　these　years；　remember　the　blue　mountains　with　the　bright　moon　above　them；　and　how　a　far…off　town　on　one　of　the　peaks　had　gradually　grown　whiter　and　whiter；　till　the　moon　faded；　the　mountains　were　touched　with　the　pink　of　the　rising　sun；　and　suddenly　the　town　was　lit　as　by　an　illumination2；　one　window　after　another　catching　and　reflecting　the　sun’s　beams；　till　at　last　the　whole　little　city　twinkled　and　sparkled　up　in　the　sky　like　a　nest　of　stars。

That　morning；　finding　they　would　have　to　wait　while　their　carriage　was　being　repaired；　they　had　driven　in　a　local　conveyance　up　to　the　city　on　the　mountain；　where　they　had　been　told　they　would　find　better　quarters；　and　there　they　had　stayed　two　or　three　days。　It　was　one　of　the　miniature　Italian　cities　with　a　high　church；　a　pretentious　piazza；　a　few　narrow　streets　and　little　palaces；　perched；　all　pact　and　plete；　on　the　top　of　a　mountain；　within　an　enclosure　of　walls　hardly　larger　than　an　English　kitchen　garden。　But　it　was　full　of　life　and　noise　echoing　all　day　and　all　night　with　the　sounds　of　feet　and　voices。

The　Cafe　of　the　simple　inn　where　they　stayed　was　the　meeting　place　of　the　notabilities　of　the　little　city；　the　Sindaco；　the　avvocato；　the　doctor；　and　a　few　others；　and　among　them　they　noticed　a　beautiful；　slim；　talkative　old　man；　with　bright　black　eyes　and　snow…white　hair—tall　and　straight　and　still　with　the　figure　of　a　youth；　although　the　waiter　told　them　with　pride　that　the　Conte