"Well, then, we must go on, I suppose. Where do we begin our climb?"

Lanfear explained that he had been obliged to leave his carriage at the
foot of the hill, and climb to Possana Nuova by the donkey-paths of the
peasants. He had then walked to the ruins of Possana Vecchia, but he
suggested that they might find donkeys to carry them on from the new
town.

"Well, I hope so," Mr. Gerald grumbled. But at Possana Nuova no
saddle-donkeys were to be had, and he announced, at the café where they
stopped for the negotiation, that he would wait for the young people to
go on to Possana Vecchia, and tell him about it when they got back. In
the meantime he would watch the game of ball, which, in the piazza
before the café, appeared to have engaged the energies of the male
population. Lanfear was still inwardly demurring, when a stalwart
peasant girl came in and announced that she had one donkey which they
could have with her own services driving it. She had no saddle, but
there was a pad on which the young lady could ride.

"Oh, well, take it for Nannie," Mr. Gerald directed; "only don't be gone
too long."

They set out with Miss Gerald reclining in the kind of litter which the
donkey proved to be equipped with. Lanfear went beside her, the peasant
girl came behind, and at times ran forward to instruct them in the
points they seemed to be looking at. For the most part the landscape
opened beneath them, but in the azure distances it climbed into Alpine
heights which the recent snows had now left to the gloom of their pines.
On the slopes of the nearer hills little towns clung, here and there;
closer yet farm-houses showed themselves among the vines and olives.