What should he do?
He could not go back to the _Ospizio_ for pilgrims, for the herder would be asleep, and he would not wake him to get in, nor would this, indeed, be easy to accomplish.

He determined to seek shelter under the evergreen oaks of the Sacro Speco.

He rose wearily, and was seized with dizziness.

He waited a short time, and then crept down very, very slowly, towards the path which leads from Santa Scolastica to the arch at the entrance to the grove.

Exhausted he let himself sink upon the ground there, in the dark shadow of the great evergreen oaks, bent and spreading upon the hillside, their arms flung wide; there between the dim light on the slope beyond the arch to the right, and the dim light on the slope in front of the grove to the left.
He longed for a little food, but dared not ask it of God, for it would be like asking for a miracle.