Giovanni smiled also, but Maria looked slightly annoyed.

The subject was at once dropped.
They proceeded for some time in silence, exchanging only now and then a word of greeting with some mountaineer on his way down to the mills at Subiaco, mounted on his mule, laden with grain.
They stopped to rest in the field of San Giovanni, which divides the territory of Subiaco from that of Jenne.

The Blessed Lawrence, now left far behind, all white under the rocks which are the colour of iron, looked down upon them from on high.

Rays of sunshine, breaking through the clouds, gilded the hills, and the little party, remembering the arid hillside of Jenne, had just started forward again, when they met the doctor from Jenne, who recognised Maria, having seen her some time before at the house of his colleague at Subiaco.

He bowed, and smiling, reined in his mule.
"You are on the way to Jenne?
Are you going to see the Saint?
You will find many people there to-day." Many people! This was disappointing to Noemi, who feared she would not be able to speak quietly with Maironi.
The Selvas were curious to know all about it.