And then silence fell, all three sinking into a dreamy mood.
Meantime, without a pause, the carriage rolled on across the immensity of the Campagna.

The road, straight as an arrow, seemed to extend into the infinite.

As the sun descended towards the horizon the play of light and shade became more marked on the broad undulations of the ground which stretched away, alternately of a pinky green and a violet grey, till they reached the distant fringe of the sky.

At the roadside on either hand there were still and ever tall withered thistles and giant fennel with yellow umbels.

Then, after a time, came a team of four oxen, that had been kept ploughing until late, and stood forth black and huge in the pale atmosphere and mournful solitude.