In this way Hedwig and Nino lagged behind, conversing in low tones that sounded very soft; and when I looked round, I could see how he held his hand on her saddle and supported her in the rough places.
Poor child, who would have thought she could bear such terrible work! But she had the blood of a soldierly old race in her veins, and would have struggled on silently till she died.
I think it would be useless to describe every stone on the desolate journey, but when the morning dawned we were at the top, and we found the descent much easier.

The rosy streaks came first, quite suddenly, and in a few minutes the sun was up, and the eventful night was past.
I was never so glad to get rid of a night in my life.

It is fortunate that I am so thin and light, for I could never have reached the high-road alive had I been as fat as De Pretis is; and certainly the little donkey would have died by the way.

He was quite as thin when I sold him again as when I bought him, a fortnight before, in spite of the bread I had given him.
Hedwig drew her veil close about her face as the daylight broke, for she would not let Nino see how pale and tired she was.

But when at last we were in the broad, fertile valley which marks the beginning of the old kingdom of Naples, we reached a village where there was an inn, and Nino turned everyone out of the best room with a high hand, and had a couch of some sort spread for Hedwig.