The Desire of Life

THE DESIRE OF LIFE By MATILDE SERAO AUTHOR OF AFTER THE PARDON, THE CONQUEST OF ROME, ETC. Translated from the Italian by WILLIAM COLLINGE, M.A. London: GREENING & CO. New York: BRENTANO'S

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How light it is still! said Don Vittorio Lante, after a long silence.
Evening falls much later among the high mountains, suggested Lucio Sabini.
The great vault of the sky was ascending, as they were ascending, from the level of the Val Bregaglia; it passed over their heads and kept rising, as their eyes contemplated it quietly, amongst the steep mountain peaks, now quite green with trees and bushes, now bare and rugged; rising so immensely towards the horizon, as if they should not perceive its descending curve. It was the sky of an uncertain summer day that during the afternoon had been softly blue, veiled by transparent clouds, but now had become a very light grey, of great purity and clearness.
It is eight o'clock, exclaimed Don Vittorio Lante, pursuing his quiet thoughts.