"Every thing reposes," said Vivaldi. "Who would willingly travel in the day, when Italy has such nights as this!"
"Signor, that is the town before us," said Paulo, "for now I can discern, plain enough, the spires of convents, and there goes a light! Hah, hah! and there is a bell, too, chiming from one of the spires! The monks are going to mass; would we were going to supper, Signor!"
"That chime is nearer than the place you point to, Paulo, and I doubt whether it comes from the same quarter."
"Hark! Signor, the air wafts the sound! and now it is gone again."
"Yes, I believe you are right, Paulo, and that we have not far to go."
The travellers descended the gradual slopes, towards the shore; and Paulo, some time after, exclaimed, "See, Signor, where another light glides along! See! it is reflected on the lake."
"I hear the faint dashing of waves, now," said Ellena, "and the sound of oars, too! But observe, Paulo, the light is not in the town, it is in the boat that moves yonder."
"Now it retreats, and trembles in a lengthening line upon the waters," said Vivaldi. "We have been too ready to believe what we wish and have yet far to go."
The shore they were approaching formed a spacious bay for the lake, immediately below. Dark woods seemed to spread along the banks, and ascend among the cultivated slopes towards the mountains; except where, here and there, cliffs, bending over the water, were distinguished through the twilight by the whiteness of their limestone precipices. Within the bay, the town became gradually visible; lights twinkled between the trees, appearing and vanishing; like the stars of a cloudy night; and, at length was heard the melancholy song of boatmen, who were fishing near the shore.
Other sounds soon after struck the ear. "O, what merry notes!" exclaimed Paulo, "they make my heart dance. See! Signora, there is a group, footing it away so gaily on the bank of the lake, yonder, by those trees. O, what a merry set! Would I were among them! that is, I mean, if you, Maestro, and the Signora were not here."