Was I right?

by Mrs. O. F. Walton

We left England, and began our delightful journey at the end of October. Evelyn improved in health and spirits from the moment that we started, and Sir William was thoroughly happy in witnessing the enjoyment of his child. I need hardly say what a treat this journey was to me. I had never been out of England before, and, therefore, everything abroad was quite new and strange to me, and I felt as if I was having a very pleasant and delightful dream.

We spent some time in Paris, and went about to all the places of interest both in and near the city. From Paris we went to Turin, where we rested for more than a week, before undertaking the long and tedious journey from Turin to Brindisi. We arrived at Brindisi late on Saturday night; we were all very tired and worn out, and exceedingly glad to get to our journey's end. We stayed at an hotel near the sea, such a curious Eastern-looking place, with bare stone floors and whitewashed walls, and only just as much furniture in the large rooms as was absolutely necessary.

The next morning I awoke early, and went to my window and looked out. It seemed a perfect fairy-land to me. The harbour was as still as a lake, and covered with the reflection of the ships and boats, with their pretty lateen sails. And beyond the harbour there was the blue Mediterranean sparkling in the morning sunshine.

It looked very unlike Sunday, for work was going on just as on any other day; and the people of Brindisi were buying, and selling, and hurrying along, as though it were the busiest day in the week.

I took my Testament, and sat at a little distance from the window, and had a quiet time alone before Clemence came to say that Evelyn was dressed, and was going downstairs for breakfast.

We were to go on board the steamer that night, as it was to leave early the next morning; but Sir William arranged that during the day we should stay quietly at the hotel.

The weather had been very cold when we were at Turin, and we found a great change of climate at Brindisi. The sky was a deep, unclouded blue, and the sunshine was so hot that we found it difficult to keep cool. Evelyn and I discovered a seat on the flat roof of the hotel, where we were shaded from the hot sun and could read together quietly. We read aloud the Psalms for the day, verse by verse. One of these was Psalm cxxii., and it was with a wonderfully strange feeling that we read those words:

"Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem."

"May," said Evelyn, "can you believe that verse is really true of us?"

When we had finished our reading, Sir William came out to us, and persuaded us to venture out of the shady corner in which we had been sitting, and to walk to the other end of the roof, that we might look at the view to be seen from thence.