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eir sense at the same time； and； being philosophers without knowing it； keep the measure of their desires in accordance with the brevity of life。 I approach a much…patronised tavern； and see inscribed above the entrance this quatrain in Neopolitan patois：
〃Amice； alliegre magnammo e bevimmo N fin che n'ce stace noglio a la lucerna： Chi sa s'a l'autro munno n'ce verdimmo？ Chi sa s'a l'autro munno n'ce taverna？〃 ＇〃Friends； let us merrily eat and drink as long as oil remains in the lamp： Who knows if we shall meet again in another world？ Who knows if in the other world there will be a tavern？〃＇
Even such counsels was Horace wont to give to his friends。 You received them； Posthumus； you heard them also； Leuconoe； perverse beauty who wished to know the secrets of the future。 That future is now the past； and we know it well。 Of a truth you were foolish to worry yourselves about so small a matter； and your friend showed his good sense when he told you to take life wisely and to filter your Greek wines〃Sapias； vina liques。〃 Even thus the sight of a fair land under a spotless sky urges to the pursuit of quiet pleasures。 but there are souls for ever harassed by some sublime discontent； those are the noblest。 You were of such； Leuconoe； and I； visiting for the first time； in my declining years； that city where your beauty was famed of old； I salute with deep respect your melancholy memory。 Those souls of kin to your own who appeared in the age of Chrisitianity were souls of saints； and the 〃Golden Legend〃 is full of the miracles they wrought。 Your friend Horace left a less noble posterity； and I see one of his descendants in the person of that tavern poet； who at this moment is serving out wine in cups under the epicurean motto of his sign。
And yet life decides in favour of friend Flaccus； and his philosophy is the only one which adapts itself to the course of events。 There is a fellow leaning against that trellis…work covered with vine… leaves； and eating an ice； while watching the stars。 He would not stoop even to pick up the old manuscript I am going to seek with so much trouble and fatigue。 And in truth man is made rather to eat ices than to pore over old texts。
I continued to wander about among the drinkers and the singers。 There were lovers biting into beautiful fruit； each with an arm about the other's waist。 Man must be naturally bad； for all this strange joy only evoked in me a feeling of uttermost despondency。 That thronging populace displayed such artless delight in the simple act of living； that all the shynesses begotten by my old habits as an author awoke and intensified into something like fright。 Furthermore； I found myself much discouraged by my inability to understand a word of all the storm of chatter about me。 It was a humiliating experience for a philologist。 Thus I had begun to feel quite sulky； when I was startled to hear someone behind me observe：
〃Dimitri； that old man is certainly a Frenchman。 He looks so bewildered that I really fell sorry for him。 Shall I speak to him？ 。。。He has such a goo…natured look； with that round back of hisdo you not think so； Dimitri？〃
It was said in French by a woman's voice。 For the moment it was disagreeable to hear myself spoken of as an old man。 Is a man old at sixty…two？ Only the other day； on the Pont des Arts； my colleague Perrot d'Avrignac complimented me on my youthful appearance； and I should think him a better authority about one's age than that young chatterbox who has taken it on herself to make remarks about my back。 My back is round； she says。 Ah！ ah！ I had some suspicion myself to that effect； but I am not going now to believe it at all； since it is the opinion of a giddy…headed young woman。 Certainly I will not turn my head round to see who it was that spoke； but I am sure it was a pretty woman。 Why？ Because she talks like a capricious person and like a spoiled child。 Ugly women may be naturally quite as capricious as pretty ones； but as they are never petted and spoiled； and as no allowances are made for them； they soon find themselves obliged either to suppress their whims or to hide them。 On the other hand； the pretty women can be just as fantastical as they please。 My neighbour is evidently one of the latter。。。。 But； after all； coming to think it over； she really did nothing worse than to express； in her own way； a kindly thought about me； for which I ought to feel grateful。
These reflectionsinclude the last and decisive onepassed through my mind in less than a second； and if I have taken a whole minute to tell them； it is characteristic of most philologists。 In less than a second； therefore； after the voice had ceased； I did turn round； and saw a pretty little womana sprightly brunette。
〃Madame；〃 I said； with a bow； 〃excuse my involuntary indiscretion。 I could not help overhearing what you have just said。 You would like to be of service to a poor old man。 And the wish； Madame； has already been fulfilledthe mere sound of a French voice has given me such pleasure that I must thank you。〃
I bowed again； and turned to go away； but my foot slipped upon a melon…rind； and I should certainly have embraced the Parthenopean soil had not the young lady put out her hand and caught me。
There is a force in circumstanceseven in the very smallest circumstancesagainst which resistance is vain。 I resigned myself to remain the protege of the fair unknown。
〃It is late；〃 she said； 〃do you not wish to go back to your hotel； which must be quite close to oursunless it be the same one？〃
〃Madame；〃 I replied； 〃I do not know what time it is； because somebody has stolen my watch； but I think； as you say； that it must be time to retire； and I shall be very glad to regain my hotel in the company of such courteous compatriots。〃
So saying； I bowed once more to the young lady； and also saluted her companion； a silent colossus with a gentle and melancholy face。
After having gone a little way with them； I learned； among other matters； that my new acquaintances were the Prince and Princess Trepof； and that they were making a trip round the world for the purpose of finding match…boxes； of which they were making a collection。
We proceeded along a narrow； tortuous vicoletto； lighted only by a single lamp burning in the niche of a Madonna。 The purity and transparency of the air gave a celestial softness and clearness to the very darkness itself； and one could find one's way without difficulty under such a limpid night。 But in a little while we began to pass through a 〃venella；〃 or； in Neopolitan parlance； a sottoportico； which led under so many archways and so many far… projecting balconies that no gleam of light from the sky could reach us。 My young guide had made us take this route as a short cut； she assured us； but I think she did so quite as much simply in order to show that she felt at home in Naples； and knew the city thoroughly。 Indeed； she needed to know it very thoroughly to venture by night into that labyrinth of subterranean alleys and flights of steps。 If ever any many showed absolute docility in allowing himself to be