Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
Our friends marked the course of destruction by watching the thread of
fire slowly wander down the mountain slope. They did not know of the
desolation it was causing, but the sight was terrible enough to inspire
awe in every breast.
The volcano was easier after that final outburst, but the black clouds
formed thicker than ever, and soon obscured the sky again.
CHAPTER VI
UNDER A CLOUD
"After all," said Uncle John, next morning, "we may consider ourselves
very lucky. Your parents might have come to Naples a hundred times, my
dears, and your children may come a hundred times more, and yet never
see the sights that have greeted us on our arrival. If the confounded
old hill was bound to spout, it did the fair thing by spouting when we
were around. Eh, Patsy?"
"I quite agree with you," said the girl. "I wouldn't have missed it for
anything--if it really had to behave so."
"But you'll pay for it!" growled Signor Valdi, who had overheard these
remarks. "You will pay for it with a thousand discomforts--and I'm glad
that is so. Vesuvio is hell let loose; and it amuses you. Hundreds are
lying dead and crushed; and you are lucky to be here. Listen," he
dropped his voice to a whisper: "if these Neapolitans could see the
rejoicing in my heart, they would kill me. And you? Pah! you are no
better. You also rejoice--and they will welcome you to Naples. I have
advice. Do not go on shore. It is useless."
They were all startled by this strange speech, and the reproof it
conveyed made them a trifle uncomfortable; but Uncle John whispered that
the man was mad, and to pay no attention to him.
Although ashes still fell softly upon the ship the day had somewhat
lightened the gloom and they could see from deck the dim outlines of the
shore. A crowd of boats presently swarmed around them, their occupants
eagerly clamoring for passengers to go ashore, or offering fruits,
flowers and souvenirs to any who might be induced to purchase. Their
indifference to their own and their city's danger was astonishing.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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