upon the fountains and the bland scenery of this region were collected in

a book, it would make a most valuable volume to burn.

During luncheon, the pilgrim enthusiasts of our party, who had been so

light-hearted and so happy ever since they touched holy ground that they

did little but mutter incoherent rhapsodies, could scarcely eat, so

anxious were they to "take shipping" and sail in very person upon the

waters that had borne the vessels of the Apostles. Their anxiety grew

and their excitement augmented with every fleeting moment, until my fears

were aroused and I began to have misgivings that in their present

condition they might break recklessly loose from all considerations of

prudence and buy a whole fleet of ships to sail in instead of hiring a

single one for an hour, as quiet folk are wont to do. I trembled to

think of the ruined purses this day's performances might result in.

I could not help reflecting bodingly upon the intemperate zeal with which

middle-aged men are apt to surfeit themselves upon a seductive folly

which they have tasted for the first time. And yet I did not feel that

I had a right to be surprised at the state of things which was giving me

so much concern. These men had been taught from infancy to revere,

almost to worship, the holy places whereon their happy eyes were resting

now. For many and many a year this very picture had visited their

thoughts by day and floated through their dreams by night. To stand

before it in the flesh--to see it as they saw it now--to sail upon the

hallowed sea, and kiss the holy soil that compassed it about: these were

aspirations they had cherished while a generation dragged its lagging

seasons by and left its furrows in their faces and its frosts upon their

561

The Innocents Abroad