Marco, immediately under us, and turned with sickening hearts to the sea,

which, though it be a grave, rears no monument, discloses no ruin. Evening

had come apace. The sun set in calm majesty behind the misty summits of the

Apennines, and its golden and roseate hues painted the mountains of the

opposite shore. "That land," said Adrian, "tinged with the last glories of

the day, is Greece." Greece! The sound had a responsive chord in the bosom

of Clara. She vehemently reminded us that we had promised to take her once

again to Greece, to the tomb of her parents. Why go to Rome? what should we

do at Rome? We might take one of the many vessels to be found here, embark

in it, and steer right for Albania.

I objected the dangers of ocean, and the distance of the mountains we saw,

from Athens; a distance which, from the savage uncultivation of the

country, was almost impassable. Adrian, who was delighted with Clara's

proposal, obviated these objections. The season was favourable; the

north-west that blew would take us transversely across the gulph; and then

we might find, in some abandoned port, a light Greek caique, adapted for

such navigation, and run down the coast of the Morea, and, passing over the

Isthmus of Corinth, without much land-travelling or fatigue, find ourselves

at Athens. This appeared to me wild talk; but the sea, glowing with a

thousand purple hues, looked so brilliant and safe; my beloved companions

were so earnest, so determined, that, when Adrian said, "Well, though it is

not exactly what you wish, yet consent, to please me"--I could no longer

refuse. That evening we selected a vessel, whose size just seemed fitted

for our enterprize; we bent the sails and put the rigging in order, and

reposing that night in one of the city's thousand palaces, agreed to embark

575

The Last Man