LIFE IX AX ISLAND. 83 



Capri by the side of her donkey, not sparing to 

 urge that reluctant animal into a trot if the little 

 signorino wills it, is a sight to fill with envy many 

 a man half her age. I^ext to her comes her daughter 

 Maria, with a baby in her arms, who is not Maria 

 the third only because that name is already claimed 

 by the smiling woman-girl, with heavy locks of black 

 already twisted round the silver spadella, who holds 

 the next place in the family, and wears, after a fresher 

 and softer fashion, the same tints on her cheeks. 

 The head-dress of the old Maria consists of a coloured 

 handkerchief, tied on in a curious but most simple 

 fashion, forming the tiniest twist of turban with three 

 of its corners, and permitting the fourth to hang down 

 behind, and veil her ancient parchment-coloured neck. 

 Maria the second and Maria the third wear nothing 

 but their hair, which is black as night, and reflects 

 the blazing sunshine, of which neither seems to have 

 any fear. This is the kind of beauty common in 

 Capri large black shining eyes, radiant with fun 

 and good -humour, teeth a great deal Avhiter than 

 pearls, and complexion such as it brightens one's 

 pallor only to look at. But then such a glow, which 

 is glorious in Capri against the living blue of the sea 

 and the wonderful blaze of the sun, might make a 

 different impression amid the subdued tones of an 

 English drawing-room : and, on the whole, we fear 

 the experiment of marriage is a doubtful one. But 

 that great event of the past has not been without its 



