“Early to bed, and early to rise,

Is the way to be healthy, and wealthy, and wise.”

 

We all know that lesson, and many of us believe in it; but if the lesson be true, the Italians ought to be the healthiest and wealthiest and wisest of all men and women.  Three or four o’clock seems to them quite a natural hour for commencing the day’s work.  Why we should have started from Chiavenna at four o’clock in order that we might be kept waiting for the boat an hour and a half on the little quay¹ at Colico, I don’t know; but such was our destiny.  There we remained an hour and a half; Mrs. Greene sitting pertinaciously² on the one important box.  She had designated it as being smaller than the others, and, as all the seven were now ranged in a row, I had an opportunity of comparing them.  It was something smaller,—perhaps an inch less high, and an inch and a half shorter.  She was a sharp woman, and observed my scrutiny³.  “I always know it,” she said in a loud whisper, “by this little hole in the canvas,” and she put her finger on a slight rent on one of the ends.  “As for Greene, if one of those Italian brigands⁴ were to walk off with it on his shoulders, before his eyes, he wouldn’t be the wiser.  How helpless you men are, Mr. Robinson!”

 

“It is well for us that we have women to look after us.”

 

“But you have got no one to look after you;—or perhaps you have left her behind?”

 

“No, indeed.  I’m all alone in the world as yet.  But it’s not my own fault.  I have asked half a dozen.”

 

“Now, Mr. Robinson!”  And in this way the time passed on the quay at Colico, till the boat came and took us away.  I should have preferred to pass my time in making myself agreeable to the younger lady; but the younger lady stood aloof⁵, turning up her nose, as I thought, at her mamma.

 

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