"The estate is heavily taxed and debts are greater to pay, than the incomes to be collected, so the Count uses the palace for picture purposes and derives a nice little income that way, also. It is enough to pay the upkeep of the place, anyway, so that he does not have to draw on his own salary to maintain the estate."
"Then he is a real live Count after all?" gasped Mrs. Alexander, sorrowing because she discovered it too late to avail herself of the information.
"A reel man in America, and a real Count in Italy," laughed Alan Everard, _alias_ Brown.
One more day was given to Venice, while the tourists visited the collections at the Accademia, took pictures of the beautiful churches and admired the wonderful paintings and sculpturings of San Marco, and other famous buildings.
The two handsome young men bid them good-by that afternoon, as they were going back to Paris to meet the rest of the Company and then go on to Havre where they were to sail soon, for America. And the touring party prepared to leave Venice and start for Florence, the Tuscan City where Mr. Fabian expected to find many wonders to show his students.
CHAPTER XII-ESCAPING AN EARTHQUAKE
As the cars drew near Florence, Mr. Fabian described the natural protection afforded that city by the mountains surrounding it. This figured mightily in past ages, he said, when enemies of the Florentines tried to overcome the city and break the power of their trading.
"You"ll find everything about Florence savoring of antiquity," announced Mr. Fabian, as they entered the city. "The winding narrow streets, the irregular roofs that break the sky-line, the ancient churches with bits of old carving in the least expected places, and last but not least, the folk of Florence with their quaint costumes of bright colors."
The first day in Florence was spent in visiting the Pitti Palace, the basilica of San Miniato, which was of architectural value to the students, and then the Museo n.a.z.ionale.
The second day was given to visiting at the Piazzale Michelangelo, and to see the Cathedral Santo Maria del Fiore, with its beautiful facade.
Mr. Fabian conducted the girls to Pisa, the third day, but the elders in the party preferred to remain in the cars when the ardent admirers of antiquity visited the places of past glories.
Then they drove on from Florence and stopped over night at Arretzo; and in the morning they went to Perugia, a mediaeval town with ancient buildings and still more ancient churches.
From Perugia the route lay due south to Rome. It proved to be a delightful trip through the wonderful country-lanes and spreading fields which were cultivated to the last inch.
As they came nearer Rome, they began to feel the oppressive heat which had been gradually growing more intense all that day. Mr. Fabian had planned to spend a full week, or more, in Rome in order to give the girls ample time to see everything there, worth while.
The first day they visited the Coliseum, the Forum and other famous places. Then he escorted them to the Cloaca Maxima to study Etruscan Art. Next they visited the Museum in the Villa of Pope Julius; then the Etruscan Museum of the Vatican; also the Mamertine Prison, and many places famed for their collections of antiquities and art.
One day they went to see the famous facade and bits of architecture still to be found in Rome, such as the "Spanish Steps" of the Piazza di Spagna, and the Triumphal Arch of Septimus Severus. Mr. Fabian had unwillingly to end the day"s visits, however, because of the terrific heat.
The sun had been shining through a red haze for several days, and the reflection from the Mediterranean was so oppressive that the tourists decided to cut their stay in Rome short and drive on across Italy to Naples, which always boasted a fine breeze from the Bay.
So the hotel bill was paid that night, and the baggage made ready for an early start. The travelling trunk was locked on the rack of the automobile, and everything else was prepared that no time would be lost in the morning.
The heat that evening was even worse than at any time during their stay in Rome, and rumors were heard that the seismograph had registered tremors and slight earthquakes, all day. This was not encouraging to the Americans, and they retired at night with all apparel on excepting shoes and their coats.
Fatigue and the drowsiness produced by the heat overcame everyone after a time, and they slept until about one o"clock. A strange shaking of Polly"s bed woke her suddenly. She sat up and felt the room swaying. She reached out and called to Eleanor.
"Get up, Nolla! Get up-it"s the earthquake!" cried she, springing from the bed.
"Uh! Wh-a-d you s-ay?" mumbled Eleanor drowsily.
"Quick! We"ve got to get out. The earthquake"s here!" shouted Polly, trying in vain to catch hold of the bed-post while everything rocked as if on a vessel at sea.
A falling picture upon Eleanor"s feet startled her so that she jumped up and gazed in affright at Polly. "What is it?" asked she, seeing the toilet dishes on the stand roll upon the floor.
"Earthquakes! Hurry-hurry!" screamed Polly, almost too frightened to find the b.u.t.tons on her dress.
Dodo and Nancy tumbled headlong into the room now, both crying and wishing they had "left this old Rome before this happened."
The girls managed to get into their shoes in short order and when Mrs.
Fabian rushed in to drag them forth, they were all dressed. Polly and Eleanor remembered to catch up their bags, and then ran after the Fabians who had roused the Alexanders and told them to run for the open street.
But the street presented such a scene that Mr. Fabian instantly decided to leave whatever they had forgotten in the hotel rooms and get away in the automobiles.
"Oh, see that chimney topple over!" cried Nancy, as the brick structure of a distant building was seen to fall in.
Screams and cries, pushing and huddling of the mobs in the streets, created a panic with the excitable Latin people, and Mr. Alexander quickly turned and said to his party: "I"m going to get out the cars.
Dodo can go with me to handle Ma"s roadster. You-all follow Mr. Fabian through the safest streets and go out along the Appian Way. I"ll meet you there and pick you up. We"ll get out of Rome at once!"
He had not been gone a minute before another severe quake shook the city so that it seemed as if the earth rose and fell in billows. Collapsing buildings were heard crashing down upon the streets, dogs howled, other animals added their fearful noises to the panic-stricken cries of the populace, and a pandemonium was the result.
Mr. Fabian and his wife kept their presence of mind in all this distraction, but Mrs. Alexander wept loudly and dragged at her blonde hair in despair when she realized that this was her end. "Oh why did I ever want to come to Europe to be killed in Rome, when I could have lived a long life peacefully in Denver!" wailed she, hysterically.
It took all of Polly"s and Eleanor"s time and temper to soothe the fear-paralyzed woman. But she was able to follow the Fabians when they started for the Appian Way-in fact she wanted to run ahead and get out of the city.
It took a long time of trial and tortuous going before they reached the quieter sections of Rome; and finally they began to glimpse the Appian Way through the haze of fire and smoke that now spread a pall over the city.
They had just heard the welcome sounds of Mr. Alexander"s voice, when another tremor shook the city so that the girls clung to each other in support. Instantly a man"s genial voice called: "Well, I"ll be gol-durned if I had to come all the way to Rome to get an earthquake! We can get these sort nearer Denver, without charge."
In spite of their fear everyone smiled at the little man who could joke in the face of such disasters. But he created the effect of releasing the tension, and thus destroying much of the fear.
Mr. Alexander directed the Fabian party to their cars, and when they had climbed in and wished the tourists who crowded around, a safe escape from the city, the two drivers started away.
They had not gone more than a mile, when another very severe shock seemed to move the ground from under the cars. The screams from the crowded city streets could be heard at this distance from the scene, and Polly said: "It makes me feel like a criminal to run away and leave all those people to their doom."
"It"s better for as many to get out of the city as can go, unless they are trained to help in this emergency," said Mrs. Fabian.
Mrs. Alexander had calmed down considerably when she was seated in the car, and now she began to question her husband.
"Ebeneezer, did you bring my travelling bag?"
"I dun"no. I grabbed up everything in sight, from my old razor strop to my scarf-pin," returned her spouse, jovially.
"My bag held that new evening coat," cried Mrs. Alexander.
"Never mind a little thing like that!" advised her lord.
"That"s all _you_ care for a two-hundred dollar wrap, but I know you didn"t forget that horrid pipe!" retorted she.
"I _know_ I diden", too, "cause it"s goin" in my mouth this minute!"
chuckled Mr. Alexander, making his companions laugh.
"Call Dodo-stop her, this minute," commanded Mrs. Alexander. "I must ask her if she took my bag. If she didn"t I"m going back for it!"