When we started, the crowd round the inn door, which had by this
time swelled to a considerable size, all made the sign of the cross
and pointed two fingers towards me.
With some difficulty, I got a fellow passenger to tell me what
they meant. He would not answer at first, but on learning that I
was English, he explained that it was a charm or guard against the
evil eye.
This was not very pleasant for me, just starting for an unknown
place to meet an unknown man. But everyone seemed so kind-hearted,
and so sorrowful, and so sympathetic that I could not but be
touched.
I shall never forget the last glimpse which I had of the inn
yard and its crowd of picturesque figures, all crossing themselves,
as they stood round the wide archway, with its background of rich
foliage of olean
