She was also much pleased with the view of Naples itself, which she obtained from this platform. The hotel was built out over the water, so that from the lookout the town was spread out in full view, with all the great castles and towers which crowned the cliffs and headlands above, and the various moles, and piers, and fortresses, that extended out into the water below.
In coming up the iron stair, on the outside of the building, Mrs. Gray had been a little afraid; but in coming down she found the steps so firm and solid under her tread that she said she should not be afraid at all a second time.
"Then, mother," said Rosie, "let us come up here this evening after dark, and then on the top of the mountain, instead of smoke coming out, we shall see fire."
"Shall we, Rollo?" asked Mrs. Gray.
"I believe so," said Rollo. "At any rate they do sometimes see fire coming out; and I don't know why we should not to-night."
It was finally agreed that after it became dark, Rollo and Josie should go up alone first, to see if there was any fire, and if there was, then Mrs. Gray and Rosie were to go up.
Accordingly, about eight o'clock, Rollo and Josie went up. They very soon came running down again, and reported that there was quite a bright fire. So Mrs. Gray and Rosie went up. Taking their stations on the platform, and looking towards the mountain, they could see distinctly a bright glow playing over the summit, with brighter flashes beaming up from time to time. The sight impressed them all with an emotion of solemn awe.
CHAPTER V. PLANNING THE ASCENSION.
Rollo was very impatient for the time to come for the ascent of Vesuvius; but several days elapsed before Mr. George was ready. Then, after that, for two or three days, the weather was not favorable. The sky was filled with showery-looking clouds, and great caps of fog hung over the summits of the mountains.
"If we get up there when there are mists and fogs hanging about the mountain," said Mr. George, "we shall not be able to see the fire at all."
"Then I would rather wait for a fair day," said Rollo.
Rollo repeatedly asked Rosie if she was not going up.
"I don't know," said Rosie; "it depends upon my mother. I shall not go unless she goes, and she says she has not decided."
At last, after several days of uncertain weather, the wind came round to the westward, the clouds passed off, and the whole sky became serene. This was in the afternoon. Mr. George had been rambling with Rollo about the town that day; but when he found that the weather promised now to be good, he said he would go home and talk with Mrs. Gray about making the ascent. So he and Rollo returned to the hotel, and went up together to Mrs. Gray's room.
Mr. George told Mrs. Gray that the weather promised to be favorable the next day for the ascent of the mountain.
"And Rollo and I," said he, "think of going up. If you would like to go, we should be very happy to have you join our party."
"Can I go, do you think?" asked Mrs. Gray.
"O, yes," said Mr. George; "you certainly can go, for you can be carried up in a portantina from the place where we leave the carriage. But if you please, I will send for a commissioner, and he can tell us all about it."
"Very well," said Mrs. Gray, "I should like to have you do that."
"Ring the bell, then, Rollo," said Mr. George.
So Rollo rang the bell; a servant man soon came in. He was what Rollo called the chamberman. His business was to make the beds and take care of the rooms. This work, in Italy, is done by men generally, instead of by women.
"Is there a commissioner attached to this hotel," asked Mr. George, addressing the servant, and speaking in French, "who accompanies parties to Vesuvius?"
"Yes, sir, certainly," said the servant.
"What is his name?" asked Mr. George.
"Philippe," replied the man.
"Where is he?" asked Mr. George.
"He is below," said the man.
"Please ask him to come up," said Mr. George. "I want to talk with him about an excursion to the mountain."
The servant man went down, and pretty soon Philippe appeared. He was a very intelligent looking young man, neatly dressed, and with a frank and agreeable countenance.
"This is Philippe, I suppose," said Mr. George, speaking in French.
"Yes, sir," said Philippe.
"Take a seat," said Mr. George. "This lady wishes me to make some inquiries of you about going up the mountain. Do you speak English?"
"Yes, sir," said Philippe, "a little."
On hearing this Mr. George changed the conversation into the English language, so that Mrs. Gray might understand what was said, without the inconvenience and delay of having it interpreted.
"In the first place," said Mr. George, "when ladies ascend the Mountain, how far do they go in a carriage?"
"To the Hermitage," said Philippe.
"Can you go in a good, comfortable carriage all the way to the Hermitage?" asked Mr. George.
"O, yes, sir," said Philippe. "We take an excellent carriage from town. The road is very winding to go up the mountain, but it is perfectly good. A lady can go up there as comfortably as she can ride about town."
Philippe further said that ladies often went up with parties as far as the Hermitage, and then, if they did not wish to go any farther, they remained there until their friends came down.
"What sort of a place is the Hermitage?" asked Mrs. Gray. "Is it an inn?"
"Yes, madam," said Philippe. "It is an inn. It is a very plain and homely place, but a lady can stay there very well a few hours."
"Is there a family there?" asked Mrs. Gray.
"No, madam," said Philippe; "it is kept by a monk."
"Let us go, mother," said Josie. "We can go up there as well as not."
"Yes," said Mrs. Gray, "I think I should like to go up at least as far as there. I can take a book to read, to while away the time while you are up the mountain; or I can ramble about, I suppose. Is it a pleasant place to ramble about, around the Hermitage?"
"Yes, madam; it is a very pleasant place," replied Philippe. "You have an exceedingly fine view of the bay, and of Naples, and of the islands, and of the whole Campagna. Then the observatory is near, and that is a very pleasant place, with gardens and plantations of trees all around it. Perhaps the beggars might be a little troublesome if you walked out, but I think I could manage about that."
"What is the observatory that you speak of?" asked Mr. George.
"It is a government establishment that is kept there for making observations on the state of the mountain," replied Philippe. "It is a fine building, and it has very pretty gardens and grounds around it."
"I should think it would be a very pleasant place," said Mrs. Gray. "Indeed, it looks like a pleasant place seen from this hotel with Rollo's opera glass."
"Well, now for the next stage of the journey," said Mr. George; "that is, from the Hermitage to the foot of the cone. How far is that, and how do we go?"
"It is about three quarters of an hour's walk," replied Philippe. "There is no carriage road, but only a mule path, and in some places the road is very rough."
"Is it steep?" asked Mr. George.
"No, sir," said Philippe; "the steep part comes afterwards. The mule path is nearly on a level, but it is rough and rocky. There are three ways of going. You can walk, you can ride upon a mule or a donkey, or finally, you can be carried in a chair. Ladies that do not like to walk so far usually ride on a donkey, or else are carried. It is easier to be carried, but it costs a little more."
"How much more?" asked Mr. George.
"A dollar," said Philippe.
"I think I should rather be carried if I were to go," said Mrs. Gray.
"I'd rather ride on a donkey," said Rosie.
"And I on a mule," said Josie.