CHAPTER XVI.

USA! sweet and euphonious word! Italy is in its

SUSA!

sound, and the skies of Italy are over it. Yes, and the houses are Italian, and the people Italian, and you are reminded of Italy in the mantling vines which cast their transparent green net-work over the jutting balconies and sculptured galleries. As we

entered the town the vesper bells were tolling

O sanctissima, O purissima
Dulcis Virgo Maria,

Mater amata, intemerata,
Ora pro nobis.

In words like these is the spirit of prayer breathed at this hour throughout Italy. There is something pleasant in the idea, that the weary rest from their toil when the vesper bell is heard from the campanile, and that, for a few minutes at least, aspirations ascend heavenwards.

We engaged rooms at the Albergo della Posta, an inn pleasantly situated on the banks of the Dora-Susina, which passes through the town, blending the character of an Alpine stream with the more calm and tranquil flow befitting its future course through a rich Italian plain.

And the maiden from Grenoble-what of her? Well, I did not forget her. She had to remain at

Susa until eleven o'clock at night, at which hour a diligence was to start for Turin; so I requested our landlord to allow her to repose in a room, and to furnish her with anything that she might require, and at the above hour she proceeded on her journey. Poor girl! how much I should have liked to have placed her under her uncle's roof at Turin. time was when I would have done this; but time robs us of much gallantry, and I argued that as Turin had been visited by me, I had no business there

now.

The

Susa is generally dismissed in few words when spoken or written about; yet, though standing on the rind of Italy, it is, as I have said, as Italian as the core, and is remarkable for its interesting associations.

It is the Segusium of the Romans, and, as usual where that mighty people have been, presents memorials of them. The most remarkable and commanding of these is the arch, or city gate which was erected by Julius Cottius, the son of King Donnus, about the year eight before Christ, in honour of Augustus. The arch is a most beautiful object. It stands just without the governor's garden, and is canopied by rich walnut trees, the green leaves of which contrast happily with the deep brown of the long exposed marble.

We saw it as the sun was setting behind the towers and campaniles of the small town-the effect was enchanting. There was an air of peace and repose about the scene which gave it a peculiar charm.

294

THE TORSOS OF SUSA.

Although the architecture of the arch, which is Corinthian, and the sculptures have suffered by time and the rough hand of the spoiler, yet the effect of the entire is so good, that a few years ago a scheme was proposed to transport the arch to Turin, that it might once more do duty as a city gate. Happily this has not been done, and it would be an act of deplorable barbarity to carry it into effect, for it is indebted to its present position for half the pleasant interest which it conveys to the spectator.

Two colossal and fine torsos which were disinterred near the gate, have met the fate, so far as removal is concerned, with which the arch was threatened. When the French became masters of Susa they sent the torsos to Paris, where they were fitted with hands, arms, and legs: one was called Tiberius, the other Napoleon; and thus restored and re-named, they were set up in the Louvre. After the peace, when the days of restoration arrived, the statues were despatched to Turin, and placed in the cortile of the university of that city, where I have seen them.

Few structures have impressed me more with the excellence of ancient stone-workers than the arch of Susa. Not that it can stand comparison with the arches at Rome-some of which, by the way, are made up of stolen ornaments-that of Constantine, in particular; but there is an entireness of purpose, combined with an excellence of performance about it, which is most remarkable, when we remember the

CATHEDRAL OF ST. JUSTUS,

295

age in which it was built and the locality in which it stands.

Julius Cottius was a species of mountain-clan chieftain. He gave his name to the Cottian Alps, and swayed a large and rude mountain population; and when destiny compelled him to succumb to the authority of the Roman conqueror, he caused the arch to be coated with sculptures emblematic of the high ceremonies and pomp which accompanied the treaty with the Roman powers. These sculptures, as well as the arch, were, it is presumed, the work of native Celtic artists, and are most valuable as specimens of the art of that period.

Eighteen centuries and a half have passed since the stones of the arch of Susa were drawn out of the mountains, and carved and reared in their present forms. How much wisdom-world wisdom-has been gained since then; and yet how poor, how miserably poor, are we in our architectural talents! I question greatly if any town in England but London could produce so elegant an arch as that at Susa, and it is by no means certain that London itself would not spoil such a structure by incongruous ornaments, or a fearful and frightful confusion of orders.

The Cathedral of St. Justus is of great antiquity. Its appearance is in keeping with its age; and there are pillars in the nave of such stout dimensions, that they would bear up the whole edifice, including the campanile, without swerving.

As we were leaving the gloom-dyed building, we

296

PEDESTRIAN ARRANGEMENTS.

encountered the Bishop of Susa, in his purple prelatical robes and massive gold cross, followed by a train of priests. The town, indeed, was full of priests and monks. They abound, said our landlord, and do no good.

Greatly as we were charmed with Susa, we did not allow inclination to rule duty, but went forth to ascertain the means and ways of leaving it. These were entirely unsatisfactory; so much so, indeed, that we determined to give up diligence travelling, and to walk to Geneva over Mont Cenis and through the Alps of Savoy.

If the reader will be at the trouble of examining a map of Piedmont and Savoy, he will see that the high road from Susa, over the Mont Cenis, to Geneva, makes a considerable détour to avoid the Alps, while the mountain path is carried boldly over and among some of the highest mountains dividing Savoy from Piedmont. This route can of course only be taken on muleback or on foot. We were most anxious to travel it. But we were met with a difficulty at the outset of our scheme. The diligence people refused to take our portmanteaus. This threatened to destroy our pleasant plans, but after making several inquiries we found a muleteer, who engaged to convey them to Lanslebourg, at the foot of the Cenis, on the Savoy side, for the sum of ten francs.

I felt light and happy when the heavy baggage was off, and only wished that we could have transmitted it at once to Geneva. And now we were free