She uttered an exclamation of surprise as she reached the spot.
Scarcely a quarter of a mile to the right, at the extremity of a broad hill-road, she saw the huge towers of Saracinesca, grey and storm-beaten, rising out of a thick wood.

The whole intervening space--and indeed the whole deep valley as far as she could see--was an unbroken forest of chestnut-trees.

Here and there below the castle the houses of the town showed their tiled gables, but the mass of the buildings was hidden completely from sight.

Corona had had no idea that she should find herself so near to the place, and she was seized with a sudden fear lest Giovanni should appear upon the long straight path that led into the trees.

She drew back a little among her followers.
"Are the princes there now ?" she asked of the head-keeper.
He did not know; but a moment later a peasant, riding astride of a bag of corn upon his donkey's back, passed along the straight road by the entrance to the bridle-path.