. He has very original ideas."

Then she broke off suddenly, extremely vexed at her own garrulity on
this subject. It was certainly far from her wish to interest this
eager-eyed girl in the attainments of Marco.

"_Che imbecille!_" she said within herself, as she led the way from the
big table, where Sophy was gazing with respectful admiration at some
beautiful architectural designs in aquarelle.

"Did the Marchese make those lovely drawings?" she asked, as she
followed his mother to one of the great windows.

"Yes--he draws quite nicely, I believe," replied the Marchesa with some
primness.

Sophy felt the change in her manner, but only thought that she had
withdrawn her interest from Amaldi's work to the marvellous view that
spread below them--all the Lombard plain out-rolled like the fecund
floor of a vast temple to Ceres, whose roof was the blue dome above. And
in the apex of this immense _Rotonda_ the sun's disk seemed the opening
into further heavens of gold.

As they re-crossed the room on their way back, Sophy's attention was
caught by the photograph of a blond youth, strikingly like the Marchesa.

"Oh--is that your other son, Marchesa?" she asked. "What a handsome boy
and so like you!"

"_Grazie mille_," said the Marchesa, laughing. "Yes, that is Nano--my
younger son Giovanni. He is a good-looking _baloss_ (scamp) as you so
kindly observed, my dear. Much better looking than Marco--but Marco is
our strong one. He has more character in his little finger than that
lovable imp."

Again she broke off, biting her lip severely this time. What ailed her?
It was like some perverse obsession--this constant harping of hers on
Marco's fine qualities.

"Come, my dear," she said. "If we dawdle, the teams will be stabled--I
want you to see our white oxen in the late sunlight."

Sophy never forgot her first sight of the big white oxen, four to a
plough, sturdily plodding against the westering sun. Their white hides
in shadow were pearly blue; where the sunlight glanced along their backs
they seemed outlined with silver fire. Their great horns gleamed like
agate. Their ears, suffused with the sun, showed a lining of dusk-rose.
Semi-divine creatures they looked as they moved with calm, majestic
patience against the background of earth and sky--gleaming offspring of
Europa's Olympian Bull, by Hathor, goddess-cow of Egypt....

It was nearly six o'clock when Carletto reported that the _Fretta_ was
awaiting them.

Th