er yet.

In this high mood she went down to the studio--silent now in the absence
of the humorous voice that usually rang in it, and with Bruno's chisels
and mallet lying idle, with his sack on a block of half-hewn marble.
Uncovering her fountain, she looked at it again. It was good work; she
knew it was good; she could be certain it was good. It should justify
her yet, and some day the stupid people who were sheering away from her
now would come cringing to her feet afresh.

That suggested thoughts of the Mayor. She would write to him and get
some money with which to meet the expenses of yesterday as well as the
obligations which she might perhaps incur to-day or in the future.

"Dear Senator Palomba," she wrote, "no doubt you have often wondered why
your much-valued commission has not been completed before. The fact is
that it suffered a slight accident a few days ago, but a week or a
fortnight ought to see it finished, and if you wish to make arrangements
for its reception you may count on its delivery in that time. Meantime
as I am pressed for funds at the moment, I shall be glad if you can
instruct your treasurer at the Municipality to let me have something on
account. The price mentioned, you remember, was 15,000 francs, and as I
have not had anything hitherto, I trust it may not be unreasonable to
ask for half now, leaving the remainder until the fountain is in its
place."

Having despatched this challenge by Felice, not only to the Mayor, but
also to herself, her pride, her poverty, and to the great world
generally, she put on her cloak and hat and drove down to the Castle of
St. Angelo.

When she returned, an hour afterwards, there was a dry glitter in her
eyes, which increased to a look of fever when she opened the
drawing-room door and saw who was waiting there. It was the Mayor
himself. The little oily man in patent-leather boots, holding upright
his glossy silk hat, was clearly nervous and confused. He complimented
her on her appearance, looked out of the window, extolled the view, and
finally, with his back to his hostess, began on his business.

"It is about your letter, you know," he said awkwardly. "There seems to
be a little misunderstanding on your part. About the fountain, I mean."

"None whatever, Senator. You ordered it. I have executed it. Surely the
matter is quite simple."

"Impossible, my dear. I may have encouraged you to an experimental
trial. We all do that. Rome is eager to discove