h," he remarked,
regarding his companion with half-closed, indolent eyes. "But then, you
haven't often the wit to choose such a good subject. I wish you were not
so confoundedly afraid of doing anything pretty."

"My dear fellow," Kenwick retorted, "you may be a very decent architect,
but I'll be hanged if you have the first inkling of what art means."

From which interchange of amenities, the average listener might not have
inferred, what was nevertheless true, that the two men had a high
opinion of each other's talents. Happily, there was no one to be misled,
for Pietro, with all his advantages, had not yet mastered a word of
English. The only feature of the situation intelligible to him, was,
that Kenwick, too, discarded his pipe at this juncture, and the
gondolier was, accordingly, obliged to stow away his own half-finished
cigarette,--4th quality,--in the cavernous recesses of the stern. He
had been counting upon smoking it out before arriving at the Palazzo
Darino, though he had scented danger from the moment his eye fell upon
Vittorio's gondola. A gondolier, however, is early schooled to study any
whim rather than his own, and presently Pietro observed, rather than
inquired: "To San Giorgio, Signore?"

"_Sicuro!_"

The red banner was hanging limp in the lee of the island, the prow of
the boat being tied to a ring in the masonry, while Vittorio sat at the
forward end, holding her off, lest a passing steamboat or outward bound
coaster should drive her against the wall. Under the awning was a
glimpse of light draperies, and, as Pietro's gondola drew near, the
young men could hear a fresh, girlish voice reading aloud.

"We're not in visiting trim," Geof called, gathering himself together,
as they came up; "but we must know what you are improving your minds
upon."

"We are reading Ruskin," May replied, in her most edifying tone of
voice.

"Oh, _St. Mark's Rest_," said Kenwick. "You're getting enlightened about
the pillars."

"It's very interesting," Pauline declared. "You know he tells us to have
our gondola moored over here, and read what he has to say. Doesn't
everybody do it?"

"Well, I don't think you'll ever find San Giorgio fringed with
gondolas," Kenwick mocked; "but I'm sure it shows a beautiful spirit in
those who do come. I recognize Miss May's docility."

"You are quite right," said May, with dignity. "It was I who proposed
it. Do you read Ruskin, Mr. Daymond?"

"Of course I do. One would be