s looks with a friendly anxiety
they did their best to conceal. Forbes also observed Juliet Sparling's
daughter--hotly curious--yet also hotly sympathetic. What a story,
by Jove!

Their footsteps echoed in the vast emptiness of the Upper Church.
Apparently they had it to themselves.

"No friars!" said Forbes, looking about him. "That's a blessing, anyway!
You can't deny, Miss Mallory, that _they_'re a blot on the landscape. Or
have you been flattering them up, as all the other ladies do who
come here?"

"We have only just arrived. What's wrong with the friars?" smiled Diana.

"Well, we arrived this morning, and I've about taken their
measure--though Ferrier won't allow it. But I saw four of them--great
lazy, loafing fellows, Miss Mallory--much stronger than you or me--being
dragged up these abominable hills--_four of 'em_--in one _legno_--with
one wretched toast-rack of a horse. And not one of them thought of
walking. Each of them with his brown petticoats, and an umbrella as big
as himself. Ugh! I offered to push behind, and they glared at me. What
do you think St. Francis would have said to them? Kicked them out of
that _legno_, pretty quick, I'll bet you!"

Diana surveyed the typical young Englishman indulging a typically
Protestant mood.

"I thought there were only a few old men left," she said, "and that it
was all very sad and poetic?"

"That used to be so," said Ferrier, glancing round the church, so as to
make sure that Chide was safely occupied in seeing as much of the Giotto
frescos on the walls as the fading light allowed. "Then the Pope won a
law-suit. The convent is now the property of the Holy See, the monastery
has been revived, and the place seems to swarm with young monks.
However, it is you ladies that ruin them. You make pretty speeches to
them, and look so charmingly devout."

"There was a fellow at San Damiano this morning," interrupted Bobbie,
indignantly; "awfully good-looking--and the most affected cad I ever
beheld. I'd like to have been his fag-master at Eton! I saw him making
eyes at some American girls as we came in; then he came posing and
sidling up to us, and gave us a little lecture on 'Ateismo.' Ferrier
said nothing--stood there as meek as a lamb, listening to him--looking
straight at him. I nearly died of laughing behind them."

"Come here, Bobbie, you reprobate!" cried Chide from a distance. "Hold
your tongue, and bring me the guide-book."

Bobbie strolled off, laughing.