don't know. Is Mr. St. Leger invited?"

"Particularly."

"And the other man?"

"What other man?" said Dolly, laughing.

"You know,--Christina's man."

"He is asked. I do not know about his coming. He would if he could, he
said. Why? do you want to see him?"

"No."

It was well on in the evening before Mr. Copley made his appearance.
And then he was taciturn and not in an agreeable temper. The worse for
wine he was not, in one sense; he was in no measure overcome by it; but
Dolly knew that he had been taking it somewhere. O fathers! she
thought, if you are not to "provoke your children to anger," neither
ought you to drive them to despair; and you ought never, never, to let
them blush for you! That I should be ashamed for _my father!_

She said nothing that night but what was in the way of sweetest
ministry to both father and mother. She talked of all that she had seen
and done during her visit. She got out a supper of fruit, and would
have them eat it. Not very easy work, for her father was glum and her
mother unresponsive; but she did what could be done. Next day she
proposed going on to Sorrento.

"It does not agree very well with mother here; at least I do not think
she is gaining; and she does not enjoy it."

"You enjoy it, don't you?"

"Oh yes; as far as that goes. But I care more for mother and you."

"And I care for you, Dolly. No, no; we are old people; it doesn't
signify a rush whether we like it or no. You are young, and you are
here for once, in Rome, and I am not going away till you've seen it
fairly. Don't you say so, mother, hey? Now she has got a good chance,
she must use it."

"I'm afraid it's expensive," put in Mrs. Copley.

"Nonsense; no more than anywhere else. It'll be just about the same
thing at Sorrento, or wherever you go. See all you can, Dolly. We'll
stay."

"I should think you would send Rupert home, at least," said his wife
rather disconsolately; but true to her principles she put in no
objection to her husband's pleasure. "We might save so much."

"We shouldn't save anything. Rupert makes himself very useful; if we
had not him, we should want some rogue of a courier. I'll keep Rupert.
How he enjoys it, the dog!"

Rupert was invaluable to Dolly, though she said nothing about it.
Always ready to attend upon her, always devoted to her wishes, her
intelligent companion, and her most faithful and efficient servant in
making purchases of drawing materials or in disposing of