olly?"

"Father, don't you think we ought together, as a family,--don't you
think we ought to read the Bible together? It concerns us all."

"It's very kind of you, my daughter; but I approve of everybody
managing his own affairs," Mr. Copley said, as he rose and lounged,
perhaps with affected carelessness, out of the room. Dolly stood a
moment.

"May I read to you, mother?"

"If you like," said Mrs. Copley nervously; "though I don't see, as your
father says, why we cannot every one read for ourselves. Why did you
say that to your father, Dolly? He didn't like it."

Dolly made no reply. She knelt down by the low table to bring her Bible
near the light, and read a psalm, her voice quivering a little. She
wanted comfort for herself, and half unconsciously she chose the
twenty-seventh psalm.

"'The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord
is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?'"

Her voice grew steady as she went on; but when she has finished, her
mother was crying.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

AT THE VILLA.

The place inhabited by the Thayers was a regular Italian villa. It had
not been at all in order that suited English notions of comfort, or
American either, when they moved in; but they had painted and matted
and furnished, and filled the rooms with pretty things, pictures and
statues and vases and flowers; till it looked now quite beautiful and
festive. Its situation was perfect. The house stood high, on the shore
overlooking the sea, with a full view of Vesuvius, and it was
surrounded with a paradise of orange-trees, fig-trees, pomegranates,
olives, oaks and oleanders, with roses and a multitude of other
flowers; in a wealth of sweetness and luxuriance of growth that
northern climes know nothing of. The reception the visitors met with
was joyous.

"I am so glad you are come!" cried Christina, as she carried off Dolly
through the hall to her particular room. "That bad boy, Sandie, has not
reported yet; but he will come; and then we will go everywhere. Have
you been everywhere already?"

"I have been nowhere. I have staid with mother, and she wanted to be
quiet."

"Well, she can be quiet now with my mother; they can take care of each
other. And you have not been to Capri?"

"No."

"Just think of it! How delightful! You have not seen the Grotta
azzurra?"

"I have seen nothing."

"Nor the grotto of the Sirens? You have seen _that?_ It was so near."

"No, I have no