-days,
and as good to see, as those old heathen did?"

"I suppose we can, when we copy their work exactly."

"But how is that? Christians ought to do better work than heathens. I
do not understand it."

"No," said St. Leger, "I do not understand it."

"Old poetry--that's what they study so much at Oxford and Cambridge,
and everywhere else;--and old pictures, and old statues. I think the
world ought to grow wiser as it grows older. I believe it is prejudice.
There's my husband crazy to go to Paesturn,--I'm glad he can't; the
marshes or something are so unhealthy; but I'm going to arrange for you
an expedition to the Punta--Punta di something--the toe of the boot,
you know; it's delightful; you go on donkeys, and you have the most
charming views, and what I know you like better than anything,--the
most charming opportunities for flirtation."

"It will have to be Miss Thayer and I then," said Lawrence. "Miss
Copley does not know how."

"Nonsense! Don't tell me. Every girl does. She has her own way, I
suppose. Makes it more piquant--and _piquing_."

Lawrence looked over towards the innocent face, so innocent of anything
false, he knew, or even of anything ambiguous; a face of pure womanly
nature, childlike in its naturalness, although womanly in its gravity.
Perhaps he drew a swift comparison between a man's chances with a face
of that sort, and the counter advantages of Christina's more
conventional beauty. Mr. Thayer had sat down beside Dolly and was
drawing her into talk.

"You are fond of art, Miss Copley. I remember we met you first in the
room of the dying gladiator, in the Capitoline Museum. But everybody
has to go to see the dying gladiator and the rest."

"I suppose so," said Dolly.

"I remember, though, I thought you were enjoying it."

"Oh, I was."

"I can always find out whether people really enjoy things. How many
times did you go to see the gladiator? Let me see,--you were in Rome
three months?"

"Nearer four."

"Four! Well, and how many times did you see the gladiator?"

"I don't quite know. Half a dozen times, I think. I went until I had
got it by heart; and now I can look at it whenever I like."

"Humph!" said Mr. Thayer. "The only thing Christina wanted to see a
second time was the mosaics; and those she did not get by heart
exactly, but brought them away, a good many of them, bodily. And have
you developed any taste for architecture during your travels?"

"I take great pleasure in s