he stairs. Let the cabman
and the landlady come down, and let me go up and choose rooms."

"I shan't."

"Harriet, are you mad?"

"If you like. But you will not come up till you have seen the Italian."

"La signorina si sente male," said Philip, "C' e il sole."

"Poveretta!" cried the landlady and the cabman.

"Leave me alone!" said Harriet, snarling round at them. "I don't care
for the lot of you. I'm English, and neither you'll come down nor he up
till he goes for the baby."

"La prego-piano-piano-c e un' altra signorina che dorme--"

"We shall probably be arrested for brawling, Harriet. Have you the very
slightest sense of the ludicrous?"

Harriet had not; that was why she could be so powerful. She had
concocted this scene in the carriage, and nothing should baulk her
of it. To the abuse in front and the coaxing behind she was equally
indifferent. How long she would have stood like a glorified Horatius,
keeping the staircase at both ends, was never to be known. For the young
lady, whose sleep they were disturbing, awoke and opened her bedroom
door, and came out on to the landing. She was Miss Abbott.

Philip's first coherent feeling was one of indignation. To be run by
his mother and hectored by his sister was as much as he could stand. The
intervention of a third female drove him suddenly beyond politeness. He
was about to say exactly what he thought about the thing from beginning
to end. But before he could do so Harriet also had seen Miss Abbott. She
uttered a shrill cry of joy.

"You, Caroline, here of all people!" And in spite of the heat she darted
up the stairs and imprinted an affectionate kiss upon her friend.

Philip had an inspiration. "You will have a lot to tell Miss Abbott,
Harriet, and she may have as much to tell you. So I'll pay my call on
Signor Carella, as you suggested, and see how things stand."

Miss Abbott uttered some noise of greeting or alarm. He did not reply to
it or approach nearer to her. Without even paying the cabman, he escaped
into the street.

"Tear each other's eyes out!" he cried, gesticulating at the facade of
the hotel. "Give it to her, Harriet! Teach her to leave us alone. Give
it to her, Caroline! Teach her to be grateful to you. Go it, ladies; go
it!"

Such people as observed him were interested, but did not conclude that
he was mad. This aftermath of conversation is not unknown in Italy.

He tried to think how amusing it was; but it would not do--Miss Abbot