rlooking the blue waters of an Italian river, and look through
those same bars into the faces of sweet nuns and shaven monks as they
pass on the sidewalk outside.

But we can have the automobile only a few days longer, and it is our
great wish that you join us in Florence and take the trip with us to
Rome.

Then if you will but stay with us for a few weeks in Rome, we shall
not get lost again because of being unable to speak Italian. Mother
says that you will be tongue and eyes for us.

Your American friend,
EDITH SPRAGUE.

CHAPTER IX

RAFAEL LEAVES VENICE

It was a long letter. Rafael read it aloud to his mother, and at the
end he spoke without looking up at her.

"May I go?" he asked simply.

She did not answer for several moments, and he spoke again. "I know so
little of Italy, outside of Venice," he urged. "Those Americans go
everywhere and see the whole world."

"That is true," his mother answered, "and you may never have such
another opportunity to see the Eternal City. You may go," she added
finally, to Rafael's great delight.

"That is good! I will start as soon as you can pack some clothes for
me," he cried. He half thought she would go at once to pack them, but
she sat still, and began to talk about her girlhood.

"I was born near the hotel where your friend is living," she said,
"and know every foot of ground in Florence. It is a pity you are not
going to be there on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Then you
would see a sight that is seen nowhere outside of Florence."

"Tell me about it," said the boy.

"It is called the 'Burning of the Car,'" she told him. "Back in the
time of the Crusaders, one of the men of old Florence who went to
Jerusalem brought from the Holy Sepulchre two pieces of the stone, and
also a torch lighted from the holy light that has been kept burning
there since the time Christ was crucified.

"In order that the wind might not blow out his light, he rode the
whole distance back to Florence with his face toward Jerusalem.

"The people of the cities through which he passed thought that this
man who was riding backwards must be crazy, and they cried out after
him, 'Pazzi! Pazzi!' which means mad-man. Finally he was called by the
name of Pazzi, and was the founder of the Pazzi family, which to this
day shares with the government the expense of burning the car at
Easter time.

"The light and the two pieces of the stone sepulchre are treasured in
the oldest c