going into the midst of old
and wonderful things on a motor-car, for _it_ is wonderful too, and it
has a dignity of its own--the dignity of fine and perfect mechanism
which seems alive, like a splendid Pegasus or an obedient unicorn, or
some other strange legendary animal which you are obliged to respect and
marvel at.

And Brown took me into the Colosseum last night--late--when the moon was
rising out of torn black clouds.

But I said I wasn't going to write about Rome, and I won't--I vow I
won't, not even about St. Peter's. I think one ought to stop here ten
days, and see things all day long--just things you want to see, not
things you ought to see; or else linger for months, and let everything
soak into your soul. I can't do the latter, this time, with the Napier
waiting--waiting; and so I'm making the best of the first.

Your reincarnated Roman Princess,
Molly.

FROM MOLLY RANDOLPH TO HER FATHER

Parker's Hotel, Naples,
_January 13_.

You Dear,

I have seen Naples, but I don't wish to die. Not that I should so much
grudge dying after the happy life you've given me, but there'd be such
an awful waste of time in staying dead when so much is left to see.
There's Capri, and there's Sicily almost next door; and even a Saturday
to Monday on Mars wouldn't make up to me for missing them.

We put our hands to the plough, and came here from Rome in six hours,
only one hour more than the fast (?) train takes. We didn't stop for
lunch, but kept ourselves up on beef lozenges, which were nasty but
supporting. We wanted to see how quickly we _could_ do it, and even Aunt
Mary was excited. She is much pleasanter without Jimmy, and we really
did have fun. It's an ill rain that doesn't temper the dust to an
automobile, so we blessed the weather which we had previously
anathematised. After a pouring night, it cleared before we started; and
it was one of the best days we have ever had. I remembered heaps of
things which had happened to me when I was a Roman princess, two
thousand years ago, and felt just as if I were travelling in my chariot
from my father's palace in Rome to his villa, perhaps in Baiae. My only
fear was that, in going so fast, we should arrive at our destination so
long before the impedimenta that I should ha