aved
on pieces of the wreck. The thirty egotists came ashore, but one at
a time, and dead; one breathed still. Him the natives, with excellent
intentions, took to a hot fire. So then he too retired from this
shifting scene.

As Gerard stood by the sea, watching, with horror and curiosity mixed,
his late companions washed ashore, a hand was laid lightly on his
shoulder. He turned. It was the Roman matron, burning with womanly
gratitude. She took his hand gently, and raising it slowly to her lips,
kissed it; but so nobly, she seemed to be conferring an honour on one
deserving hand. Then with face all beaming and moist eyes, she held her
child up and made him kiss his preserver.

Gerard kissed the child more than once. He was fond of children. But he
said nothing. He was much moved; for she did not speak at all, except
with her eyes, and glowing cheeks, and noble antique gesture, so large
and stately. Perhaps she was right. Gratitude is not a thing of words.
It was an ancient Roman matron thanking a modern from her heart of
hearts.

Next day towards afternoon, Gerard--twice as old as last year, thrice
as learned in human ways, a boy no more, but a man who had shed blood in
self-defence, and grazed the grave by land and sea--reached the Eternal
City; post tot naufragia tutus.

CHAPTER LVI

Gerard took a modest lodging on the west bank of the Tiber, and every
day went forth in search of work, taking a specimen round to every shop
he could hear of that executed such commissions.

They received him coldly. "We make our letter somewhat thinner than
this," said one. "How dark your ink is," said another. But the main cry
was, "What avails this? Scant is the Latin writ here now. Can ye not
write Greek?"

"Ay, but not nigh so well as Latin."

"Then you shall never make your bread at Rome."

Gerard borrowed a beautiful Greek manuscript at a high price, and went
home with a sad hole in his purse, but none in his courage.

In a fortnight he had made vast progress with the Greek character;
so then, to lose no time, he used to work at it till noon, and hunt
customers the rest of the day.

When he carried round a better Greek specimen than any they possessed,
the traders informed him that Greek and Latin were alike unsaleable; the
city was thronged with works from all Europe. He should have come last
year.

Gerard bought a psaltery. His landlady, pleased with his looks and
manners, used often to speak a kind word in