line the invitation of the poetess. Then was Miss Petrie
somewhat indignant with her friend, and threw out her scorn in those
lines which have been mentioned.

But the American Minister hardly knew how to behave himself when he
met Mr. Glascock, or even when he was called upon to speak of him.
Florence no doubt is a large city, and is now the capital of a great
kingdom; but still people meet in Florence much more frequently
than they do in Paris or in London. It may almost be said that they
whose habit it is to go into society, and whose circumstances bring
them into the same circles, will see each other every day. Now the
American Minister delighted to see and to be seen in all places
frequented by persons of a certain rank and position in Florence.
Having considered the matter much, he had convinced himself that
he could thus best do his duty as minister from the great Republic
of Free States to the newest and,--as he called it,--"the free-est
of the European kingdoms." The minister from France was a marquis;
he from England was an earl; from Spain had come a count,--and so
on. In the domestic privacy of his embassy Mr. Spalding would be
severe enough upon the sounding brasses and the tinkling cymbals,
and was quite content himself to be the Honourable Jonas G.
Spalding,--Honourable because selected by his country for a post of
honour; but he liked to be heard among the cymbals and seen among
the brasses, and to feel that his position was as high as theirs. Mr.
Glascock also was frequently in the same circles, and thus it came
to pass that the two gentlemen saw each other almost daily. That Mr.
Spalding knew well how to bear himself in his high place no one could
doubt; but he did not quite know how to carry himself before Mr.
Glascock. At home at Boston he would have been more completely master
of the situation.

He thought too that he began to perceive that Mr. Glascock avoided
him, though he would hear on his return home that that gentleman had
been at the embassy, or had been walking in the Cascine with his
nieces. That their young ladies should walk in public places with
unmarried gentlemen is nothing to American fathers and guardians.
American young ladies are accustomed to choose their own companions.
But the minister was tormented by his doubts as to the ways of
Englishmen, and as to the phase in which English habits might most
properly exhibit themselves in Italy. He knew that people were
talking about Mr.