d moved away together, and
Miss Petrie was left alone. This was no injury to Miss Petrie, as her
mind at once set itself to work on a sonnet touching the frivolity
of modern social gatherings; and when she complained afterwards to
Caroline that it was the curse of their mode of life that no moment
could be allowed for thought,--in which she referred specially to a
few words that Mr. Gore had addressed to her at this moment of her
meditations,--she was not wilfully a hypocrite. She was painfully
turning her second set of rhymes, and really believed that she had
been subjected to a hardship. In the meantime Olivia and Mr. Glascock
were discussing her at a distance.

"You were being put through your facings, Mr. Glascock," Olivia had
said.

"Well; yes; and your dear friend, Miss Petrie, is rather a stern
examiner."

"She is Carry's ally, not mine," said Olivia. Then she remembered
that by saying this she might be doing her sister an injury. Mr.
Glascock might object to such a bosom friend for his wife. "That is
to say, of course we are all intimate with her, but just at this
moment Carry is most in favour."

"She is very clever, I am quite sure," said he.

"Oh yes;--she's a genius. You must not doubt that on the peril of
making every American in Italy your enemy."

"She is a poet,--is she not?"

"Mr. Glascock!"

"Have I said anything wrong?" he asked.

"Do you mean to look me in the face and tell me that you are not
acquainted with her works,--that you don't know pages of them by
heart, that you don't sleep with them under your pillow, don't travel
about with them in your dressing-bag? I'm afraid we have mistaken
you, Mr. Glascock."

"Is it so great a sin?"

"If you'll own up honestly, I'll tell you something,--in a whisper.
You have not read a word of her poems?"

"Not a word."

"Neither have I. Isn't it horrible? But, perhaps, if I heard Tennyson
talking every day, I shouldn't read Tennyson. Familiarity does breed
contempt;--doesn't it? And then poor dear Wallachia is such a bore. I
sometimes wonder, when English people are listening to her, whether
they think that American girls generally talk like that."

"Not all, perhaps, with that perfected eloquence."

"I dare say you do," continued Olivia, craftily. "That is just the
way in which people form their opinions about foreigners. Some
specially self-asserting American speaks his mind louder than other
people, and then you say that all Americans are