f a nature almost to
warrant Mrs. Spalding in feeling that nature had made her more akin
to an Italian countess than to a matron of Nubbly Creek, State of
Illinois, where Mr. Spalding had found her and made her his own.
There was one other Englishman present, Mr. Harris Hyde Granville
Gore, from the Foreign Office, now serving temporarily at the English
Legation in Florence; and an American, Mr. Jackson Unthank, a man of
wealth and taste, who was resolved on having such a collection of
pictures at his house in Baltimore that no English private collection
should in any way come near to it; and a Tuscan, from the Italian
Foreign Office, to whom nobody could speak except Mr. Harris Hyde
Granville Gore,--who did not indeed seem to enjoy the efforts of
conversation which were expected of him. The Italian, who had a
handle to his name,--he was a Count Buonarosci,--took Mrs. Spalding
in to dinner. Mrs. Spalding had been at great trouble to ascertain
whether this was proper, or whether she should not entrust herself
to Mr. Glascock. There were different points to be considered in
the matter. She did not quite know whether she was in Italy or in
America. She had glimmerings on the subject of her privilege to carry
her own nationality into her own drawing-room. And then she was
called upon to deal between an Italian Count with an elder brother,
and an English Honourable, who had no such incumbrance. Which of the
two was possessed of the higher rank? "I've found it all out, Aunt
Mary," said Livy. "You must take the Count." For Livy wanted to give
her sister every chance. "How have you found it out?" said the aunt.
"You may be sure it is so," said Livy. And the lady in her doubt
yielded the point. Mrs. Spalding, as she walked along the passage on
the Count's arm, determined that she would learn Italian. She would
have given all Nubbly Creek to have been able to speak a word to
Count Buonarosci. To do her justice, it must be admitted that she had
studied a few words. But her courage failed her, and she could not
speak them. She was very careful, however, that Mr. H. H. G. Gore was
placed in the chair next to the Count.

"We are very glad to see you here," said Mr. Spalding, addressing
himself especially to Mr. Glascock, as he stood up at his own seat at
the round table. "In leaving my own country, sir, there is nothing
that I value more than the privilege of becoming acquainted with
those whose historic names and existing positions