—emerged
from
an
adjacent
room
,
silent
and
sullen
as
usual
;
but
when
she
understood
that
the
job
was
for
Hamlin
,
she
seemed
suddenly
to
develop
a
certain
interest
in
it
.
The
pieces
of
stuff
were
spread
out
on
the
drawing‐room
table
,
and
Hamlin
proceeded
to
explain
what
manner
of
garment
he
wanted
,
Mrs
Perry
joining
in
from
the
next
room
with
various
bewildering
instructions
.
The
girl
immediately
understood
;
but
the
piece
of
work
was
complicated
and
tiresome
.
The
stuff
had
several
times
to
be
sewn
together
,
tried
on
to
the
live
model
,
and
then
taken
down‐stairs
to
be
altered
.
“
Won’t
you
sit
down
and
do
it
here
,
Miss
Brown
?
”
Hamlin
at
length
suggested
.
The
girl
hesitated
for
a
moment
,
and
then
settled
herself
to
sew
at
the
table
of
the
empty
drawing‐room
.
Hamlin
went
into
the
studio
next
door
,
and
tried
to
draw
a
little
;
but
he
felt
himself
attracted
to
go
and
watch
the
girl
as
she
leaned
over
the
table
,
or
sat
with
her
beautiful
head
bending
over
her
sewing
.
Every
now
and
then
she
looked
up
to
ask
him
some
question
:
a
regal
,
tragic
,
out‐of‐our‐world
,
almost
weird
face
,
the
contrast
of
which
with
her
prosiac
questions
about
seams
and
tucks
was
almost
comic
.
Hamlin
looked
at
her
as
he
might
have
looked
at
a
beautiful
cathedral
front
;
and
he
began
to
feel
that
kind
of
anticipated
regret
at
the
thought
of
losing
sight
of
something
beautiful
and
rare
,
that
almost
painful
desire
to
keep
at
least
some
durable
likeness
of
it
,
which
,
in
former
years
,
had
often
tormented
him
in
the
midst
of
the
enjoyment
of
lovely
things
.
He
did
not
see
his
way
to
introducing
Anne
Brown
into
any
picture
;
nay
,
he
perhaps
did
not
even
think
of
his
work
;
but
he
determined
that
he
must
have
a
likeness
of
her
to
take
away
with
him
.
Accordingly
,
that
same
evening
,
as
he
was
seated
with
the
Perrys
in
front
of
the
villa
,
watching
the
stars
gradually
lighting
themselves
in
the
bright
metallic
blue
sky
,
Hamlin
suddenly
turned
to
his
hostess
,
and
asked
her
whether
she
thought
it
would
be
possible
for
him
to
make
a
sketch
of
Anne
Brown
.
“
I
may
want
her
for
a
picture
some
day
,
”
he
added
,
half
hypocritically
.
Mrs
Perry’s
enthusiasm
was
immediately
kindled
.
“
Oh
!
”
she
exclaimed
,
“
paint
a
picture
of
her
as
the
Witch
of
Atlas
,
with
a
red
cloak
and
red
roses
all
about
her
,
and
a
background
of
cactuses
and
aloes
all
twisting
and
writhing
,
and
looking
as
if
they
gibbered
.
Do
paint
her
like
that
,
dear
Mr
Hamlin
—
and
Mildred
and
Winnie
will
do
for
attendant
spirits
.
Begin
to‐morrow
—
you
shall
have
her
to
sit
to
you
all
day
;
and
she
has
such
lovely
arms
and
shoulders
,
you
must
paint
her
in
some
kind
of
dress
that
will
show
them
.
”
“
I
think
it’s
rather
cool
of
you
to
promise
Annie
as
a
sitter
in
that
way
,
”
put
in
Melton
Perry
—
“
especially
with
so
few
clothes
on
,
Julia
.
”
“
Why
not
?
”
asked
Mrs
Perry
,
in
astonishment
.
“
If
she
is
beautiful
she
must
be
painted
.
She
shall
begin
sitting
to‐morrow
morning
.
”
“
She
shan’t
do
anything
of
the
kind
!
”
exclaimed
Perry
,
suddenly
.
“
I
don’t
see
at
all
what
right
we
have
to
dispose
of
her
.
We
pay
her
wages
as
a
servant
for
our
children
,
not
as
a
model
for
our
visitors
.
”
“
I
never
dreamed
of
Miss
Brown
being
in
any
way
compelled
to
sit
,
”
remonstrated
Hamlin
,
rather
indignantly
.
“
I
only
wanted
your
assistance
in
asking
whether
she
would
.
”
“
Of
course
she
will
,
”
insisted
Mrs
Perry
.
“
Why
,
I
wonder
what
great
hardship
there
is
in
sitting
for
one’s
likeness
?
Haven’t
I
done
it
hundreds
of
times
?
When
a
woman
is
beautiful
,
it’s
her
duty
;
that’s
what
I
was
always
told
.
”
“
It
may
be
the
duty
of
a
lady
,
Julia
,
”
answered
Mr
Perry
,
gloomily
,
“
and
it
may
be
yours
;
but
it
isn’t
the
duty
of
a
servant
girl
—
the
difference
lies
in
that
.
”
“
Well
,
”
retorted
Mrs
Perry
,
angrily
,
“
I
think
you
don’t
show
much
appreciation
of
the
honour
of
having
one
of
the
greatest
of
living
painters
in
our
house
,
Perry
.
I
do
,
and
I
shall
see
to
his
having
the
proper
model
.
”
“
Please
,
I
entreat
you
,
dear
Mrs
Perry
,
”
cried
Hamlin
,
“
do
let
the
matter
go
—
it
really
is
of
no
consequence
;
and
,
indeed
,
it
would
be
in
the
last
degree
distasteful
to
me
to
have
an
unwilling
sitter
.
”
“
You
shall
have
a
willing
one
,
Mr
Hamlin
;
”
and
Mrs
Perry
walked
off
with
dignity
.
Melton
Perry
suddenly
shook
off
his
languor
,
and
started
after
his
wife
.
“
Julia
,
”
he
cried
,
“
do
leave
it
to
me
—
I’ll
speak
to
Annie
—
only
do
leave
it
to
me
.
”
“
I
see
no
reason
for
this
,
”
she
answered
.
“
Then
I
shall
speak
to
Annie
at
once
,
”
replied
Perry
.
“
There’s
been
far
too
much
of
this
turning
of
servants
into
models
in
this
house
,
”
he
said
,
turning
to
Hamlin
.
“
Mrs
Perry
can’t
be
got
to
see
that
it
isn’t
at
all
the
right
sort
of
thing
.
I
don’t
mind
so
much
with
the
others
,
for
I
suppose
they’re
a
parcel
of
sluts
;
but
Annie
is
another
matter
.
I
don’t
mind
it’s
being
you
,
you
know
,
old
fellow
;
but
I
object
to
the
principle
.
Annie
!
Annie
!
I
want
to
speak
to
you
a
moment
,
”
and
Mr
Perry
went
into
the
house
.
After
a
moment
he
returned
.
“
I’ve
spoken
to
her
,
Hamlin
,
”
he
said
.
“
I
told
her
that
she
was
just
what
you
wanted
for
the
Lady
Guenevere
or
the
Lady
of
the
Lake
,
or
some
lady
or
other
—
all
a
lie
;
but
you
see
I
didn’t
wish
her
to
know
it
was
merely
because
she’s
handsome
.
I
told
her
she
was
like
a
portrait
of
one
of
these
persons
.
Please
don’t
tell
her
she’s
not
.
I
really
expected
she’d
refuse
;
and
I
said
to
her
,
‘Annie
,
mind
you
don’t
let
the
mistress
force
you
into
sitting
;
don’t
do
it
to
please
anybody.’
I’m
really
quite
surprised
,
for
she’s
such
a
very
reserved
girl
always
;
but
then
she
is
an
obliging
creature
too
,
and
I
think
she’ll
do
more
to
please
me
than
perhaps
my
wife
,
because
I
always
let
her
understand
that
this
isn’t
a
good
place
at
all
,
and
that
she
ought
to
try
for
another
.
Well
,
she
says
she’ll
sit
;
but
not
till
after
the
ironing
is
done
in
the
morning
.
I
proposed
half‐past
nine
—
will
that
do
?
”
“
Thank
you
,
”
answered
Hamlin
,
putting
his
hand
on
Perry’s
shoulder
;
“
you’re
a
good
old
creature
,
Perry
.
”
CHAPTER
VI
.
HAMLIN
did
not
succeed
in
doing
much
that
first
sitting
.
He
had
thought
that
Anne
Brown’s
head
would
be
an
easy
one
to
sketch
;
but
it
proved
just
the
reverse
.
Those
salient
and
outlandish
features
,
which
he
had
thought
he
could
catch
in
half
an
hour
,
were
turned
into
caricature
by
the
slightest
exaggeration
,
and
exaggeration
was
almost
inevitable
.
He
made
several
beginnings
,
and
scratched
them
all
out
;
and
at
the
end
of
a
couple
of
hours
he
felt
that
he
positively
could
not
go
on
;
he
had
become
quite
fidgety
over
his
work
.
“
I
have
bungled
everything
,
”
he
said
at
last
,
rising
,
“
and
kept
you
here
for
nothing
,
Miss
Brown
.
The
fact
is
,
that
you
are
far
more
difficult
to
draw
than
I
expected
.
”
He
felt
very
humiliated
at
having
,
as
it
were
,
to
confess
himself
a
bad
artist
before
such
a
model
.
“
Try
again
,
”
suggested
Perry
.
“
I
daresay
Annie
will
sit
for
you
again
—
won’t
you
,
Annie
?
”
“
If
Mr
Hamlin
wishes
me
to
sit
,
certainly
,
”
answered
the
girl
simply
.
“
She
is
confoundedly
difficult
to
draw
,
”
said
Hamlin
,
when
she
had
turned
her
back
.
“
She’s
difficult
because
she’s
a
kind
of
mystery
,
”
explained
Perry
.
“
I’ve
felt
it
ever
since
we
have
had
her
.
One
thinks
there
must
be
something
behind
that
face
,
and
yet
it
seems
to
be
a
mere
blank
.
My
belief
is
,
that
people
of
this
condition
of
life
often
have
very
little
character
—
at
least
none
in
particular
developed
.
Because
,
after
all
,
it’s
talking
and
jawing
about
things
which
don’t
matter
a
pin
that
develops
our
character
.
The
people
who
have
no
opportunity
for
that
remain
quite
without
character
,
until
some
day
they
are
forced
to
choose
whether
they’ll
be
self‐sacrificing
creatures
or
mean
pigs
.
”
“
There’s
something
in
that
,
”
answered
Hamlin
,
tearing
up
his
abortive
sketches
in
a
huff
;
“
but
it
is
hard
that
a
man
should
be
unable
to
copy
the
shape
of
a
handsome
face
as
he
would
copy
the
shape
of
a
handsome
vase
,
without
wondering
what
there
may
be
inside
.
”
The
fact
was
,
that
the
utter
silence
of
his
model
,
and
his
own
utter
silence
,
except
when
begging
her
to
turn
a
little
more
in
this
direction
or
that
,
made
Hamlin
nervous
.
He
had
,
of
course
,
sketched
and
painted
scores
of
people
who
had
sat
as
utterly
silent
as
Anne
Brown
,
but
then
Anne
Brown
was
not
a
model
of
that
kind
.
Indifferent
as
he
felt
towards
the
hidden
reality
of
this
girl
,
he
was
,
nevertheless
,
fully
conscious
that
she
was
a
personality
,
something
much
more
than
a
mere
form
;
or
rather
,
the
form
itself
was
suggestive
of
something
more
.
It
would
be
an
easy
thing
to
have
to
sketch
Michaelangelo’s
Dawn
,
or
his
Delphic
Sibyl
become
living
flesh
,
in
utter
silence
with
those
eyes
fixed
upon
one
.
If
only
he
could
speak
to
her
,
or
make
her
speak
,
he
was
persuaded
it
would
be
much
easier
;
but
for
some
unaccountable
reason
it
seemed
impossible
to
set
up
a
conversation
.
One
morning
accident
came
to
Hamlin’s
assistance
.
Strolling
about
after
breakfast
,
he
found
in
a
corner
of
the
vineyard
,
where
the
trampled
grass
revealed
the
recent
presence
of
the
little
Perrys
,
a
couple
of
books
carefully
buried
under
a
heap
of
dead
leaves
just
where
he
chanced
to
walk
.
The
children
had
evidently
hidden
them
out
of
mischief
.
One
was
a
cheap
copy
of
Dante
,
with
notes
—
the
other
an
Italian
grammar
.
Turning
to
the
fly‐leaf
he
found
,
written
in
a
curious
hand
,
a
stiff
imitation
of
English
tradesmen’s
writing
,
the
name
“
Anne
Brown
.
”
He
wiped
the
books
,
for
they
were
wet
with
dew
,
and
deposited
them
upon
the
window‐sill
of
the
nursery
.
At
half‐past
nine
the
girl
came
to
the
studio
.
She
had
been
sitting
a
little
while
,
when
Hamlin
,
bending
over
his
work
,
suddenly
broke
the
silence
—
“
I
find
we
have
a
common
friend
,
Miss
Brown
,
”
he
said
.
The
girl
,
without
stirring
,
opened
her
large
eyes
.
“
A
common
friend
?
”
she
asked
,
with
a
scarcely
perceptible
agitation
in
her
quiet
manner
;
then
added
,
“
I
suppose
you
mean
Mr
Perry
;
I
haven’t
many
friends
now
anywhere
.
”
“
Oh
!
this
is
the
friend
of
a
great
many
people
—
thousands
—
besides
ourselves
,
so
you
need
not
feel
jealous
;
his
name
is
Dante
.
”
“
Indeed
!
”
answered
Anne
Brown
,
and
relapsed
into
silence
.
But
silence
did
not
suit
Hamlin
.
“
I
found
two
books
belonging
to
you
in
the
vineyard
early
this
morning
,
”
he
continued
;
“
and
I
put
them
on
the
nursery
window‐sill
.
”
“
Thank
you
,
”
replied
Miss
Brown
,
in
her
taciturn
manner
;
“
I
missed
them
last
night
.
”
“
I
was
indiscreet
enough
to
wonder
whether
you
and
I
cared
for
the
same
things
in
Dante
,
”
pursued
Hamlin
;
“
so
I
ventured
to
open
the
book
.
I
found
you
had
marked
the
passage
about
Provenzano
.
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Miss
Brown
.
“
How
is
it
that
you
marked
Provenzano
,
and
did
not
mark
Ugolino
,
I
wonder
?
”
“
I
don’t
care
about
Ugolino
.
He
was
a
traitor
.
”
“
Do
you
consider
that
traitors
ought
to
be
starved
to
death
?
”
asked
Hamlin
,
with
a
smile
.
“
I
don’t
think
any
one
ought
to
be
starved
to
death
,
”
she
answered
very
seriously
;
“
it
is
too
dreadful
.
But
I
don’t
care
about
Ugolino
,
because
he
was
a
traitor
;
and
the
Archbishop
was
a
traitor
too
.
There
is
no
one
to
be
glad
or
sorry
about
.
”
“
And
Francesca
da
Rimini
?
Do
you
find
there
is
nothing
to
care
for
or
be
sorry
about
in
her
?
”
A
faint
redness
welled
up
under
the
uniform
brown
pallor
of
Anne
Brown’s
face
.
“
The
husband
was
quite
right
,
”
she
said
,
after
a
pause
.
“
You
are
very
severe
,
”
remarked
Hamlin
—
“
much
more
severe
than
Dante
.
He
was
sorry
for
them
.
”
“
They
were
quite
happy
,
”
she
answered
.
“
They
did
not
mind
being
killed
;
they
did
not
mind
being
driven
about
in
the
wind
,
of
course
”
—
then
she
stopped
short
suddenly
.
“
Why
of
course
?
”
and
Hamlin
went
on
scraping
at
his
pencil
.
“
Because
I
don’t
think
one
would
mind
,
if
people
cared
for
one
,
being
driven
about
in
the
wind
like
that
.
Lots
of
people
have
been
driven
about
in
revolutions
,
and
put
into
dungeons
together
,
and
so
on
.
If
they
had
put
papa
in
prison
,
I
should
have
wanted
to
go
in
with
him
,
”
—
for
once
she
spoke
with
a
certain
amount
of
vehemence
.
Hamlin
looked
up
from
his
pencil‐cutting
.
The
expression
which
he
suddenly
met
in
her
face
made
him
feel
that
at
last
he
had
what
he
wanted
.
It
was
a
curious
mixture
,
possible
only
in
those
strange
features
,
of
a
kind
of
passionate
effort
with
dogged
determination
:
the
head
a
little
lifted
,
cheeks
and
lips
firmly
set
;
but
in
the
eyes
,
and
even
in
the
curl
of
the
close‐set
lips
,
a
sort
of
strain
,
as
of
a
person
trying
to
inhale
a
larger
amount
of
air
,
or
to
take
in
a
larger
sight
.
In
a
second
it
was
gone
.
“
That
is
what
I
want
!
”
thought
Hamlin
;
“
the
Amazon
or
Valkyr
—
as
I
thought
.
”
“
Tell
me
why
you
care
for
Provenzano
,
”
he
went
on
,
now
much
more
interested
in
his
work
again
.
“
Because
he
was
so
proud
,
and
did
not
like
to
do
humble
things
,
”
she
answered
;
“
and
yet
he
begged
in
the
streets
for
a
ransom
for
his
friend
.
”
She
showed
no
desire
to
say
more
,
and
Hamlin
was
now
engrossed
in
his
work
.
They
exchanged
but
a
few
trivial
remarks
during
the
rest
of
the
sitting
.
The
girl
seemed
to
have
contracted
a
habit
of
silence
,
to
break
through
which
required
a
positive
effort
.
When
the
sitting
had
come
to
an
end
,
Hamlin
asked
whether
she
could
possibly
give
him
another
.
She
hesitated
.
“
If
Mrs
Perry
wishes
it
,
of
course
,
”
she
answered
.
“
Excuse
me
,
”
corrected
Hamlin
.
“
Mrs
Perry’s
consent
may
be
necessary
for
you
;
but
for
me
,
the
sitting
depends
upon
your
wishes
,
Miss
Brown
.
”
“
I
don’t
care
one
way
or
another
,
”
she
answered
hurriedly
.
Mrs
Perry
of
course
gave
her
consent
.
She
had
carefully
collected
and
pieced
the
scattered
remnants
of
yesterday’s
abortive
sketches
,
and
Hamlin
found
her
pasting
them
on
to
cardboard
.
“
Do
let
me
keep
them
,
dear
Mr
Hamlin
,
”
cried
Mrs
Perry
;
“
they
are
the
most
precious
things
I
possess
.
”
“
They
are
horrible
rubbish
;
”
and
Hamlin
rudely
tore
them
to
shreds
.
“
If
you
want
something
of
mine
,
I
will
make
you
a
sketch
of
little
Winnie
—
only
please
don’t
keep
these
fearful
things
.
”
“
Thank
you
,
thank
you
so
much
!
”
she
exclaimed
—
“
but
oh
,
mayn’t
I
keep
this
?
it
is
such
a
lovely
head
!
”
“
It’s
the
head
of
Miss
Brown
,
”
he
answered
angrily
.
“
You
don’t
care
for
it
much
on
her
shoulders
,
—
why
should
you
care
for
it
on
my
paper
—
an
abominable
caricature
?
Really
,
I
must
be
permitted
to
tear
it
up
”
—
and
he
tore
it
into
a
heap
of
little
pieces
.
The
next
day
but
one
he
had
another
sitting
from
Anne
Brown
;
and
he
was
so
pleased
with
his
drawing
,
that
he
begged
for
permission
to
finish
it
in
colours
.
During
these
additional
sittings
there
was
not
much
conversation
.
The
Dante
topic
was
perfectly
worn
to
shreds
,
till
at
last
it
seemed
as
if
it
could
be
made
to
go
no
further
.
In
despair
,
Hamlin
remembered
the
Italian
grammar
which
he
had
picked
up
together
with
the
Dante
.
“
What
do
you
want
with
an
Italian
grammer
?
”
he
asked
.
“
You
surely
don’t
require
to
study
it
yourself
,
Miss
Brown
?
”
“
I
want
to
teach
some
day
,
”
she
answered
.
“
Do
you
mean
to
teach
the
Perry
children
?
”
“
Oh
no
—
to
teach
,
to
be
a
daily
governess
,
what
we
call
a
parlatrice
here
.
It
is
not
difficult
.
The
lessons
are
all
conversation
.
Many
English
ladies
want
those
sort
of
lessons
.
I
know
a
girl
,
the
daughter
of
Mrs
Perry’s
dressmaker
,
who
gives
ten
lessons
every
day
,
and
and
gets
two
francs
a
lesson
.
”
“
Ten
lessons
a‐day
!
But
that’s
fearful
.
What
awful
slavery
!
Surely
you
don’t
want
to
do
that
?
”
“
I
wish
I
could
.
I
should
be
so
happy
.
”
“
Then
you
want
to
leave
the
Perrys
?
”
“
I
want
to
give
up
being
a
servant
.
”
Hamlin
paused
,
and
looked
at
this
superb
and
regal
creature
.
He
did
not
know
what
to
say
.
“
You
don’t
care
for
children
?
”
he
asked
at
random
.
“
I
don’t
know
.
I
don’t
care
for
these
children
,
”
she
answered
bluntly
.
“
I
thought
women
always
liked
children
.
”
She
smiled
bitterly
.
“
Oh
,
”
she
said
,
“
children
are
worse
sometimes
than
grown
people
;
and
then
one
can’t
resent
it
,
or
answer
bad
words
,
or
strike
them
,
just
because
they
are
children
.
”
“
Then
you
think
you
would
prefer
being
a
teacher
of
Italian
?
”
“
Oh
yes
,
I
must
become
that
some
day
;
I
study
when
I
have
a
little
time
.
A
teacher
talks
with
ladies
,
and
talks
about
all
sorts
of
things
.
”
“
How
do
you
mean
—
about
all
sorts
of
things
?
”
“
About
things
—
which
are
not
things
to
eat
,
or
mend
,
or
clean
,
—
about
books
,
and
places
,
and
people
.
”
Hamlin
could
not
help
smiling
.
“
Is
that
such
a
rare
pleasure
?
”
he
asked
,
thinking
not
of
the
girl
with
whom
he
was
talking
,
but
of
those
weary
æsthetic
discussions
which
he
had
left
behind
him
in
London
.
“
Miss
Curzon
used
to
talk
about
books
to
me
—
and
about
music
,
sometimes
,
”
said
the
girl
.
“
She
made
me
read
Shakespeare
with
her
.
That
is
long
,
long
ago
.
”
“
And
since
then
.
Do
you
never
talk
about
such
things
?
”
“
Never
.
”
“
Never
?
”
Anne
Brown
raised
her
eyes
quietly
.
“
Never
,
except
with
you
,
sir
.
”
Hamlin
did
not
answer
.
Towards
the
end
of
the
sitting
,
he
suddenly
looked
up
.
“
Have
you
ever
read
the
‘Vita
Nuova
,
’
Miss
Brown
?
”
he
asked
.
“
What’s
the
‘Vita
Nuova’
?
”
“
It
is
a
little
book
by
Dante
,
in
prose
and
verse
,
telling
how
he
met
Beatrice
,
and
then
how
she
died
.
It
is
much
more
beautiful
than
the
‘Divina
Commedia.’
”
She
looked
incredulous
.
“
Is
it
more
beautiful
than
Bertran
del
Bornio
,
where
he
carried
his
head
like
a
lantern
?
Or
Bocca
degli
Abati
,
where
they
all
change
into
snakes
?
Or
Cacciaguida
when
he
prophesies
about
Dante’s
exile
?
”
“
It
is
quite
different
—
all
about
beautiful
things
,
and
love
.
”
“
I
don’t
care
for
that
.
”
“
You
must
read
it
some
day
,
though
.
”
Miss
Brown
was
silent
,
and
relapsed
into
her
usual
sullen
appearance
.
“
I
say
,
Hamlin
,
old
fellow
,
”
said
Perry
,
as
they
walked
up
and
down
in
the
garden
that
evening
,
“
do
you
care
to
see
the
festival
at
Lucca
to‐morrow
?
I’m
going
to
take
the
children
in
for
a
treat
,
and
I
shall
take
Annie
too
—
for
she
never
gets
any
amusement
,
poor
girl
.
I’ve
hired
a
waggonette
—
will
you
be
of
the
party
?
”
“
Will
you
let
me
think
about
it
,
Perry
?
I
don’t
much
go
in
for
festivals
.
”
“
This
is
a
picturesque
affair
—
really
worth
seeing
.
”
“
By
the
way
,
”
asked
Hamlin
,
“
I
have
nearly
finished
my
sketch
of
Miss
Brown
,
and
I
should
like
—
I
suppose
I
ought
—
to
make
her
some
little
present
.
”
“
I
wouldn’t
,
”
answered
Melton
Perry
sharply
;
“
she’s
an
odd
girl
,
and
you
might
just
hurt
her
feelings
.
You
see
her
father
was
a
republican
,
and
that
sort
of
thing
,
so
she’s
got
all
sorts
of
notions
about
equality
and
so
forth
.
Awful
bosh
,
of
course
,
but
still
I
think
it’s
as
well
she
should
have
them
as
not
.
”
“
I
didn’t
mean
any
money
,
”
said
Hamlin
,
feeling
himself
grow
red
at
the
mere
thought
.
“
Then
,
if
you
will
run
the
risk
,
give
her
some
school‐books
.
You
know
she
wants
to
set
up
as
a
teacher
.
Grammars
—
that
sort
of
thing
.
”
Hamlin
made
a
gesture
of
disgust
.
“
Horrible
!
—
to
give
her
grammars
!
”
“
It’s
what
she
wants
.
”
“
Why
,
it
would
seem
—
well
—
it
would
be
like
encouraging
her
to
become
a
daily
governess
.
”
“
That’s
just
what
I
wish
to
do
.
”
Hamlin
did
not
answer
.
The
idea
of
Anne
Brown
giving
lessons
at
two
francs
the
hour
jarred
upon
him
.
CHAPTER
VII
.
EARLY
the
following
morning
Hamlin
was
awakened
by
the
wheels
of
the
waggonette
and
the
bells
of
the
horses
.
Then
came
the
excited
voices
of
children
;
the
sound
of
slammed
doors
and
precipitate
steps
on
the
stairs
;
and
finally
the
rattle
and
jingle
of
departure
.
He
had
declined
being
one
of
the
boisterous
expedition
to
Lucca
,
for
he
detested
children
in
general
,
and
the
little
Perrys
in
particular
;
and
a
day
in
the
empty
house
(
for
Mrs
Perry
was
going
to
see
some
friends
at
a
neighbouring
villa
)
had
seemed
to
him
delightful
.
He
opened
his
shutters
and
saw
,
in
the
crisp
pale‐blue
morning
,
the
carriage
sweeping
round
the
corner
of
a
narrow
lane
,
the
children’s
hats
,
Anne
Brown’s
red
shawl
,
the
coachman’s
grey
coat
,
brush
rapidly
along
a
tall
box
hedge
.
If
there
was
a
thing
Hamlin
hated
more
than
another
,
it
was
a
holiday
,
a
crowd
,
a
lot
of
people
on
a
jaunt
.
After
breakfast
he
went
to
the
studio
and
sat
down
before
his
sketches
of
Miss
Brown
.
They
were
unsatisfactory
,
but
they
were
as
good
as
he
could
hope
to
make
them
.
He
had
fancied
that
a
coloured
sketch
of
her
head
would
be
all
that
he
could
possibly
want
;
but
he
now
recognised
that
,
after
all
,
the
head
,
beautiful
and
singular
as
it
was
,
was
yet
the
least
part
of
the
matter
.
It
was
the
girl’s
gait
,
her
way
of
carrying
her
head
and
neck
,
her
movements
when
at
work
,
her
postures
when
in
repose
—
a
number
of
things
of
which
that
head
gave
no
indication
,
and
which
,
indeed
,
it
was
difficult
to
render
in
painting
,
since
it
was
all
movement
.
He
had
scribbled
a
few
lines
—
just
fragmentary
metaphors
and
scraps
of
description
—
suggested
to
him
by
Anne
Brown
,
and
wondered
what
use
he
would
make
of
them
;
indeed
,
what
use
he
could
make
of
Anne
Brown
altogether
.
Here
was
a
splendid
model
,
a
splendid
heroine
,
but
he
was
in
the
mood
neither
for
painting
nor
for
poetry
writing
.
He
put
a
background
of
dark
bay
trees
to
one
of
his
sketches
,
and
then
regretted
having
put
it
in
at
all
.
He
no
longer
felt
inclined
to
work
;
and
,
all
of
a
sudden
,
an
unaccountable
fancy
struck
him
to
follow
the
holiday‐makers
—
to
go
quietly
into
town
—
to
see
them
,
without
,
perhaps
,
letting
himself
be
seen
.
The
sun
was
already
high
as
he
walked
,
or
rather
waded
,
along
the
dusty
road
,
with
its
garlands
of
dust‐engrained
vines
hanging
from
tree
to
tree
on
either
side
;
its
dust‐stifled
marsh‐flowers
in
the
ditch
;
its
white
farmhouses
,
and
white
stone
heaps
,
white
upon
white
,
brilliant
,
relentlessly
white
,
under
the
deep
blue
autumn
sky
.
Before
him
the
bullock‐carts
,
with
sleepy
drivers
prostrate
on
their
back
,
moved
in
a
white
cloud
;
a
whirlwind
of
dust
was
raised
by
every
cariole
,
heavily
laden
with
singing
and
yelling
peasants
,
which
dashed
past
.
Within
sight
of
the
rampart
trees
,
like
a
pleasant
oasis
of
leafage
in
the
treeless
green
desert
of
the
town
,
the
crowd
of
vehicles
of
all
sorts
began
.
Under
the
red
brick
gate
,
with
its
statue
of
Justice
and
motto
“
Libertas
,
”
there
was
a
perfect
block
of
carts
,
gigs
,
bullocks
,
horses
,
and
screaming
country
folk
.
Hamlin
wriggled
through
,
and
slipped
along
in
the
scant
shade
of
the
narrower
streets
—
empty
and
desolate
on
that
holiday
—
ribbons
of
brilliant
light
cut
into
,
bordered
by
the
black
shadows
of
overhanging
roofs
and
balconies
.
A
great
buzz
of
voices
came
from
the
square
of
the
cathedral
;
peasants
and
townsfolk
elbowing
about
,
people
at
booths
yelling
their
wares
,
boys
screeching
on
whistles
and
trumpets
,
cathedral
bell
tolling
,
and
all
the
neighbouring
church
bells
clattering
and
jangling
.
From
the
windows
of
the
blackened
palaces
fluttered
strips
of
crimson
and
yellow
brocade
;
across
the
street
,
from
balcony
to
balcony
,
and
from
twisted
iron
torchholder
to
twisted
iron
bridle‐ring
,
were
slung
garlands
of
coloured
lamps
for
the
evening’s
illumination
;
and
in
the
midst
of
all
rose
the
cathedral
front
,
its
tiers
and
tiers
of
twisted
and
sculptured
pillarets
,
with
the
massive
grey
belfry
soaring
by
its
side
into
the
high
blue
sky
.
Hamlin
pushed
his
way
in
at
one
of
the
side
gates
;
a
rolling
of
organs
,
and
quavering
of
choir
voices
,
and
clash
of
brass
instruments
;
a
hot
mouthful
of
heavy
,
incense‐laden
atmosphere
;
a
compact
moving
human
mass
beneath
the
Gothic
arches
;
beams
of
light
flickering
among
clouds
of
dust
,
and
incense
and
taper
smoke
high
in
the
arched
nave
;
constellations
of
lights
on
altar
,
and
organ‐loft
,
and
chandelier
,
yellow
specks
in
the
mid‐day
twilight
of
the
cathedral
;
something
tawdry
,
hushed
,
unbreathable
,
and
yet
impressive
and
beautiful
.
Hamlin
gradually
made
his
way
to
the
side
of
the
altar‐steps
.
This
part
of
the
cathedral
was
full
of
women
—
provincial
great
ladies
,
and
shopkeepers’
wives
and
daughters
in
their
Sunday
clothes
,
brilliant
caricatures
of
last
year’s
Paris
fashions
—
close
packed
together
on
reserved
seats
,
enjoying
the
incense
,
the
lights
,
the
music
,
the
holiness
of
the
ceremony
,
the
clothes
of
their
neighbours
,
the
appealing
glances
of
the
young
men
in
elaborate
silk
and
alpaca
summer
coats
,
with
artistically
combed‐up
heads
of
hair
,
sucking
their
canes
all
about
the
altar
.
Hamlin’s
entry
,
however
quiet
,
was
soon
perceived
,
and
the
eyes
of
all
this
womankind
were
fixed
upon
the
sight
,
rare
in
that
country
town
,
of
an
Englishman
;
and
white
silk
bonnets
,
and
black
lace
veils
,
and
big
red
fans
,
and
fuzzy
yellow
and
smooth
black
heads
,
leant
towards
each
other
,
—
while
questions
went
round
in
a
whisper
,
who
was
the
forestiere
—
the
handsome
forestiere
—
small
,
slight
,
meagre
,
white
,
with
the
light
hair
and
moustache
,
and
that
melancholy
face
like
a
woman’s
?
Hamlin
was
quickly
bored
by
all
this
magnificence
;
jostled
to
pieces
,
stifled
by
the
heat
,
and
incense
,
and
heavy
smell
of
the
crowd
.
He
was
going
out
,
when
,
as
his
eyes
wandered
from
the
silver
and
lights
of
the
altar
,
and
the
shining
mitres
and
stoles
of
the
priests
,
to
that
sea
of
heads
and
bonnets
and
hats
in
the
nave
,
they
were
suddenly
and
unexpectedly
arrested
on
the
side
steps
of
the
high
altar
just
opposite
to
him
.
There
,
among
a
lot
of
heads
,
but
high
above
them
,
was
a
head
half
covered
with
coarse
black
lace
and
crisp
dark
hair
half
turned
away
from
him
;
a
majestic
sweep
of
cheek
and
jaw
,
a
solemn
bend
of
neck
.
A
moment
later
the
bell
tinkled
for
the
elevation
of
the
Host
,
the
organ
burst
forth
into
a
rapid
jig
,
and
the
church
was
a
sea
of
bent
heads
,
of
kneeling
and
stooping
men
and
women
.
As
the
people
suddenly
sank
like
a
wave
about
the
steps
,
there
remained
,
stranded
as
it
were
,
and
rising
conspicuous
,
the
tall
and
massive
figure
of
Miss
Brown
.
She
was
standing
on
the
altar‐steps
,
whose
orange‐red
baize
cloth
threw
up
faint
yellowish
tints
on
to
her
long
dress
of
some
kind
of
soft
white
wool
,
while
the
crimson
brocade
on
wall
and
column
formed
a
sort
of
dull
red
background
.
In
the
mixed
light
of
the
yellow
tapers
and
the
grey
incense‐laden
sunbeams
,
her
face
acquired
a
diaphanous
pallor
,
as
if
of
a
halo
surrounding
it
,
as
she
stood
,
her
hands
hanging
loosely
clasped
,
looking
calmly
upon
the
bowed‐down
crowd
below
.
One
minute
,
and
the
bell
tinkling
again
,
the
people
rose
with
a
muffled
,
shuffling
noise
,
and
hid
her
from
Hamlin
.
The
organ
and
bells
were
pealing
,
the
voices
and
violins
rising
shrill
,
the
incense
curling
up
in
grey
spirals
into
the
sunbeams
among
the
crimson
hangings
.
The
sonnet
of
Guido
Cavalcanti
,
about
the
Madonna
picture
,
enshrined
at
Or
San
Michele
behind
the
blazing
tapers
,
and
in
which
he
recognised
his
lady
,
came
into
Hamlin’s
mind
,
with
the
sound
of
the
music
and
the
fumes
of
the
incense
;
and
together
with
it
,
a
remembrance
,
a
sort
of
picture
,
hopelessly
jumbled
,
of
Laura
in
the
church
at
Avignon
that
Good
Friday
,
and
Beatrice
among
the
blazing
lights
of
the
Heavenly
Rose
.
The
Mass
was
over
,
and
people
began
to
stir
and
leave
the
cathedral
.
Why
had
she
remained
standing
while
all
the
others
had
knelt
?
Perhaps
from
some
Scotch
puritanism
;
it
was
incongruous
,
thought
Hamlin
.
But
at
the
same
time
he
felt
that
,
while
incongruous
in
one
way
—
for
she
ought
certainly
to
have
knelt
like
the
others
—
it
had
in
another
respect
completed
an
effect
;
this
disbelieving
girl
had
herself
become
,
as
it
were
,
the
Madonna
of
the
place
.
He
stood
aside
and
let
the
crowd
slowly
pass
out
.
Suddenly
he
saw
,
among
the
moving
sea
of
heads
,
the
flaxen
curls
of
the
little
Perrys
—
the
reddish
beard
of
Melton
Perry
—
the
head
,
half
covered
with
black
lace
and
towering
above
the
others
,
of
Miss
Brown
.
She
was
leading
the
two
smaller
children
,
and
looked
anxious
in
that
great
crowd
.
Up
went
one
of
the
little
yellow
heads
;
she
had
taken
the
child
in
her
arms
.
All
of
a
sudden
her
eyes
caught
those
of
Hamlin
standing
close
by
,
and
yet
separated
from
him
by
an
impassable
gulf
of
people
.
Her
own
lit
up
,
and
with
them
her
whole
face
,
in
a
smile
,
which
he
had
never
seen
before
.
At
last
,
near
the
church
door
,
the
crowd
bore
his
friends
straight
towards
him
.
“
What
!
here
after
all
!
”
cried
Perry
.
“
Up
to
some
mischief
,
you
cunning
dog
!
”
“
Up
to
the
mischief
of
watching
these
good
people’s
devotion
,
”
answered
Hamlin
.
“
Why
did
you
come
?
”
asked
the
children
eagerly
.
“
I
suppose
because
I
thought
I
should
like
to
amuse
myself
after
all
,
”
answered
Hamlin
.
They
were
out
on
the
cathedral
steps
,
in
the
full
glare
of
the
blue
sky
.
Outside
a
fountain
was
playing
,
penny
whistles
and
trumpets
shrilled
on
all
sides
,
and
the
people
at
the
stalls
shrieked
and
bellowed
out
their
wares
to
the
motley
crowd
pouring
out
of
the
church
.
The
children
cast
eyes
of
longing
upon
the
booths
,
decorated
with
tricolour
flags
and
sprigs
of
green
,
full
of
gaudy
dolls
,
and
squeaking
wooden
dogs
,
and
tin
trumpets
,
and
drums
;
upon
the
tables
,
covered
with
bottles
shaped
like
pyramids
,
and
china
men
,
and
Garibaldi
busts
,
full
of
red
and
yellow
and
green
stuff
,
and
with
piles
of
cakes
with
little
pictures
of
saints
stuck
in
the
middle
of
them
.
“
Buy
us
something
,
”
cried
the
little
ones
to
their
father
and
Hamlin
;
and
they
squeezed
through
the
crowd
,
and
began
to
hesitate
before
the
varied
splendours
of
the
fair
.
“
You
look
very
happy
,
Miss
Brown
,
”
said
Hamlin
,
as
they
were
waiting
while
the
children
made
their
choice
.
For
really
the
girl
looked
quite
radiant
,
—
an
expression
of
unwonted
happiness
,
of
freedom
and
amusement
,
shone
through
her
quiet
,
almost
solemn
,
face
,
like
sunshine
through
a
thin
film
of
mist
,
all
the
richer
for
being
half
suppressed
.
“
It
is
all
so
beautiful
,
”
she
answered
,
looking
round
at
the
square
surrounded
by
high
black
palaces
draped
with
crimson
brocade
,
and
terraces
covered
with
green
,
and
at
the
cathedral
,
carved
like
a
precious
casket
,
beneath
the
blue
sky
.
“
Not
more
beautiful
than
at
the
Villa
Arnolfini
,
surely
?
”
She
paused
.
“
No
,
not
more
beautiful
;
but
more
—
I
don’t
know
what
.
”
“
More
cheerful
?
”
She
shook
her
head
.
“
Yes
;
but
not
so
much
that
;
more
free
—
more
—
I
don’t
know
how
to
call
it
.
”
The
children
were
laden
with
lollipops
and
sixpenny
toys
.
“
Come
,
”
said
Perry
suddenly
,
very
cheerful
,
in
his
unaccustomed
freedom
from
his
better
half
,
“
you
must
choose
a
fairing
,
Annie
.
What
will
you
have
?
—
a
doll
?
—
a
beautiful
yellow
’kerchief
with
purple
flowers
,
warranted
the
very
worst
colours
in
creation
?
some
gingerbread
?
—
a
penny
whistle
?
No
,
I’m
sure
you’re
dying
for
some
literature
”
—
and
he
turned
to
a
stone
bench
under
a
palace
,
where
twopenny
books
were
piled
up
,
and
quantities
of
leaflets
of
ballads
,
and
lives
of
saints
,
and
romantic
histories
,
were
strung
to
the
wall
.
“
Oh
!
”
he
said
,
“
there’s
nothing
for
Annie
here
—
she
hates
saints
and
knights
and
poetry
;
we
must
get
her
a
book
on
the
‘Rights
of
Man
,
’
or
a
‘History
of
the
French
Revolution
,
’
at
the
bookseller’s
in
Via
Fillungo
.
But
this
is
just
what
suits
Hamlin
”
—
and
throwing
down
a
heap
of
coppers
,
he
filled
his
hands
with
printed
leaflets
.
“
The
tremendous
adventures
of
the
Giant
Ferracciù
,
”
he
read
;
“
the
lamentable
history
of
Lucia
of
Lamermoor
;
the
loves
of
Irminda
and
Astolfo
;
the
complaint
of
the
beautiful
Fair‐haired
One
,
—
these
are
the
things
for
a
poet
,
”
and
he
stuffed
them
into
Hamlin’s
pockets
.
“
Don’t
be
ridiculous
,
Melton
,
”
cried
Hamlin
.
“
Ridiculous
!
”
exclaimed
Perry
.
“
Who
talks
of
things
being
ridiculous
?
I’m
in
good
earnest
”
—
and
as
they
went
along
he
began
declaiming
,
with
appropriate
gestures
,
a
ballad
composed
by
some
printer’s
prentice
from
the
libretto
of
an
old
opera
.
The
children
shrieked
with
laughter
at
papa’s
voice
and
faces
;
and
Anne
Brown
burst
into
a
curious
subdued
laugh
,
which
,
although
scarcely
audible
,
was
extremely
childish
.
As
they
walked
along
the
narrow
crowded
streets
towards
the
inn
where
they
were
to
have
dinner
,
Perry
kept
on
ahead
with
the
two
elder
children
,
and
Hamlin
hung
back
with
Miss
Brown
and
the
two
younger
.
“
Did
you
like
the
ceremony
in
the
cathedral
,
Miss
Brown
?
”
he
asked
,
irresistibly
drawn
on
to
understand
why
she
had
not
knelt
like
the
others
.
“
It
was
very
beautiful
,
”
she
said
;
“
and
such
beautiful
vestments
!
Did
you
see
the
white
and
gold
embroidery
of
the
bishop
?
—
and
the
purple
dresses
of
the
canons
?
—
oh
,
it
was
lovely
!
But
it
makes
me
angry
to
see
such
things
.
”
“
Why
so
?
”
“
Because
it
is
dreadful
—
don’t
you
think
?
—
to
see
all
those
people
kneeling
down
and
believing
in
all
that
nonsense
.
”
“
How
do
you
know
it
is
nonsense
?
It
seems
to
me
very
beautiful
and
consoling
.
”
She
turned
her
big
grey‐blue
eyes
upon
him
.
“
You
don’t
mean
that
you
believe
in
all
that
mummery
?
”
she
asked
,
searchingly
and
reproachfully
—
“
you
who
have
studied
so
much
;
you
don’t
believe
that
they
can
make
God
come
down
with
their
mutterings
and
kneelings
?
”
“
I
don’t
believe
it
,
”
answered
Hamlin
,
with
some
embarrassment
;
“
but
I
think
it
is
very
beautiful
,
and
those
who
do
believe
in
it
are
very
happy
.
”
“
But
you
don’t
think
it
is
right
that
people
should
believe
in
falsehoods
,
and
be
the
slaves
of
wicked
priests
?
”
“
How
rabid
you
are
!
”
laughed
Hamlin
.
“
No
,
I
don’t
believe
;
but
I
like
to
see
others
believing
.
”
“
I
don’t
;
”
and
after
a
minute
she
added
,
“
Don’t
you
believe
in
anything
at
all
?
”
“
Perhaps
I
do
,
”
he
said
,
fixing
his
eyes
upon
her
.
“
I
believe
in
beauty
—
I
believe
that
is
the
one
true
thing
in
life
.
”
“
I
don’t
know
what
you
mean
,
”
she
answered
;
“
but
it
seems
to
me
dreadful
that
people
should
believe
in
priests
and
kings
,
and
all
sorts
of
lies
.
”
They
relapsed
into
silence
.
As
they
walked
along
,
Hamlin
stole
glances
at
his
companion
,
walking
stately
and
serious
like
a
saint
or
a
sibyl
by
his
side
.
He
wondered
what
this
girl
would
have
been
had
she
lived
three
or
four
centuries
back
.
All
this
common
modern
radicalism
distressed
him
in
her
—
it
had
no
colour
and
no
perfume
.
Yet
,
after
all
,
it
was
but
the
modern
accessory
instead
of
the
medieval
.
This
was
the
way
in
which
beauty
and
romance
were
wasted
nowadays
—
wasted
,
he
thought
,
half
consciously
,
yet
not
perhaps
entirely
,
since
it
went
to
make
up
a
characteristic
whole
.
Melton
Perry
took
them
to
the
chief
inn
of
the
place
for
dinner
.
He
let
each
of
the
children
choose
whatever
she
preferred
,
ordered
several
bottles
of
Asti
spumante
,
and
gave
it
them
to
drink
in
champagne‐glasses
.
The
one
or
two
furtive
English
spinsters
who
were
sipping
their
tea
and
reading
their
“
Murray
”
at
the
other
tables
of
the
huge
dining‐room
,
profusely
ornamented
with
casts
from
the
antique
,
and
with
cut‐paper
fiy‐floppers
,
looked
up
with
surprise
at
the
festive
party
headed
by
Perry
.
After
dinner
the
two
little
ones
began
to
hang
their
heads
in
the
hot
room
,
and
gave
signs
of
going
to
sleep
.
“
Good
gracious
!
”
said
Perry
,
in
a
consternation
,
“
what
are
we
to
do
with
these
wretched
infants
?
They’ll
just
prevent
our
taking
a
stroll
in
the
town
before
returning
home
.
”
“
I
think
the
best
thing
will
be
for
them
to
sleep
a
little
,
sir
,
”
suggested
Anne
Brown
.
“
I
will
tuck
them
up
on
the
sofa
,
and
stay
with
them
here
while
you
and
Mr
Hamlin
take
Miss
Mildred
and
Miss
Winnie
for
a
walk
.
”
“
But
I
can’t
think
of
leaving
you
behind
,
Annie
,
”
cried
Perry
.
,
“
I
know
how
much
you
would
like
to
see
the
town
.
”
“
I
saw
part
of
it
this
morning
,
”
she
swered
;
“
and
I
really
would
just
as
soon
stay
with
the
children
here
.
”
There
was
no
gainsaying
her
;
so
the
two
men
sallied
forth
with
the
two
elder
children
on
a
walk
through
the
crowded
and
bannered
streets
;
while
Anne
Brown
remained
sitting
in
the
stuffy
inn
dining‐room
by
the
side
of
the
torpid
little
ones
.
When
they
were
out
an
idea
suddenly
struck
Hamlin
:
this
was
the
opportunity
of
getting
a
present
for
Anne
Brown
.
He
left
Perry
regaling
the
children
on
ices
at
a
café
opposite
the
Church
of
St
Michael
,
which
rose
like
a
great
marble
bride‐cake
into
the
bright
blue
sky
,
and
made
his
way
to
a
bookstall
which
he
had
noticed
in
the
morning
.
He
asked
for
the
‘Vita
Nuova.’
The
old
bookseller
looked
over
a
number
of
little
schedules
in
his
desk
,
and
produced
several
copies
,
new
and
second‐hand
.
They
did
not
please
Hamlin
.
At
last
he
displayed
a
tiny
Giunti
volume
,
just
delicately
yellowed
by
age
,
and
bound
in
vellum
.
Hamlin
bought
it
,
and
secreted
it
in
his
pocket
,
and
then
joined
Perry
.
They
went
to
the
stable
,
where
all
the
carioles
from
the
country
put
up
,
and
ordered
the
waggonette
to
be
at
the
inn
door
in
an
hour
.
But
as
they
were
slowly
mounting
the
wide
stone
staircase
,
with
the
eternal
plaster
dancing
nymphs
tripping
it
on
each
landing
,
Perry’s
eye
fell
upon
a
large
bill
pasted
upon
the
opposite
wall
,
—
the
playbill
of
the
Teatro
del
Giglio
,
—
on
which
,
among
the
names
of
singers
,
fiddlers
,
chorus‐directors
,
scene‐painters
,
theatre
tailors
,
and
hairdressers
,
streamed
,
in
scarlet
letters
,
the
title
“
Semiramide
.
”
“
Tò
!
”
cried
Milton
Perry
,
with
the
Tuscan
expression
for
a
sudden
bright
thought
;
“
what
do
you
two
young
minxes
say
to
going
to
hear
an
opera
for
the
first
time
in
your
lives
?
”
“
Oh
,
papa
!
”
shrilled
Mildred
.
“
Oh
,
papa
!
”
echoed
Winnie
,
catching
hold
of
his
knees
—
“
Not
so
quick
!
”
exclaimed
Perry
;
“
I’m
by
no
means
so
sure
of
it
.
What’s
to
become
of
the
two
sleepy
little
worms
?
”
“
Send
them
home
with
Annie
,
”
suggested
Mildred
,
promptly
;
“
and
you’ll
take
us
home
later
.
”
“
Nothing
of
the
kind
,
my
young
woman
,
”
he
answered
sternly
.
“
If
any
one
goes
to
the
opera
it
shall
be
Annie
.
Make
up
your
mind
for
that
.
”
The
dining‐room
was
deserted
.
On
a
sofa
near
the
open
window
lay
the
two
tiny
girls
,
propped
up
with
cushions
;
Anne
Brown
,
surly
,
flopping
away
the
flies
which
buzzed
about
them
,
and
reading
a
newspaper
.
She
was
resting
the
paper
on
her
knees
,
and
supporting
her
head
with
one
hand
,
while
the
other
moved
slowly
with
the
cut‐paper
flopper
;
and
in
this
position
the
young
nursemaid
struck
Hamlin
as
a
resuscitation
,
but
more
beautiful
and
even
stranger
,
of
one
of
Michaelangelo’s
prophetic
women
.
“
I
say
,
Annie
,
”
’
cried
Perry
,
“
what
do
you
say
to
taking
these
two
brats
to
the
opera
this
evening
?
”
Anne
Brown
started
up
.
“
To
the
opera
,
sir
?
”
she
cried
,
flushing
with
pleasure
.
“
Yes
;
these
creatures
have
never
been
.
They’re
giving
‘Semiramide’
to‐night
.
I
think
it’s
a
good
opera
for
children
to
begin
with
;
because
it
will
teach
them
betimes
the
unhappy
complications
which
are
apt
to
result
from
murdering
one’s
husband
,
and
trying
to
marry
one’s
son
unawares
.
I’ll
take
the
little
ones
back
to
the
villa
in
half
an
hour
,
and
quiet
Mrs
Perry’s
feelings
.
Mr
Hamlin
will
be
delighted
to
accompany
you
and
mesdemoiselles
my
daughters
,
to
the
theatre
,
and
then
bring
you
home
.
It
won’t
last
late
.
”
“
But
,
”
exclaimed
Anne
Brown
,
—
“
oh
,
how
good
of
you
,
sir
!
—
but
are
you
sure
you
would
not
like
to
stay
for
the
opera
yourself
?
I
could
take
the
little
ones
home
.
”
“
No
,
thank
you
,
Annie
.
The
fact
is
,
I
never
have
approved
of
Rossini’s
music
.
Ever
since
my
earliest
infancy
I
have
been
shocked
by
its
want
of
earnestness
;
what
I
like
is
a
symphony
in
P
minor
,
with
plenty
of
chords
of
the
diminished
seventeenth
.
That’s
the
right
sort
of
thing
,
isn’t
it
,
Hamlin
?
”
A
few
minutes
later
Perry
went
away
with
the
two
little
girls
,
leaving
Mildred
and
Winhie
with
Anne
Brown
.
Hamlin
accompanied
them
down‐stairs
to
the
waggonette
.
“
I
will
go
to
the
theatre
and
secure
a
box
,
”
he
said
,
“
and
order
a
trap
to
take
us
back
.
”
“
All
right
!
”
cried
Perry
,
as
the
waggonette
rolled
off
.
“
Mind
you
don’t
let
those
children
bore
you
or
worry
poor
Annie
too
much
;
and
don’t
leave
them
alone
the
whole
afternoon
.
”
But
,
for
some
unaccountable
reason
,
Hamlin
did
leave
them
alone
the
whole
afternoon
.
After
he
had
secured
the
box
and
ordered
the
carriage
,
he
felt
a
sort
of
unwillingness
to
go
back
to
the
inn
,
perhaps
unconsciously
,
to
sit
opposite
the
Perrys’
nursemaid
;
so
he
walked
about
the
town
till
tea‐time
,
not
troubling
himself
to
inquire
whether
Anne
Brown
and
the
children
might
not
prefer
a
stroll
on
the
ramparts
to
the
monotony
of
sitting
for
two
mortal
hours
in
the
inn
dining‐room
.
CHAPTER
VIII
.
AT
dusk
they
hurriedly
drank
some
of
the
thin
yellow
hotel‐tea
;
and
then
hastened
to
the
theatre
across
the
twilit
street
and
square
,
where
the
garlands
of
Venetian
lanterns
were
beginning
to
shine
like
jewels
against
the
pale‐blue
evening
sky
.
Hamlin
offered
Anne
Brown
his
arm
,
but
she
asked
him
to
give
it
to
Winnie
Perry
.
“
Mildred
shall
take
mine
,
”
she
said
—
“
that’s
the
best
way
in
case
of
a
crowd
.
”
A
crowd
,
alas
!
there
was
not
;
the
liveried
theatre
servants
(
doubtless
the
same
,
in
yellow
striped
waistcoats
and
drab
gaiters
,
who
carried
out
Semiramis’s
throne
,
when
the
drop‐scene
fell
)
made
profuse
bows
to
the
little
party
,
and
handed
them
at
least
half‐a‐dozen
playbills
,
each
as
large
as
an
ordinary
flag
.
The
children
had
never
been
in
a
theatre
before
,
and
were
in
a
high
state
of
delight
at
the
lights
,
the
gilding
,
the
red
plush
,
the
scraping
of
fiddles
;
especially
at
being
in
a
box
,
although
the
box
on
this
occasion
cost
only
about
half
as
much
as
would
a
single
seat
in
an
English
playhouse
.
Gradually
the
theatre
filled
;
the
boxes
with
people
of
quality
from
surrounding
villas
,
gentlemen
displaying
an
ampleness
of
shirt‐front
,
and
ladies
an
ampleness
of
bosom
conceivable
only
by
the
provincial
mind
;
the
pit
with
townsfolk
and
officers
:
the
whole
company
staring
with
eyes
and
opera‐glasses
,
talking
,
singing
,
rapping
with
sticks
and
sabres
till
the
overture
began
to
roll
out
,
when
the
audience
immediately
set
up
a
kind
of
confused
hum
,
supposed
to
be
the
melody
of
the
piece
,
and
which
half
drowned
the
meagre
orchestra
.
Then
the
opera
began
—
an
opera
such
as
only
the
misery
and
genius
of
Italy
could
produce
.
There
was
a
triumphal
procession
of
six
ragamuffins
in
cotton
trousers
and
with
brass
kettle‐covers
on
their
heads
,
marching
round
and
round
the
stage
,
bearing
trophies
of
paper
altar‐flowers
and
coffee‐biggins
;
there
was
a
row
of
loathsome
females
,
bloated
or
fleshless
,
in
draggled
robes
too
short
or
too
long
,
shrieking
out
of
tune
in
the
queen’s
chamber
—
and
four
rapscallions
in
nightgowns
and
Tam‐o’Shanters
,
and
beards
which
would
not
stick
on
,
standing
round
the
little
spirit‐lamp
burning
in
front
of
Baal’s
statue
;
there
was
the
little
black
leathern
portmanteau
containing
the
Babylonian
regalia
,
which
a
nigger
with
a
black‐crape
face
carried
after
the
Prince
Arsaces
;
and
there
was
the
“
magnificent
apartment
in
the
palace
of
Nineveh
,
disclosing
a
delicious
view
of
the
famous
hanging
gardens
,
”
as
described
by
the
libretto
,
and
furnished
solely
with
a
rush‐bottomed
chair
and
a
deal
table
,
the
table‐cloth
of
which
was
so
short
that
Semiramis
was
obliged
to
lean
her
arm
on
it
to
prevent
its
slipping
off
,
which
,
however
,
it
finally
did
.
Moreover
,
an
incalculable
amount
of
singing
out
of
tune
and
pummelling
one’s
chest
in
moments
of
passion
.
No
training
,
no
dresses
,
no
scenery
,
no
orchestra
.
Still
in
this
miserable
performance
there
was
an
element
of
beauty
and
dignity
,
a
something
in
harmony
with
the
grand
situation
and
glorious
music
:
a
splendidly
made
Semiramis
,
quite
regal
in
her
tawdry
robes
,
who
showered
out
volleys
of
roulades
as
a
bird
might
shower
out
its
trills
;
another
young
woman
,
plain
,
tall
,
and
slight
,
playing
the
prince
in
corselet
and
helmet
,
with
quite
magnificent
attitudes
of
defiance
and
command
,
with
bare
extended
arm
and
supple
wrist
.
The
two
girls
who
played
the
principal
parts
were
sisters
,
and
although
they
had
certainly
never
sung
much
with
a
teacher
,
they
must
have
sung
a
great
deal
together
;
and
their
voices
and
style
melted
into
each
other
quite
as
if
it
were
all
a
spontaneous
effusion
on
their
part
.
All
the
realities
which
money
can
get
,
dress
,
voice
,
training
,
accessories
,
scenery
,
utterly
wanting
;
but
instead
,
in
the
midst
of
pauperism
,
something
which
money
cannot
always
get
,
a
certain
ideal
beauty
and
charm
.
Anne
Brown
was
intensely
interested
in
the
performance
;
indeed
,
quite
as
much
so
,
though
in
another
way
,
as
the
children
.
During
the
intervals
between
the
acts
,
she
could
speak
of
nothing
but
the
story
of
Semiramis
,
and
wonder
what
would
happen
next
.
Hamlin
could
scarcely
help
laughing
at
the
concern
which
she
manifested
each
time
that
the
hero
Arsace
was
bullied
by
the
wicked
Assur
;
but
he
could
not
laugh
at
the
tragic
way
in
which
she
conceived
the
whole
situation
.
To
him
all
that
florid
music
of
Rossini
would
already
have
destroyed
any
seriousness
there
might
have
been
in
the
matter
;
but
to
Anne
Brown
it
seemed
as
if
all
these
splendid
vocalisations
took
the
place
of
the
visible
pomp
and
magnificence
of
Assyrian
royalty
:
for
her
the
heroes
and
heroines
,
the
magi
and
satraps
,
were
clad
,
not
in
the
calico
and
tinsel
of
the
theatre
tailor
,
but
in
the
musical
splendours
of
Rossini
.
Hamlin
,
to
say
the
truth
,
found
the
performance
very
wearisome
;
he
had
been
bored
by
Semiramide
too
often
with
Tietiens
and
Trebelli
,
to
find
it
particularly
interesting
at
the
Teatro
del
Giglio
of
Lucca
.
He
sat
looking
on
listlessly
,
not
so
much
at
the
stage
as
at
the
girl
who
was
leaning
out
of
the
box
before
him
,
watching
each
movement
of
her
hand
and
neck
,
as
she
devoured
the
performance
with
eyes
and
ears
.
But
when
at
last
there
came
the
grand
scene
between
Semiramis
and
her
son
,
whatsoever
was
good
in
the
performance
suddenly
burst
forth
;
the
two
young
women
sang
with
a
sort
of
spontaneous
passion
,
a
delight
in
the
music
and
their
own
voices
and
themselves
;
and
when
,
Semiramis
having
let
down
her
back
hair
(
as
distressed
heroines
always
do
)
from
utter
despair
,
Prince
Arsaces
,
not
to
be
outdone
,
pulled
off
his
helmet
,
letting
down
his
or
her
back
hair
also
,
and
the
two
sank
into
each
other’s
arms
and
began
the
great
duet
,
even
Hamlin
felt
in
a
kind
of
way
that
this
was
passionate
,
and
tragic
,
and
grand
.
Anne
Brown
was
seated
sidewise
in
the
front
of
the
box
,
resting
her
mass
of
iron‐black
hair
on
her
hand
,
her
other
hand
lying
loosely
on
her
knees
.
Her
chest
heaved
under
her
lace
mantilla
,
and
her
parted
lips
quivered
.
It
seemed
to
Hamlin
as
if
this
were
the
real
Semiramis
,
the
real
mysterious
king‐woman
of
antiquity
—
as
if
the
music
belonged
in
some
sort
of
ideal
way
to
her
.
When
the
curtain
had
fallen
amid
the
yells
of
applause
,
she
remained
silent
,
letting
Hamlin
help
her
on
with
her
shawl
without
turning
her
eyes
from
the
stage
.
The
lights
were
rapidly
put
out
.
“
We
must
go
,
Miss
Brown
,
”
cried
Hamlin
,
“
otherwise
we
shall
be
left
in
the
dark
.
”
She
turned
,
took
little
Winnie
by
the
hand
,
and
followed
him
,
who
led
the
elder
Perry
child
,
prattling
loudly
,
to
the
stairs
.
There
was
a
great
crowd
going
down
,
whistling
and
humming
tunes
from
the
opera
.
From
the
force
of
habit
Hamlin
again
offered
Anne
Brown
his
arm
.
But
instead
of
accepting
it
,
she
,
so
to
speak
,
rapidly
plucked
little
Winnie
from
the
ground
,
and
raised
her
in
her
arms
as
if
she
were
a
feather
.
“
Please
let
me
carry
that
child
,
”
cried
Hamlin
.
“
Oh
no
,
”
she
answered
quietly
.
“
I
don’t
mind
carrying
her
at
all
;
but
she’s
too
heavy
for
you
,
sir
.
”
Out
in
the
square
the
carriage
was
awaiting
them
in
the
bright
starlight
,
where
the
red
and
green
lamps
were
already
dying
out
among
the
plane‐trees
.
In
a
minute
they
were
rattling
through
the
narrow
streets
,
and
out
of
the
town
by
the
dark
tree‐masses
of
the
bastions
