ge now," said Madame Grandoni, less analytically,
"has the advantage that it takes her away from her--parents!"

This lady's farther comments upon the event are not immediately
pertinent to our history; there were some other comments of which
Rowland had a deeply oppressive foreboding. He called, on the evening
of the morrow upon Mrs. Hudson, and found Roderick with the two
ladies. Their companion had apparently but lately entered, and Rowland
afterwards learned that it was his first appearance since the writing of
the note which had so distressed his mother. He had flung himself upon
a sofa, where he sat with his chin upon his breast, staring before him
with a sinister spark in his eye. He fixed his gaze on Rowland, but gave
him no greeting. He had evidently been saying something to startle the
women; Mrs. Hudson had gone and seated herself, timidly and imploringly,
on the edge of the sofa, trying to take his hand. Miss Garland was
applying herself to some needlework with conscious intentness.

Mrs. Hudson gave Rowland, on his entrance, a touching look of gratitude.
"Oh, we have such blessed news!" she said. "Roderick is ready to leave
Rome."

"It 's not blessed news; it 's most damnable news!" cried Roderick.

"Oh, but we are very glad, my son, and I am sure you will be when you
get away. You 're looking most dreadfully thin; is n't he, Mr. Mallet?
It 's plain enough you need a change. I 'm sure we will go wherever you
like. Where would you like to go?"

Roderick turned his head slowly and looked at her. He had let her take
his hand, which she pressed tenderly between her own. He gazed at
her for some time in silence. "Poor mother!" he said at last, in a
portentous tone.

"My own dear son!" murmured Mrs. Hudson in all the innocence of her
trust.

"I don't care a straw where you go! I don't care a straw for anything!"

"Oh, my dear boy, you must not say that before all of us here--before
Mary, before Mr. Mallet!"

"Mary--Mr. Mallet?" Roderick repeated, almost savagely. He released
himself from the clasp of his mother's hand and turned away, leaning
his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands. There was a
silence; Rowland said nothing because he was watching Miss Garland. "Why
should I stand on ceremony with Mary and Mr. Mallet?" Roderick presently
added. "Mary pretends to believe I 'm a fine fellow, and if she believes
it as she ought to, nothing I can say will alter her opinion. Mallet
knows I