mense heritage of more or less aggressive
traditions--he reflected that the matrimonial conjunction of his two
companions might be sufficiently prolific in incident.

"You are going to Naples?" Rowland said to the prince by way of
conversation.

"We are going to Paris," Christina interposed, slowly and softly.
"We are going to London. We are going to Vienna. We are going to St.
Petersburg."

Prince Casamassima dropped his eyes and fretted the earth with the point
of his umbrella. While he engaged Rowland's attention Christina turned
away. When Rowland glanced at her again he saw a change pass over her
face; she was observing something that was concealed from his own eyes
by the angle of the church-wall. In a moment Roderick stepped into
sight.

He stopped short, astonished; his face and figure were jaded, his
garments dusty. He looked at Christina from head to foot, and then,
slowly, his cheek flushed and his eye expanded. Christina returned his
gaze, and for some moments there was a singular silence. "You don't look
well!" Christina said at last.

Roderick answered nothing; he only looked and looked, as if she had been
a statue. "You are no less beautiful!" he presently cried.

She turned away with a smile, and stood a while gazing down the valley;
Roderick stared at Prince Casamassima. Christina then put out her hand
to Rowland. "Farewell," she said. "If you are near me in future,
don't try to see me!" And then, after a pause, in a lower tone, "I was
sincere!" She addressed herself again to Roderick and asked him some
commonplace about his walk. But he said nothing; he only looked at
her. Rowland at first had expected an outbreak of reproach, but it was
evident that the danger was every moment diminishing. He was forgetting
everything but her beauty, and as she stood there and let him feast upon
it, Rowland was sure that she knew it. "I won't say farewell to you,"
she said; "we shall meet again!" And she moved gravely away. Prince
Casamassima took leave courteously of Rowland; upon Roderick he bestowed
a bow of exaggerated civility. Roderick appeared not to see it; he
was still watching Christina, as she passed over the grass. His eyes
followed her until she reached the door of her inn. Here she stopped and
looked back at him.

CHAPTER XIII. Switzerland

On the homeward walk, that evening, Roderick preserved a silence which
Rowland allowed to make him uneasy. Early on the morrow Roderick,
saying n