te the letter from Rome, published a few weeks ago?"

The Interviewer was in what he would call a tight place. However, he had
found that his man was too much for him, and saw that the best thing
he could do was to submit to be interviewed himself. He thought that he
should be able to pick up something or other which he could work into
his report of his visit.

"Well, I--prepared that article for our columns. You know one does not
have to see everything he describes. You found it accurate, I hope, in
its descriptions?"

"Yes, Murray is generally accurate. Sometimes he makes mistakes, but I
can't say how far you have copied them. You got the Ponte Molle--the old
Milvian bridge--a good deal too far down the stream, if I remember. I
happened to notice that, but I did not read the article carefully. May
I ask whether you propose to do me the honor of reporting this visit
and the conversation we have had, for the columns of the newspaper with
which you are connected?"

The Interviewer thought he saw an opening. "If you have no objections,"
he said, "I should like very much to ask a few questions." He was
recovering his professional audacity.

"You can ask as many questions as you consider proper and discreet,
--after you have answered one or two of mine: Who commissioned you to
submit me to examination?"

"The curiosity of the public wishes to be gratified, and I am the humble
agent of its investigations."

"What has the public to do with my private affairs?"

"I suppose it is a question of majority and minority. That settles
everything in this country. You are a minority of one opposed to a large
number of curious people that form a majority against you. That is the
way I've heard the chief put it."

Maurice could not help smiling at the quiet assumption of the American
citizen. The Interviewer smiled, too, and thought he had his man, sure,
at last. Maurice calmly answered, "There is nothing left for minorities,
then, but the right of rebellion. I don't care about being made the
subject of an article for your paper. I am here for my pleasure, minding
my own business, and content with that occupation. I rebel against your
system of forced publicity. Whenever I am ready I shall tell the public
all it has any right to know about me. In the mean time I shall request
to be spared reading my biography while I am living. I wish you a
good-morning."

The Interviewer had not taken out his note-book and pencil. In his nex