mbling in her
hand.

There was silence for some moments, and then from without, muffled by
the walls it passed through, there came the sound of voices. The nuns
and children of Trinita de' Monti were singing their Benediction--_Ora
pro nobis!_

"I don't think I'll do any more to-day," said Roma. "The light is
failing me, and my eyes...."

"The day after to-morrow, then," said Rossi, rising.

"But do you really wish to go to the opera to-morrow night?"

He looked steadfastly into her face and answered "Yes."

She understood him perfectly. He had sinned against her and he meant to
atone. She could not trust herself to look at him, so she took the damp
cloth and turned to cover up the clay. When she turned back he was gone.

After dinner she replied to the Baron's letter of the day before.

"DEAR BARON,--I have misgivings about being on the right track,
and feel sorry you have set Minghelli to work so soon. Do Prime
Ministers appoint people at the mere mention of their names by
wards, second cousins, and lady friends generally? Wouldn't it
have been wise to make inquiries? What was the fault for which
Minghelli was dismissed in London?

"As for D. R., I must have been mistaken about his knowing me. He
doesn't seem to know me at all, and I believe his shot at me by
way of my father was a fluke. At all events, I'm satisfied that it
is going in the wrong direction to set Minghelli on his trail.
_Leave him to me alone._--Yours, ROMA.

"P.S.--Princess Potiphar and Don Saint Joseph are to take me to
the new opera to-morrow night. D. R. is also to be there, so he
will be seen with me in public!

"I have begun work on King David for a bust. He is not so
wonderfully good-looking when you look at him closely."

IV

The little Princess called for Roma the following night, and they drove
to the opera in her magnificent English carriage. Already the theatre
was full and the orchestra was tuning up. With the movement of people
arriving and recognising each other there was an electrical atmosphere
which affected everybody. Don Camillo came, oiled and perfumed, and when
he had removed the cloaks of the ladies and they took their places in
the front of the box, there was a slight tingling all over the house.
This pleased the little Princess immensely, and she began to sweep the
place with her opera-gla