emember our visit to Castello. You thought it
a strange caprice of mine to ask the lawyer whether, now that all
was finally settled between us, I might be permitted to see the
house--which, as the family had left, could be done without any
unpleasantness. I believe my request amused _him_ as much as it did
_you_; he thought it a strange caprice, but he saw no reason to
refuse it, and I saw he smiled as he sat down to write the note to the
housekeeper. I have no doubt that he thought, 'It is a gambler's whim;'
he wants to see the stake he played for, and what he might perhaps have
won had he had courage to play out the game.' _You_ certainly took that
view of it."

The other muttered something like a half assent, and the former speaker
continued, "And you were both of you wrong. I wanted to see the finished
picture of which I possessed the sketch--the beautiful Flora--whose
original was my grandmother. I cannot tell you the intense longing I had
to see the features that pertained to one who belonged to me; a man must
be as utterly desolate as I am, to comprehend the craving I felt to have
something--anything that might stand to me in place of family. It was
this led me to Castello, and it was this that made me, when I crossed
the threshold, indifferent to all the splendors of the place, and only
occupied with one thought, one wish--to see the fresco in the Octagon
Tower--poor old Giacomo's great work--the picture of his beautiful
daughter. And was she not beautiful? I ask you, Philip, had Raphael
himself ever such a model for sweetness of expression? Come, come. You
were just as wild as myself in your enthusiasm as you stood before her;
and it was only by a silly jest that you could repress the agitation you
were so ashamed of."

"I remember I told you that the family had terribly degenerated since
her day."

"And yet you tried to trace a likeness between us."

"You won't say that I succeeded," said he, with a laugh.

"It was then as I stood there gazing on her, thinking of her sad story,
that I bethought me what an ignoble part it was I played to compromise
the rights that she had won, and how unworthy I was to be the descendant
of the beautiful Enrichetta."

"You are about the only man I ever met who was in love with his
grandmother."

"Call it how you like, her lovely face has never left me since I saw it
there."

"And yet your regret implies that you are only sorry not to have made a
better bargain."

"N