ean. His
hands were of the student type--white, square at the tips, lean, and
somewhat knotty.

Marzio, in his ill-humour, had no doubt flattered himself that his
family would wait for him for supper. But his family had studied him and
knew his ways. When he was not punctual, he seldom came at all, and a
quarter of an hour was considered sufficient to decide the matter.

"What are we waiting to do?" exclaimed Maria Luisa, in the odd Italian
idiom. "Marzio is in his humours--he must have gone to his friends. Ah!
those friends of his!" she sighed. "Let us sit down to supper," she
added; and, from her tone, the idea of supper seemed to console her for
her husband's absence.

"Perhaps he guessed that I was coming," remarked Don Paolo, with a
smile. "In that case he will be a little nervous with me when he comes
back. With your leave, Maria Luisa," he added, by way of announcing that
he would say grace. He gave the short Latin benediction, during which
Gianbattista never looked away from Lucia's face. The boy fancied she
was never so beautiful as when she stood with her hands folded and her
eyes cast down.

"Marzio does not know what I have come for," began Don Paolo again, as
they all sat down to the square table in the little room. "If he knew,
perhaps he might have been here--though perhaps he would not care very
much after all. You all ask what it is? Yes; I will tell you. His
Eminence has obtained for me the canonry that was vacant at Santa Maria
Maggiore--"

At this announcement everybody sprang up and embraced Don Paolo, and
overwhelmed him with congratulations, reproaching him at the same time
for having kept the news so long to himself.

"Of course, I shall continue to work with the Cardinal," said the
priest, when the family gave him time to speak. "But it is a great
honour. I have other news for Marzio--"

"I imagine that you did not count upon the canonry as a means of
pleasing him," remarked the Signora, Pandolfi, with a smile.

"No, indeed," laughed Lucia. "Poor papa--he would rather see you sent to
be a curate in Civita Lavinia!"

"Dear me! I fear so," answered Don Paolo, with a shade of sadness. "But
I have a commission for him. The Cardinal has ordered another crucifix,
which he desires should be Marzio's masterpiece--silver, of course, and
large. It must be altogether the finest thing he has ever made, when it
is finished."

"I daresay he will be very much pleased," said Maria Luisa, smiling
c