he operas are
generally from the Middle Ages."

"The chorus _always_," said Baker.

"It is a pity you cannot see the old mansion of the Princes," said Mrs.
Clary. "But I see the street is blockaded just now by the artist."

"By the artist?" said Janet.

"Yes; this one, a Frenchman, is rather broad-shouldered, and when he is
at work he blockades the street. However, the mansion is not especially
interesting; it was built by one of the later Princes with the stones of
the ruined castle above, and has, I believe, only a vaulted hallway and
one or two marble pillars. It is now a lodging-house. I saw dancing-dogs
going up the stairway yesterday."

From the Rue Longue we had turned into a labyrinth of crooked,
staircase-like lanes, winding here and there from side to side, but
constantly ascending, the whole net-work, owing to the number of arches
thrown across above, seeming to be half underground, but in reality a
honey-combed erection clinging to the steep hill-side.

"Dancing-dogs!" said Janet, pausing in the darkest of these turnings.
"Let us go back and see them."

But we all exclaimed against this; Mrs. Trescott's little old feet were
wearied with curling over the round stones, and Margaret was tired.
Inness and Baker offered to make dancing-dogs of themselves for the
remainder of the morning, and dogs, too, of a very superior quality, if
she would only go on.

The Professor, who, in his "winnowing progress," as Mrs. Trescott
called it, had fallen behind, now joined us, followed by Miss Graves.

"I have just witnessed a remarkably interesting little ceremony," he
began, "quite mediaeval--a herald, with his trumpet, making an
announcement through the streets. I could not comprehend all he said,
but no doubt it was something of importance to the community."

"It was," said Miss Graves's monotonous voice. "He was telling them that
excellent sausage-meat was now to be obtained at a certain shop for a
price much lower than before."

"Ah," said the Professor. Then, rallying, he added, "But the ceremony
was the same."

"Certainly," I said, with my usual unappreciated benevolence.

"I wonder what induced these people to build their houses upon such a
crag as this, when they had the whole sunny coast to choose from?" said
Janet.

The Professor, charmed with this idle little speech (which he took for a
thirst for knowledge), hastened by several of us as we walked in single
file, in order to be nearer to the que