re expressive than any violent
demonstration. Cranbrook saw all this in the antique relief, but found
it but feebly, and, as it were, stammeringly rendered in the girl's
drawing. The lines were firmly and accurately traced and the
proportions were approximately correct; but the deeper sentiment of
the group had evidently escaped her, and the exquisite delicacy of
modelling she had not even attempted to imitate. Cranbrook had in his
heart to admit that he was disappointed. He feared that it was rude
to return the board without a word of favorable comment, but he
disdained to resort to any of those ingenious evasions which serve so
conveniently as substitutes for definite judgments. The girl, in the
meanwhile, stood looking into his face with an air of frank curiosity.
It was not his opinion of her work, however, which puzzled her. She
had never been accustomed to flattery, and had no idea of claiming a
merit which she was well aware did not belong to her. She seemed
rather to be wondering what manner of man her critic might be, and
whether it would be safe to appeal to him for information on some
subjects which lay beyond the reach of her own faculties.

"Signore," she began at last, a little hesitatingly, "I suppose you
are a learned man who has read many books. Perhaps you know who that
man is with the big helmet. And the maiden there with the bare feet,
standing between the men--who is she? She looks sad, I think, and yet
the large man who seems to be waiting for her is well made and
handsome, and his garments appear to be precious. His shield is finely
wrought, and I am sure he must be a man of great dignity."

"You are right," responded Cranbrook, to whom her guileless talk was
highly entertaining.

"He is a king, and his name is Agamemnon. By nationality he is a
Greek--"

"Ah, then I know why the girl is sad," she interrupted, eagerly. "The
Greeks are all thieves, Padre Gregorio says; they all steal and lie,
and they are not of the true faith. The padre has been in the Greek
land and he knows their bad ways."

"The padre probably means the modern Greeks. I know very little about
them. But the ancient Greeks were the noblest nation the world has
ever seen."

"Is it possible? And what did they do that was so great and noble?
_Sanctissima!_ the greatest nation the world has ever seen!"

These exclamations were uttered in a tone of sincere surprise which to
Cranbrook was very amusing. The conversation was now