, if that's what mother would call your "mental
standpoint," I'm a little sorry for Miss Crevequer. It will be an
embarrassing sitting--except that I can't quite imagine either of you
embarrassed.... Personally, you know, they amuse me quite a lot.'

'Oh, well, as to that----' The twinkle came to the front of the grey
eyes.

* * * * *

The Crevequers, lounging about Santa Lucia that evening, had their own
comments to make. They were a little puzzled.

'Why _not_ be a Catholic?' Tommy pondered, with knitted forehead. 'What
else should a man be? Why is it funnier than to be a heretic, or a Jew,
or a Buddhist? Perhaps those things _are_ interesting, though, if once
one begins thinking about them. We aren't interested in enough things,
Betty. Let's study agnostics, and begin with Mrs. Venables. We'll ask
her how she feels in church, and say "this is most impressive," as she
does. Do agnostics go to church, at least?'

'She does. She watches the devout worshippers. We must think of some
nice striking things to tell her, Tommy. She likes that, and we ought to
do it, as they've been so kind to us--about how the contadini round Baja
still pray to Pan, and things of that sort, that foreigners always like
to hear. Would she take that, do you think? No, not quite,
perhaps--rather risky. It was very nice of them to lend us both money;
and they won't be in a hurry, I should think. I shall rather like to sit
to Miss Varley; she's nice to look at, don't you think? She doesn't say
very much, but then I can do that.'

'Well, I call them all rather decent,' Tommy said.

They stood for a little and listened to the soft sound of the little
night waves scraping the shingle, and looked over the still, dark bay,
cut across by the golden road of the three-quarter moon, to where the
pine-shaped column above Vesuvius hung and blazed intermittently.

'Something ominous in that sign that the sleeping monster still lives,'
murmured Betty. Then, in answer to a questioning stare, 'Not my
own--Mrs. Venables. Tommy, I'm sleepy; let's go to bed.'

'No,' said Tommy--'supper at Brunati's. We'll find some one to have it
with us.'

Betty looked dubious.

'To-morrow, don't you think? We really did have such a splendid
lunch....'

'To-night,' said Tommy recklessly. 'They must have had tea just after we
left them, and dinner after that, and I expect they eat more at it than
they did at lunch. We're as good as they are,