breaking her heart and mine? Is wine more to you than we are? O father,
father! let us go home to America, and quit all these people and
associations that make it so hard for you to be yourself. I want you to
be your dear old self, father! Your dear self, that I love"----

Dolly's voice was choked, and she sobbed. Mr. Copley was not quite
insensible. He was silent a good while, hearing her sobs, and then he
groaned; a groan partly of real feeling, partly, I am afraid, of desire
to have the scene ended; the embarrassment and the difficulty disposed
of and behind him. But he thought it had been an expression of deeper
feeling solely.

"I'll do anything you like, my dear child," he said. "Only stop crying.
You break my heart."

"Father, will you really do something if I ask you?"

"Anything! Only stop crying so."

"Then, father, write and sign it, that you will not ever touch wine.
Rupert and I have taken such a pledge already."

"What is the use of writing and signing? I don't see. A man can let it
alone without that."

"He can, if he wants to let it alone; but if he is very much tempted,
then the pledge is a help."

"What did you and Rupert do such a thing as that for?"

"I wanted to save him."

"Make _him_ take the pledge, then. Why you?"

"How could I ask him to do what I would not do myself? But I've done
it, father; now will you join us?"

"Pshaw!" said Mr. Copley, displeased. "Now you have incapacitated
yourself from appearing as others do in society. How would you refuse,
if you were asked to drink wine with somebody at a dinner-table?"

"Very easily. I should think all women would refuse," said Dolly.
"Father, will you join us, and let us all be unfashionable and happy
together?"

"Did St. Leger pledge himself?"

"I have not asked him."

"Well, I will if he will."

"For him, father, and not for me?" said Dolly.

"Ask him," said Mr. Copley. "I'll do as he does."

"Father, you might set an example to him."

"I'll let him set the example for me," said Mr. Copley rising. And
Dolly could get no further.

But it was settled that they were to leave Venice. What was to be
gained by this step Dolly did not quite know; yet it was a step, that
was something. It was something, too, to get out of the neighbourhood
of that wine-shop, of which Dolly thought with horror. What might await
them in Rome she did not know; at least the bonds of habit in
connection with a particular locality would be broke