n. And Venice was
grown odious to her.

CHAPTER XXIV.

PAST GREATNESS.

They went to Rome.

Dolly had little comfort from her conversation with her father. She
turned over in her mind his offer to quit wine if St. Leger would do
the same. St. Leger would not give any such pledge, Dolly was very
clearly aware; except, indeed, she paid him for it with another pledge
on her part. With such a bribe she believed he would do it, or anything
else that might be asked of him. Smooth and quiet as the young
gentleman was outwardly, he had a power of self-will; as was shown by
his persistence in following her. Dolly was obliged to confess that his
passion was true and strong. If she would have him, no doubt, at least
she believed there was no doubt, Lawrence would agree to be
unfashionable and drink no more wine to the day of his death for her
sake. If he agreed to that, her father would agree to it; both of them
would be saved from that danger. Dolly pondered. Ought she to pay the
price? Should she sacrifice herself, and be the wife of a rich banker,
and therewith keep her father and all of them from ruin? Very soberly
Dolly turned the whole thing over in her mind; back and forward; and
always she was certain on one point,--that she did not want to be
Lawrence's wife; and to her simple, childlike perceptions another thing
also seemed clear; that it is a bad way to escape one wrong by doing
another. She always brought up with that. And so, she could not venture
and did not venture to attack Lawrence on the wine question. She knew
it would be in vain.

Meanwhile, they were in Rome. Two of the gentlemen being skilled
travellers, they had presently secured a very tolerable apartment; not
in the best situation, indeed, but so neither was it of the most
expensive sort; and clubbing their resources, were arranged comfortably
enough to feel quite at home. And immediately Dolly began to use her
advantage and see Rome. Mrs. Copley had no curiosity to see anything;
all her wish was to sit at her window or by her fire and talk to her
husband; and as Mr. Copley shared her lack of enterprise and something
withheld him from seeking either gambling or drinking-shops, Dolly
could go out with an easy mind, and give herself undividedly to the
intense enjoyment of the place and the time. Yes, undividedly; for she
was eighteen, and at eighteen one has a power of, for a time, throwing
off trouble. Trouble was on her, she knew; and, neverthel