ly; and some fine morning what you
look for won't be there."

CHAPTER XXV.

CHRISTMAS EVE.

Christmas Eve came, and Rupert attended Dolly to the Piazza di Spagna,
where her friends had apartments in a great hotel. Dolly was quite
prepared to enjoy herself; the varied delights of the foregoing days
had lifted her out of the quiet, patient mood of watchful endurance
which of late had been chronic with her, and her spirits were in a flow
and stir more fitted to her eighteen years. She was going through the
streets of Rome! the forms of the ages rose before her mind's eye
continually, and before her bodily eye appeared here and there tokens
and remains which were like the crumblings of those ages; tangible
proofs that once they had been, and that Rome was still Rome. Dolly
drew breaths of pleasure as she and Rupert walked along.

"You are going to stay all night?" said Rupert.

"Yes, they want me."

"And they have asked nobody but you?" said Rupert, who was not
conventional.

"They wanted nobody but me. It is not a party; it is my old
school-friend only, who wants to show me her future husband."

Rupert grunted his intelligence, and at the same time his
mystification. "What for?" he asked. And Dolly laughed.

"I don't know! It is natural, I suppose, to some people. Here we are.
Good night."

The Thayers were very well lodged indeed. Dolly found herself in really
charming rooms, well furnished and well lighted. She was joyfully
received, and Christina led her forthwith through saloon and
dining-room to the sanctuary of her own chamber. A certain feeling of
contrast began to fall upon Dolly already, Christina looked so very
fresh and fair and well kept; the lightest veil of anxiety had never
shadowed her bloom; the most remote cloud of embarrassment or need had
never risen on her horizon. Careless, happy, secure, her mind knew no
burden. It made Dolly feel the pressure of her own; and yet she was
glad, for a little, to get into this atmosphere of peace and
confidence, and enjoy it even by the contrast. Christina's room looked
like a curiosity shop. It was littered with recent purchases; all sorts
of pretty things, useful and useless.

"One cannot help buying," she said, excusing herself. "I see something
at every step that I want; and I must get it when I see it, or I may
never see it again, you know. It is great fun, but sometimes I almost
get tired. Here, dear, I can lay your things here. Isn't my fire ni