V

A large parcel addressed to Miss Agar was brought to the house a few
weeks later. Olive was out giving a lesson when it came, and Gemma
turned it over, examining the post-mark and the writing.

"Shall I open it and see what is inside? She would never know."

Carmela was horrified. "How can you think of such a thing!"

"Besides, it is sealed," added Maria.

These two liked their cousin well enough, and when they wished to
tease the Odalisque they called her "_carina_" and praised her fresh
prettiness. It was always so easy to make Gemma angry, and lately she
had been more capricious and difficult than ever. Her sisters were
continually trying to excuse her.

"She is so nervous," Maria said loyally, but her paraphrase availed
nothing. Olive understood her cousin and disliked her extremely,
though she accorded her a reluctant admiration.

She came in now with her books--an English grammar and a volume of
translations--under her arm, and seeing that Gemma was watching her,
she took her parcel with a carefully expressionless phrase of thanks
to Carmela, who was anxious to cut the string, and carried it into her
room unopened. It was the tea-basket Jean Avenel had promised her. She
read the enclosed note, however, before she looked at it.

"I am going to America and then to Russia. Do not quite
forget me. If ever you need anything write to my
brother, Hilaire Avenel, Villa Fiorelli, Settignano,
near Florence, and he will serve you for my sake as he
would for your own if he knew you. I think I have played
better since I have known you, my rose. One must suffer
much before one can express the divine sorrow of Chopin.
I said I would not write, but some promises are made to
be broken. Can you forgive me?

"JEAN AVENEL."

America and Russia ... the divine sorrow of Chopin ... I have played
better.... He was a pianist then, and surely a great one. Olive
remembered the slender brown hands that had seemed to her so supple
and so strong. But the name of Avenel was strange to her, and she was
sure she had never seen it on posters, or in the papers and magazines
that chronicle the doings of musical celebrities.

She took the tea-things out of the basket one by one and looked at
them with pleasure. The sugar box and the caddy and the spoon were
all of silver, and engraved with her initials, and the cup and saucer
were painted with garlands of pale roses.

Tears