Klavier'--all to no purpose, for I can't play a note of it now, and
shouldn't care to if I could. I consider Bach a dreadful old bore,
though I know it is heresy to say so. Even Beethoven is occasionally
prosy, only no one will be courageous enough to admit it. People would
rather go to sleep over classical music than confess they don't like
it."

"Schubert would have been a grander master than Beethoven, if he had
only lived long enough," said Zara; "but I dare say very few will agree
with me in such an assertion. Unfortunately most of my opinions differ
from those of everyone else."

"You should say FORTUNATELY, madame," said Colonel Everard, bowing
gallantly; "as the circumstance has the happy result of making you
perfectly original as well as perfectly charming."

Zara received this compliment with her usual sweet equanimity, and we
rose to take our leave. As we were passing out, Amy Everard drew me
back and crammed into the pocket of my cloak a newspaper.

"Read it when you are alone," she whispered; "and you will see what
Raffaello Cellini has done with the sketch he made of you."

We parted from these pleasant Americans with cordial expressions of
goodwill, Zara reminding them of their engagement to visit her at her
own home next day, and fixing the dinner-hour for half-past seven.

On our return to the Hotel Mars, we found Heliobas in the drawing-room,
deep in converse with a Catholic priest--a fine-looking man of
venerable and noble features. Zara addressed him as "Father Paul," and
bent humbly before him to receive his blessing, which he gave her with
almost parental tenderness. He seemed, from his familiar manner with
them, to be a very old friend of the family.

On my being introduced to him, he greeted me with gentle courtesy, and
gave me also his simple unaffected benediction. We all partook of a
light luncheon to-gether, after which repast Heliobas and Father Paul
withdrew together. Zara looked after their retreating figures with a
sort of meditative pathos in her large eyes; and then she told me she
had something to finish in her studio--would I excuse her for about an
hour? I readily consented, for I myself was desirous of passing a
little time in solitude, in order to read the manuscripts Heliobas had
given me. "For," thought I, "if there is anything in them not quite
clear to me, he will explain it, and I had better take advantage of his
instruction while I can."

As Zara and I went upstairs