irst?"

"To the ruins."

He was carrying their lunch in a straw pannier slung over his shoulder.

"We'll lunch in the house of Nero, and rest there."

"That sounds rather dreadful, Dion."

"Wait till you see it."

"I can't imagine that monster in Elis."

"He was a very artistic monster, you remember."

"Like some of the decadents in London. Why is it that those who hate
moral beauty so often worship all the other beauties?"

"D'you think in their hearts they actually hate moral beauty?"

"Well, despise it, laugh at it, try to tarnish it."

"Paganism!"

"Good heavens, no!"

And they both laughed as they went down the narrow path to the soft
green valley that awaited them, hushed in the breathless morning,
withdrawn among the hills, holding its memories of the athletic triumphs
of past ages. Near the Museum they stopped for a moment to look down on
the valley.

"Is the Hermes in there?" Rosamund asked, glancing at the closed and
deserted building.

"Yes."

"What a strange and delicious home for him."

"You shall visit him presently. There are jackals in this valley."

"I didn't hear any last night."

She looked again at the closed door of the Museum.

"When do they open it?"

"Probably the guardian's in there. That's where he lives."

He pointed to a small dwelling close to the museum. Just then a tiny
murmur of some far-away wind stirred the umbrella pines which stood
sentinel over the valley.

"Oh, Dion, what an exquisite sound!" she said.

She held up one hand like a listening child. There was awe in her eyes.

"This is a shrine," she said, when the murmur failed. "Dion, I know you
planned to go first to the ruins."

"Yes. They're just below us. Look--by the river!"

"Let me see the Hermes first, just for a moment."

Their eyes met. He thought she was reading his mind, though he tried to
keep it closed against her just then.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" he asked.

"I feel I must see it," she answered, with a sort of sweet obstinacy.

He hesitated.

"Well, then--I'll see if I can find the guardian."

In a moment he came back with a smiling Greek who was holding a key. As
the man went to open the door, Dion said:

"Rose, will you follow my directions?"

"When?"

"Now, when you go into the Museum."

"But aren't you coming too?"

"Not now. I will when we've seen the ruins. When you go into the Museum
go straight through the vestibule where the Roman Emperors are. Don't