rism has explained to you the
composition of light?"

"God's blessings never seemed the less to me because he taught me the
beautiful laws that guide them," said Billy, reverently; "every little
step that I take out of darkness is on the road, at least, to Him."

In part abashed by the words, in part admonished by the tone of the
speaker, the boy was silent for some minutes. "You know, Billy," said
he, at length, "that I spoke in no irreverence; that I would no more
insult your convictions than I would outrage my own. It is simply that
it suits my dreamy indolence to like the wonderful better than the
intelligible; and you must acknowledge that there never was so palatable
a theory for ignorance."

"Ay, but I don't want you to be ignorant," said Billy, earnestly;
"and there's no greater mistake than supposing that knowledge is an
impediment to the play of fancy. Take my word for it, Master Charles,
imagination, no more than any one else, does not work best in the dark."

"I certainly am no adept under such circumstances," said the boy. "I
have n't told you what happened me in the studio last night. I went in
without a candle, and, trying to grope my way to the table, I overturned
the large olive jar, full of clay, against my Niobe, and smashed her to
atoms."

"Smashed Niobe!" cried Billy, in horror.

"In pieces. I stood over her sadder than ever she felt herself, and I
have not had the courage to enter the studio since."

"Come, come, let us see if she couldn't be restored," said Billy,
rising. "Let us go down there together."

"You may, if you have any fancy,--there's the key," said the boy. "I 'll
return there no more till the rubbish be cleared away." And so saying,
he moved off, and was soon out of sight.

Deeply grieving over this disaster, Billy Traynor hastened from the
spot, but he had only reached the garden of the Chiaja when he heard a
faint, weak voice calling him by his name; he turned, and saw Sir Horace
Upton, who, seated in a sort of portable arm-chair, was enjoying the
fresh air from the sea.

"Quite a piece of good fortune to meet you, Doctor," said he, smiling;
"neither you nor your pupil have been near me for ten days or more."

"'Tis our own loss then, your Excellency," said Billy, bowing; "even
a chance few minutes in your company is like whetting the intellectual
razor,--I feel myself sharper for the whole day after."

"Then why not come oftener, man? Are you afraid of wearing the st