was that topmost apple on which
he had set his mind. He was in his fresh youth--not passionate, but
impressible: it was as inevitable that he should feel lovingly towards
Romola as that the white irises should be reflected in the clear sunlit
stream; but he had no coxcombry, and he had an intimate sense that
Romola was something very much above him. Many men have felt the same
before a large-eyed, simple child.

Nevertheless, Tito had had the rapid success which would have made some
men presuming, or would have warranted him in thinking that there would
be no great presumption in entertaining an agreeable confidence that he
might one day be the husband of Romola--nay, that her father himself was
not without a vision of such a future for him. His first auspicious
interview with Bartolommeo Scala had proved the commencement of a
growing favour on the secretary's part, and had led to an issue which
would have been enough to make Tito decide on Florence as the place in
which to establish himself, even if it had held no other magnet.
Politian was professor of Greek as well as Latin at Florence,
professorial chairs being maintained there, although the university had
been removed to Pisa; but for a long time Demetrio Calcondila, one of
the most eminent and respectable among the emigrant Greeks, had also
held a Greek chair, simultaneously with the too predominant Italian.
Calcondila was now gone to Milan, and there was no counterpoise or rival
to Politian such as was desired for him by the friends who wished him to
be taught a little propriety and humility. Scala was far from being the
only friend of this class, and he found several who, if they were not
among those thirsty admirers of mediocrity that were glad to be
refreshed with his verses in hot weather, were yet quite willing to join
him in doing that moral service to Politian. It was finally agreed that
Tito should be supported in a Greek chair, as Demetrio Calcondila had
been by Lorenzo himself, who, being at the same time the affectionate
patron of Politian, had shown by precedent that there was nothing
invidious in such a measure, but only a zeal for true learning and for
the instruction of the Florentine youth.

Tito was thus sailing under the fairest breeze, and besides convincing
fair judges that his talents squared with his good fortune, he wore that
fortune so easily and unpretentiously that no one had yet been offended
by it. He was not unlikely to get int