deavour to
submit herself to her aunt. She would be kind,--as she had always
been kind,--to Gertrude. She would in all matters obey her uncle. Her
misfortune with the Newfoundland dog had almost dwindled out of her
mind. To Augusta she could not submit herself. But then Augusta,
as soon as the next session of Parliament should be over, would be
married out of the way. And, on her own part, she did think that her
aunt was inclined to take her part in the quarrel with Augusta.

Thus matters were going on in Rome when there came up another and a
worse cause for trouble.

CHAPTER VII.

TOM TRINGLE IN EARNEST.

Tom Tringle, though he had first appeared to his cousin Ayala as a
Newfoundland dog which might perhaps be pleasantly playful, and then,
as the same dog, very unpleasant because dripping with muddy water,
was nevertheless a young man with so much manly truth about him as to
be very much in love. He did not look like it; but then perhaps the
young men who do fall most absolutely into love do not look like it.
To Ayala her cousin Tom was as unloveable as Mr. Septimus Traffick.
She could like them both well enough while they would be kind to
her. But as to regarding cousin Tom as a lover,--the idea was so
preposterous to her that she could not imagine that any one else
should look upon it as real. But with Tom the idea had been real,
and was, moreover, permanent. The black locks which would be shaken
here and there, the bright glancing eyes which could be so joyous and
could be so indignant, the colour of her face which had nothing in it
of pink, which was brown rather, but over which the tell-tale blood
would rush with a quickness which was marvellous to him, the lithe
quick figure which had in it nothing of the weight of earth, the
little foot which in itself was a perfect joy, the step with all the
elasticity of a fawn,--these charms together had mastered him. Tom
was not romantic or poetic, but the romance and poetry of Ayala had
been divine to him. It is not always like to like in love. Titania
loved the weaver Bottom with the ass's head. Bluebeard, though a
bad husband, is supposed to have been fond of his last wife. The
Beauty has always been beloved by the Beast. To Ayala the thing
was monstrous;--but it was natural. Tom Tringle was determined to
have his way, and when he started for Rome was more intent upon his
love-making than all the glories of the Capitol and the Vatican.

When he first made h