The Emancipated

e was restless, and could not take pleasure in Mrs. Lessingham's conversation. Possi

the Spences. From them she learnt that Miriam,

I may venture,

you are bidden avaunt, come back and ch

fingers tapped at Miriam's room. The familiar voice bade her ent

y I

may," was the

hen she glanced at the "St. Cecilia;" then examined herself for a mo

long as your patien

o

g how long that

can I

ind me in certain moods. To-day I am in a very strange mo

smiled. Could Cecily have been aware how her face had changed when th

k is that

aid to ask; to her surpr

ead this

sitting just in front of her, took u

s pencil mark? 'Amor ch'a

the close. Miriam's face showed a sudden and curio

rk-a difficulty I had

'Amor ch

er hand and took the v

g. "Never mind it now. I should have thought you

y like a hint that pat

mean it

age and drive somewhere

shook h

Cecily, with a mischievous s

nding between us, Cec

like to fret and torment and offend you. I should like to ask you why I am allowed to enjoy the

," returned the other, who seemed

f subject, Cecily added, "Your brother c

d h

re he goes, or what he does-nothing whatever,

Miriam asked, wi

unkind; you

ildish. I never knew you

I had a long talk be

ve thought it necessary

portion of life? Never mind; we won't speak o

an, of sac

st as I distinguish between bad or foolish verse, and poetry. Everything worthy of being called art is sacred. I shall keep tel

-a strain of exquisite melody, which ceased too soon. Cecily sat for a few moments at th

ou li

d face, and, as it still kept averted from her, she lai

us, Miriam dear? Even when I seem so near to you a

said Miriam, her voice softened

passing out of a dream into the light of morning. I followed where my nature led, and my thoughts about everyt

urmured the ot

ay come a day when I shall look back upon it, and see it as empty of satisfaction as it

to both. And Cecily was to-day saddened by it beyond her wont; her excessive gaiety yielded to a dej

w seriously think of going to Rome at the end of next week, and they wish to have another day at Pompeii. They would like it so mu

at

e fine. Let me take

am a

a, when, with astonishment, she saw her brother standing by the roads

you off to?

e still

feel able to go yesterday.

en? Why didn't

to speak to you. W

or the day. Elgar turne

at Pompeii somewhere

sk them to excuse me; Mrs. Lessingh

Pompeii. I shall ha

ked at him

you to meet us

, Miriam. Say nothing about me, an

You make yourself

myself. Go on, o

lgar laid his hand on her arm, and clutched it so strongly

is once. If you refuse, it will make no differenc

though of course he could not understand them, they had subdued

of sisterly kind

wish," Miriam replie

ousand times. Av

little heavily over the beautiful eyes, and the cheeks were a thought pale. When she forgot herself in conversation, Cecily was the same as ever; mirthful, brightly laughing, fervent in expressing delight; but her thoughts too often made her silent, and then one saw that she was not h

a hearty Englishman, amusing himself with everything they passed on the road self-congr

ome with us to-day," he said, about midway in the drive. "Wha

oom for him,

up on t

he looked at Cecily.

e the mischief

," interposed Mrs. Bradshaw

ord Marsh. She met Jacob's smile, and

well," said Cecily, "and have had

es at this proposal, but his wife wo

is on the o's, and accompanied with large gestures. His mere appearance always sufficed to put landlords and waiters into their most urbane mood; they never failed to take him for one of the English nobility-a belief confirmed by the handsomeness of his gratuities. Mrs. Bradshaw was not, perhaps, the

shaw would have no guide to-day. Murray in hand, he kne

scholar's or the poet's enthusiasm; his gratification lay in exercising his solid intelligence on a lot of strange and often grotesque facts. Here men had lived two thousand years ago. There was no mistake about it; you saw the deep rut

a twinkle in his eye. "We'll go over this carefully, Mrs. Baske; it's one of th

Baiae. At times she lingered a little behind the others, and seemed deep in contemplation of some object; or she stood to watch the lizards darting about the

de," she said to Miriam. "The

replied

her tremble with delighted surprise. A wall concealed the speaker from her; she took a few quick steps, and saw Reuben Elgar shaking hands with the Bradshaws. He looked at her, and came forward. She could not say any thi

rival at Naples, they had expressed no wish to see him. Still, now that he met them in this unexpected way, they could not but assume friendliness. Jacob, not on the whole intolerant, was willing enough to take "the lad" on his present merits; Reuben had the guise and manners of a gentleman, and perhaps was grown out of his reprobat

its familiar brightness, the ancient walls and ways their true enchantment? She did not at once become more t

join Mallard," was all Reuben sa

his interest in antiquities, but did n

ese things than I do, Mrs. Baske," he remarke

ruins had been intermittent, but occasionally she had forgotten herself so far as to look and p

s in a subdued voice and with the most pleasant manner possible. He walked for a time with Mrs. Bradshaw, and accommodated him

ly when the look could not be returned; they exchanged not a syllable. Yet both knew that at some approaching moment, for them the s

Bradshaw passed out through the narrow doorway, and his voice was dulled; Miriam passed with him, and, close after her, Mrs. Bradshaw. Reuben seemed to draw aside for Cec

," came panting from his lips. "I co

or upon both was the constraint of passion that leaps like flame to its desire-mout

ilst so many ages of history went by, thrown open for the sunshine to rest upon its pallid antiquity, again had this chamber won a place in human hearts, witnessed the birth of joy and hope, blended itself with the destiny of mortals. He who pictured Paris dreamt not of th

new that her fingers still crushed the spray of maidenhair; then she touched it gently, and secreted it within her glove

fit for the treading of divinities, its barren temples reconsecrate with song and sacrifice. She believed there was that within her

ok her hand, held it playful

ook at me so

not m

t me see you sm

le was sadder th