The Wheat Princess

m of life had again invaded the house, and its walls once more echoed to the ring of a child's laughter. They were very matter-of-fact people-th

la kitchen Fran?ois was rattling copper pots and kettles, and anxiously trying to adapt his modern French ideas to a mediaeval Rom

oman villa), while the faded damask of a former generation had been dusted and restored. Tapestries covered the walls and hung over the balustrade of the marble staircase. Dark rugs lay on the red tile floors; carved chests and antique chairs and tables of col

d watching the shadows as they fell over the Campagna. Gerald was already up to his elbows in the fountain, and the ilex grove was echoing his happy shrieks as he prattled in Italian to Mar

unpacking, and running back and forth between the room

dine?' she inquired while on a

f us are in town, and hal

night, alors! Shall I make a grande

ever else you do; I distrust

I can't understand how one can have the heart to ac

ment with tall windows having solid barred shutters overlooking the terrace. The view from the windows revealed a broad expanse of Campagna and hills. Marcia dressed with her eyes on the landscape, and then stood a long time gazing up at the broken ridges of the Sabines, glowing softly in the afternoon light. Picturesque little mountain hamlets of battered grey stone were visible here and there clinging to the

glanced up, and catching sight of his niece,

light through yo

t, and Juliet

plation of her uncle; and then she stepped through the glass d

she called down. 'I'm afraid the real one neve

ead out his ha

r wore a gown from-where was it-42, Avenue de

ss on a balcony waiting for the hu

rightful lord is languishing in a donjon somewhere in the cellar. C

to take in the whole affect. The loggia, in its rehabilitation, made an excellent lounging-place for a lazy summer morning. It was furnished with

hen it gets sunny in the afternoon we'll move to the end of the terrace under the ilex trees. Villa Vivalanti is the most thoroughly satisfying place I ever lived in.' She ran down the steps and joined

s you appear to be, this would be a contented world. T

, good-naturedly; 'and without mentioning any names, I know

f I stopped grumbling about the villa being so abomi

u'll please not refer to the thirty-nine kilometres-it's a bargain. Gerald, I judg

enagerie

ut of doors! I shall dream o

I dare say the place is full of bats and lizards

illa won't have a shred of character left. For my part, I approve of it all-partic

say nothing of missing dinner. Here c

redecorated to its new uses with grape-wreathed trellises, and, in the central panelling, Bacchus crowned with vines. The very modern dinner-table, with its glass and silver and shaded candles, looked ludicrously out of place in the long, dusky, vaulted a

ed her hands

Katherine? I feel like forgiving all my enemies!

h,' he laughed. 'You'll get

the ride in the cars and the little boys who turned 'summelsorts' by the roadside, and of the beautiful two-tailed lizard of the fountain, whose charms he dwelt on lovingly. But he had missed his noonday nap, and though he struggled bravely

nd of his prattle died away, 'Gerald ha

ed. 'I passed a lonely childhood m

t would make me want to go ba

ose there are children to b

they are so boisterous; and they always quarrel

e cherished no motherly delusions. 'But perhaps you are right,' he added, with something of a sigh. 'It may be necessary to tak

Mrs. Copley, plaintively; 'but I dare say he can learn it later. Marcia d

the handle of his

n particular, 'if you manage to bring up a boy to be

decent citizen, brings up one boy to be a decent citizen, and does nothing else, I don't

le. 'Perhaps the boy might

But if everybody passed on his responsibilities there wouldn't be muc

ing to talk metaphysics, I shall go

,' her husband returned. 'Marcia is

'I'm growing deplorably moral; I

hed. 'I don't care for any coffee, Katherine. I will smo

lcony doors, and Marcia and h

ived her cup, 'I really believe your uncle is getting t

e, Aunt Katherine. I think he's ju

I've never known him to stay as long as this in one place before. I only hope now that he will not think of any r

good there, because he would understand better what the peopl

unt of things to take up his time. He might even try yac

e with his hands in his pockets. He looked a rather lonely figure in the half-darkness. It suddenly struck her, as sh

table, and Marcia rose. 'Let's go

is asleep. I neglected to have a crib sent out for him, and the dear ch

disastrous!'

ged the west, throwing into misty relief the outline of the Alban hills. The ilex grove was black-gruesomely black-and the happy song of the nightingales and the splashing of the fountain sounded u

oward?' They paused a moment by the parapet and stood looking down over th

mist means death to the pe

med half i

ng be beautiful here without spoiling i

ess exists. Look upon the mist as a blessed

ms as if the Italians are happy in spite of things. T

s they are happie

nglo-Saxons, particularly New Englanders, and mos

eplied. 'But, after all, as you say, it may be the better