'You wouldn't like to have inspired the most beautiful poem that was ever written?' cried Doreen incredulously. 'No, I wouldn't like to have inspired a vision of such horrors,' maintained Vava stoutly. Doreen could not help laughing at her tone. 'Then you can't admire some of my pictures,' she suggested. 'I like your little dog,' Vava replied, laughing too. This was an allusion to Giotto's famous sculpture of shepherds with a dog, on his beautiful tower at Florence. And with this Doreen had to be satisfied. 'And you know, Doreen, they say I inspired him; but in this play I don't say anything very inspiring; it's Dante who has all the say, and utters all the beautiful speeches; I only have to try and look noble, and that's fearfully difficult and frightfully dull,' complained Vava. 'It's not difficult for you to look noble, because you are noble--in character, I mean--and you have a noble face,' declared Doreen. 'Oh Doreen! you horrid flatterer; that is just because you like me. I don't feel at all noble; but don't let's talk about that. Tell me if this is the proper way to move my hands when I am talking; the Italians gesticulate all the time they are talking, it appears. I don't know how they do it, for I have never been in Italy,' said Vava, talking rapidly, to prevent Doreen making any more such embarrassing remarks. 'You must wave them gracefully in the air, one at a time,' said Doreen, suiting the action to the word. Doreen's action was anything but graceful, and Vava gave a peal of laughter. 'What is the matter?' demanded the former, stopping her windmill movements. 'I beg your pardon, but you did look so funny. I think I had better not pretend to be Italian; I can't move my hands gracefully, and I feel awkward all the time,' she said. 'Luckily I have not to be graceful, and I have a palette and paint-brush in my hands all the time; that gives me some occupation for my hands,' observed Doreen. 'Yes, but I don't believe you ought to point at people with your paint-brush; the Italians are a very polite nation, and I do not think they would do such a thing as that,' commented Vava. Doreen looked grave. 'But I've got to point, and how am I to point except with my paint-brush, or the palette, which would be worse? I have one in each hand, and I haven't a third hand,' she said, after consideration. Vava laughed. 'I suppose you can put one of them down for a minute. Giotto did not paint all day long,' she suggested. 'No, but I am going to. I would not be without them for the world, and I should feel as if I had six pairs of hands. I shall do like you, and not attempt to be an Italian,' she announced.