"My dear, you don't really think I was unkind? I am sure I only thought what I could say for the poor young man, she seemed so annoyed about it. You don't really mean it, you are only laughing, and after all there is so much to say." He jumped up suddenly, and walked a few steps away from his chair. The pretty quiet little garden was full of light and colour and keenly-edged shade; the beautiful glossy leaves stood up against the blue sky. Over the wall they could see other houses and other trees, and catch here and there a little glimpse of the opposite hill with its occasional cypresses. The great bell of the Duomo was clanging, all the glory of the day changing softly into another glory, deeper and more mysterious. Was it of all this of which Jack was thinking? Miss Cartwright followed him and laid her hand gently on his arm. "My dear boy!" she said imploringly. He looked round at once and laughed at her pleading face. "Well, it's all--right, if that's what you want to know." "You--" "I'm engaged, yes, hard and fast. Why," he said, with a quick anxiety in his voice, "what's the matter? Sit down, sit down," he went on, dragging over a chair, and putting her into it very tenderly, for the delicate colour had quite faded out of her face. But she smiled at him the next moment. "It is very silly of me, but I have been thinking so much about it; and somehow I fancied from your manner that things were not going straight, and I was foolishly anxious." "You shouldn't care so much about me," said the young man with real remorse; "nobody else in the world would trouble themselves as you do. I should have told you directly, if it had entered my head that you were taking it to heart like this. Let me go and get you a glass of water or sal-volatile or something, you are as shaky as possible." But Miss Cartwright sat up cheerfully. "It is nothing at all, Jack; I am quite well again, and your news is the best thing for me, if I really wanted anything. Is it all settled?" "Yes," he said with a little restraint again, and pulling a magnolia leaf as he spoke. "Phillis is at Bologna with the Leytons, we all came out together. Yes, it is true; I expected it to astonish you." "Don't tell me anything more for a minute or two," said his aunt gently, putting up her hands; "it is one thing on another. Phillis at Bologna? I don't quite understand." "But you like the news, don't you?" said Jack, turning suddenly on her. "Like it! how could I fail? Such a good girl, and all that money, and your uncle wishing it so much. Nothing could be so desirable, only, my dear boy--" "What?" sharply.