Hundreds of intent egotistic faces, illuminated by the violet brilliance of the electric light, passed before Regina's agitated gaze. Here and there she distinguished a few figures, a lady with red hair, a man in a check suit, a pale girl with a picture hat, a bald gentleman, a raised stick, a fluttering handkerchief--but she saw nothing distinctly; she had a strange fancy that this unnamed alien crowd was a deputation sent to welcome her--not over-kindly--by the great city to which she was giving herself. The carriage doors were thrown violently open, a babel of human voices resounded above the whistles and the throbbing of the engines; on the platform people were running about and jostling each other. "Roma--a--a!" "Porter--r--r!" Antonio was collecting the hand luggage, but Regina stood gazing at the scene. Many smiling, curious, anxious persons were still standing in groups before the carriage doors; others had already escaped and were disappearing out of the station exit. "There's no one for us, Antonio," said Regina, a little surprised; but she had no sooner spoken than she perceived a knot of persons returning along the platform, and understood that these were _they_. She jumped out and looked harder. Yes, it was they--three men, one in a light-coloured overcoat; two women, one short and stout, the other very tall, very thin, her face hidden in the shadow of her great black hat. The thin lady held a bouquet of flowers, and her strange figure, tightly compressed in a long coat of which the mother-o'-pearl buttons could be seen a mile off, struck Regina at once. This must be Arduina, her sister-in-law, editress of a Woman's Rights paper, who had written her two or three extraordinary letters. "Mother!" cried Antonio, flinging himself from the carriage. Regina found herself on the fat lady's panting bosom; then she felt the pressure of the buttons she had seen from afar; in one hand she was holding the bouquet, the other was clasped by a plump, soft, masculine hand. The slightly amused voice of Antonio was introducing-- "My brother Mario, clerk in the Board of Control; my brother Gaspare, clerk at the War Office; my brother Massimo, junior clerk at the War Office----" "That's enough," said the last, bowing graciously. All smiled, but Antonio went on-- "And this is Arduina, the crazy one----" "Joking as usual!" cried the latter. "Well, here is Regina, my wife! Here she is! How are you, Gaspare?" "Pretty fit. And you? Hungry?" "Are you very tired, my dear?" asked the trembling voice of the old lady, her face close to Regina's.