‘Don’t twit me with that,’ said Hans vexedly. ‘How I detest that place, Minna! The horrible vulgarity of it, the smell of money, for it is nothing else. The girls--have you seen any of the girls lately?’ ‘Not very lately. Once or twice one of them has condescended to penetrate to our Northern wilds, and astonish the natives with her costumes, and her general tone of fashion and--what must one call it?--_disinvoltura_. But you know they are not bad girls. Their bark is far worse than their bite. It is their education.’ ‘I don’t get on with them,’ said Hans candidly. ‘And they think me a mooning, sentimental idiot. So there is a great sympathy between us. The whole aspect of that place--the newness, the bareness, the glass-houses, and the gravel drive; the organ, and the picture-gallery, and--_tutti quanti_! No, I will promise you not to pine after it when I am with you.’ ‘Don’t despise it, my good sir. It means ease and freedom from care for you in days to come. You are an artist now; you may be a Mæcenas some time.’ ‘I don’t want to be either,’ he said, drawing his brows together. ‘Not wish to be an artist! Hans!’ ‘Well, not that exactly. We always want what we haven’t got. My wishes I tell to no one.’ He rose to take leave. She did not detain him. He repeated his promise of writing to her, and departed. After he had gone she stood for a few minutes, thoughtfully looking down, her hand resting on the mantelpiece. ‘I wonder if his wishes have any connection whatsoever with his picture,’ she thought to herself, and shook her head. ‘I hope not.’ * * * * * Fulvia kept her word, and met Minna at the railway-station on the appointed day. She dismissed her servant, when he had attended to her, saying: ‘You can go, Parkinson. Be sure you see Mr. Marchmont, and tell him it was all right at the station, and that I will send a telegram to-morrow to say at what time you are to meet me. It may be night.’ The man went away. Very soon the two women were alone together in the carriage, and the train speeding swiftly Northwards. They were not very talkative, but at last Fulvia said: ‘What did people think and say when Signor Oriole became part of your household?’ Minna shrugged her shoulders. ‘My dear, what could they do or say? My well-known eccentricity was considered to account for everything. One or two of them said it was very funny, but I really did not care much what they said. Besides, I had my brother to support me in all that I did. He quite approved.’ ‘Your brother?’