_Culch._ I am nothing of the kind. I find him distasteful to me, and avoid him as much as I can, that's all. I wish, PODBURY, er--I _almost_ wish you could have stayed with me, instead of allowing the PRENDERGASTS to carry you off as you did. You would have kept VAN BOODELER in order. _Podb._ Much obliged, old chap; but I'm otherwise engaged. Being kept in order myself. Oh, I _like_ it, you know. She's developing my mind like winking. Spent the whole morning at the Brera, mugging up these old Italian Johnnies. They really are clinkers, you know. RAPHAEL, eh?--and GIOTTO, and MANTEGNA, and all that lot. As HYPATIA says, for intensity of--er religious feeling, and--and subtlety of symbolism, and--and so on, they simply take the cake--romp in, and the rest nowhere! I'm getting quite the connoisseur, I can tell you! _Culch._ Evidently. I suppose there's no chance of a--a _reconciliation_ up there? [_With some alarm._ _Podb._ Don't you be afraid. When HYPATIA once gets her quills up, they don't subside so easily! Hallo! isn't this old TROTTER? [_That gentleman appears in the doorway._ _Mr. T._ Why, Mr. PODBURY, so you've come along here? That's _right_! And how do you like Milan? I like the place first-rate--it's a live city, Sir. And I like this old cathedral, too; it's well constructed--they've laid out money on it. I call it real ornamental, all these little figgers they've stuck around--and not two of 'em a pair either. Now, they might have had 'em all alike, and no one any the wiser up so high as this; but it certainly gives it more variety, too, having them different. Well, I'm going up as high as ever I _can_ go. You two better come along up with me. _ON THE TOP._ _Miss P._ (_as she perceives Miss T. and her companion_). Now, BOB, pray remember all I've told you! [_BOB turns away, petulantly._ _Miss T._ (_aside, to VAN B._). I guess the air's got cooler up here, CHARLEY. But if that girl imagines she's going to freeze _me_! (_Advancing to Miss P._) Why, my dear, it's almost too sweet for anything, meeting you again! _Miss P._ You're extremely kind, MAUD; I wish I could return the compliment; but really, after what took place at Bellagio, I-- _Miss T._ (_taking her arm_). Well, I'll own up to being pretty horrid--and so were you; but there don't seem any sense in our meeting up here like a couple of strange cats on tiles. I won't fly out anymore, there! I'm just dying for a reconciliation; and so is Mr. VAN BOODELER. The trouble I've had to console that man! He never met anybody before haff so interested in the great Amurrcan Novel. And he's wearying for another talk. So you'd better give that hatchet a handsome funeral, and come along and take pity on him. [_HYP., after a struggle, yields, half-reluctantly, and allows herself to be taken across to Mr. VAN B., who greets her effusively. Miss T. leaves them together._