_Culch._ (_musing_). She might have _bowed_ to me!... _She_ has escaped the mosquitoes.... Ah, well, I doubt if she'll find those two particularly sympathetic companions! Now I _should_ enjoy a day spent in that way. Why shouldn't I, as it is? I daresay MAUD will-- [_Turns and sees Mr. TROTTER._ _Mr. T._ My darter will be along presently. She's Cologning her cheeks--they've swelled up again some. I guess you want to Cologne _your_ cheeks--they're dreadful lumpy. I've just been on the Pi-azza again, Sir. It's curious now the want of enterprise in these Vernetians. Anyone would have expected they'd have thrown a couple or so of girder-bridges across the canal between this and the Ri-alto, and run an elevator up the Campanile--but this ain't what you might call a _business_ city, Sir, and that's a fact. (_To Miss T. as she appears._) Hello, MAUD, the ice-water cool down your face any? _Miss T._ Not _much_. My face just made that ice-water boil over. I don't believe I'll ever have a complexion again--it's divided up among several dozen mosquitoes, who've no use for one. But it's vurry consoling to look at _you_, Mr. CULCHARD, and feel there's a pair of us. Now what way do you propose we should endeavor to forget our sufferings? _Culch._ Well, we might spend the morning in St. Mark's--? _Miss T._ The morning! Why, Poppa and I saw the entire show I inside of ten minutes, before breakfast! _Culch._ Ah! (_Discouraged._) What do you say to studying the Vine and Fig-tree angles and the capitals of the arcades in the Ducal Palace? I will go and fetch the _Stones of Venice_. _Miss T._ I guess you can leave those old stones in peace. I don't feel like studying up anything this morning--it's as much as ever I can do not to scream aloud! _Culch._ Then shall we just drift about in a gondola all the morning, and--er--perhaps do the Academy later? _Miss T._ Not any canals in this hot sun for me! I'd be just as _sick_! That gondola will keep till it's cooler. _Culch._ (_losing patience_). Then I must really leave it to you to make a suggestion! _Miss T._ Well, I believe I'll have a good look round the curiosity stores. There's ever such a cunning little shop back of the Clock Tower on the Pi-azza, where I saw some brocades that were just too sweet! So I'll take Poppa along bargain-hunting. Don't _you_ come if you'd rather poke around your old churches and things! _Culch._ I don't feel disposed to--er--"poke around" alone; so, if you will allow me to accompany you,-- _Miss T._ Oh, I'll allow you to escort me. It's handy having someone around to carry parcels. And Poppa's bound to drop the balance every time! _Culch._ (_to himself_). That's all I am to her. A beast of burden! And a whole precious morning squandered on this confounded shopping--when I might have been--ah, well! [_Follows, under protest._