Poor Rosalia, poor Beatrice! Who would “do” for them? As Vera said, the Q.’s were my most interesting _profughi_. That good Samaritan, Miss Jane Sedgwick, found them soon after they came to Rome. When she first saw them, they were living in one dreadful dark room; the whole family sat like statues of stone around that dismal hole; the old Count’s dreadful sobbing was the only sign of life they gave. A pitiful smile dawned on the mother’s face when Miss Sedgwick drew out a fifty-franc bill. Here was a visitor who did more than ask questions and write down answers, a committee that committed itself--recklessly perhaps, but effectively--that justified itself not by its statistics but by its work. On the twentieth of February, J. departed with his chief, Captain Belknap, for Messina, and I was left to devote myself to my _profughi_. Before he started we went to take leave of Mr. and Mrs. Griscom; happily we found them at home. “Don’t you need a suit of clothes?” her Excellency asked J. as she gave him a cup of tea. “I need several; most of mine have been given away.” He glanced at me. “I must make out with what’s left though--I don’t look too shabby for Messina?” “The idea! It’s only that--I have a tailor--he makes really very well--I thought you might order a suit--“ “Do, I beg!” interrupted the Ambassador. “That Sicilian tailor has made me six suits already--I can’t use any more--he makes too well--they’ll never wear out!” “How is your plumber doing?” asked Mrs. Griscom. “Not so well as your tailor. He can’t follow his trade in Rome; if I could only send him to America, where plumbing is a fine art and takes the place of bric-a-brac!” “And the new baby?” How could she remember that Lucia Calabresi had a baby! Though aching to go to Sicily, Patsy remained in Rome to help me with my _profughi_. I had some of my “cases” from Countess Pasolini, some from Miss Noble Jones (her brother, our old friend Wallace Jones, was once Consul at Messina), others I read of in the papers. Patsy was studying counterpoint with a professor of music, Dante with a professor of literature, Arabic with a professor of Oriental languages--all late of the University of Messina.