"And now," said Mr. Figgs, eagerly, "I want to hear _the Higgins Story_." The Doctor turned frightfully pale. Dick began to fill his pipe. The Senator looked earnestly out of the window. Buttons looked at the ceiling. "What's the matter?" said Mr. Figgs. "What?" asked Buttons. "The Higgins Story?" The Doctor started to his feet. His excitement was wonderful. He clenched his fist. "I'll quit! I'm going back. I'll join you at Rome by another route. I'll--" "No, you won't!" said Buttons; "for on a journey like this it would be absurd to begin the Higgins Story." "Pooh!" said Dick, "it would require nineteen days at least to get through the introductory part." "When, then, can I hear it?" asked Mr. Figgs, in perplexity. CHAPTER XVII. NIGHT ON THE ROAD.--THE CLUB ASLEEP.--THEY ENTER ROME.--THOUGHTS ON APPROACHING AND ENTERING "THE ETERNAL CITY." [Illustration: To Rome.] CHAPTER XVIII. A LETTER BY DICK, AND CRITICISMS OF HIS FRIENDS. They took lodgings near the Piazza di Spagna. This is the best part of Rome to live in, which every traveller will acknowledge. Among other advantages, it is perhaps the only clean spot in the Capital of Christendom. Their lodgings were peculiar. Description is quite unnecessary. They were not discovered without toil, and not secured without warfare. Once in possession they had no reason to complain. True, the conveniences of civilized life do not exist there--but who dreams of convenience in Rome? On the evening of their arrival they were sitting in the Senator's room, which was used as the general rendezvous. Dick was diligently writing. "Dick," said the Senator, "what are you about?" "Well," said Dick, "the fact is, I just happened to remember that when I left home the editor of the village paper wished me to write occasionally. I promised, and he at once published the fact in enormous capitals. I never thought of it till this evening, when I happened to find a scrap of the last issue of his paper in my valise. I recollected my promise, and I thought I might as well drop a line." "Read what you have written." Dick blushed and hesitated. "Nonsense! Go ahead, my boy!" said Buttons. Whereupon Dick cleared his throat and began: "ROME, May 30, 1859. MR. EDITOR,--Rome is a subject which is neither uninteresting nor alien to the present age." "That's a fact, or you wouldn't be here writing it," remarked Buttons. "In looking over the past, our view is too often hounded by the Middle Ages. We consider that period as the chaos of the modern world, when it lay covered with darkness, until the Reform came and said. 'Let there be light!" "Hang it, Dick! be original or be nothing." "Yet, if the life of the world began anywhere, it was in Rome. Assyria is nothing to me. Egypt is but a spectacle!" "If you only had enough funds to carry you there you'd change your tune. But go on."