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. Any one 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 endeavour 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 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 Palaces? I will go and fetch the _Stones of Venice_. [Illustration: "I GUESS YOU WANT TO COLOGNE _YOUR_ CHEEKS--THEY'RE DREADFUL LUMPY."] 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 some one 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._