‘Well, no; probably not in Rome—there are too many soldiers. More likely in the Neapolitan provinces. I am sorry,’ he added, ‘since you seem to find them so entertaining, that we can’t promise you a riot on your own door-step; but I dare say, when it comes to the point, you’ll find Naples near enough.’ ‘I give you fair warning, Uncle Howard,’ she said, ‘if there are any riots in Naples, I’m going down to see them. What is the trouble? What are they rioting about?’ ‘If there are any riots,’ said her uncle, ‘you, my dear young lady, will amuse yourself at Villa Vivalanti until they are over,’ and he abruptly changed the subject. The talk drifted back to the villa again. Mrs. Copley afforded their guest a more detailed description. ‘Nineteen bedrooms aside from the servants’ quarters, and room in the stable for thirty horses!’ she finished. ‘The princes of Vivalanti must have kept up an establishment in their pre-Riviera days.’ ‘Mustn’t they?’ agreed Marcia cordially. The new villa was proving an unexpectedly soothing topic. ‘We’ll keep up an establishment too,’ she added. ‘We’re going to give a house-party when the Roystons come down from Paris, and—I know what we’ll do! We’ll give a ball for my birthday—won’t we, Uncle Howard? And have everybody out from Rome, and the ilex grove all lighted with coloured lamps!’ ‘Not if I have anything to say about it,’ said Mr. Copley. ‘But you won’t have,’ said Marcia. ‘The only reason that I consented to take this villa was that I thought it was far enough away to escape parties for a time. You said——’ ‘I said if you got nearer Rome we’d give a party _every_ day, while as it is I’m only planning one party for all the three months.’ ‘Sybert and I won’t come to it,’ he grumbled. ‘Perhaps you and Mr. Sybert won’t be invited.’ ‘I don’t know where you’d find two such charming men,’ said Mrs. Copley. ‘Rome’s full of them,’ returned Marcia imperturbably. ‘Who are the Roystons, Miss Marcia?’ Sybert inquired. ‘They are the friends I came over with last fall. You know Mr. Dessart?’ ‘The artist? Yes, I know him.’ ‘Well, Mrs. Royston is his aunt, and she has two daughters who——’ ‘Are his cousins,’ suggested Mr. Copley. ‘Yes; to be sure, and very charming girls. They spend a great deal of time over here—at least Mrs. Royston and Eleanor do. Margaret has been in college.’ ‘And Mr. Royston,’ asked Copley, ‘stays in America and attends to his business?’ ‘Yes; Mrs. Royston and Eleanor go over quite often to keep him from getting lonely.’ ‘Very generous of them,’ Sybert laughed. ‘They’ve spent winters in Cairo and Vienna and Paris and a lot of different places,’ pursued Marcia. ‘Eleanor,’ she added ruminatingly, ‘has been out nine seasons, and she has had a good deal of—experience.’ ‘Dear, dear!’ said her uncle; ‘and you are proposing to expose all Rome——’ ‘She’s very attractive,’ said Marcia, and then she glanced at Sybert and laughed. ‘If she should happen to take a fancy to you, Mr. Sybert——’