Part 20 (2/2)

For, you see, even if the houses hole and uninjured, ould they be? Poor affairs enough Just think how se-ways for halls, that'll scarcely alloo people to pass each other The roos were all low And then look at the temples I expected to find stone walls andbut shams--pillars built of bricks, and plastered over to rese? Why, at home we sneer at lath-and-plaster Gothic Why should we adain, look at the Forums --miserable little places that'll only hold about fifty people”

”Pooh!” said David; ”as if they didn't knoas large enough!”

”I don't doubt that they knew it,” said Frank ”But what I say is, that if these were large enough for them, what a poor lot they must have, been!”

”After all,” said David, ”Poreat city It was only a snificence of Ro that'll carry out the promise of those pictures that theyin the whole town, except, perhaps, this place, that looks large enough for an ordinary person to s twenty feet high Look at the streets--only wide enough for a single cart Look at the sidewalks--only wide enough for a singlein the whole town that comes up to my idea is the Amphitheatre This is respectable It corresponds with the pictures, and the descriptions of travellers But as to all the rest, I have only to remark that they are, first, eously bad taste”

Frank ceased, and looked steadfastly at David

David looked at Frank, but his feelings were too strong for utterance

His indignation at this desecration of a place that was so hallowed in his eyes could not be expressed He turned his face away in silent scorn, and fixed his gaze on Vesuvius

They waited a long tith they prepared to leave Pompeii, it was late in the day All the other visitors had left long before, and they were the last in the city They walked along looking round theth reached the entrance

Michael Angelo went off to get the carriage They waited a little while to take a last look, and then passed through the gate Here they found themselves confronted by three officials, the custodians of the place

One of these addressed thelish

”Messieurs,” said he, ”before you leave, I haf to inquire--Deed you take anyting out fro?” said Uncle Moses, in an indignant voice ”What do you mean?”

”A tousand pardons, sare,” said the other, politely ”It ees a formaletee I mean de leetle stones, de pieces of steek, wood, plastair Ha! De reliques, de souvenirs”

He was rather an unpleasant looking oatee on the tip of his chin, which wagged up and down as he talked in quite a wonderful way

”Stones, sticks, plaster?” said Uncle Moses ”Course not”

The official looked intently at him, and then at the boys After this he conversed with his companion in Italian These co in their appearance as himself Then the first speaker turned to the boys

”You, sare,” said he to Frank, in rather an unpleasant tone, ”haf you de stones or de bones?”

”Not a stone, not a bone,” said Frank, sly ”I did take a few at first, but I pitched them away”

”And you, sare?” said he to Bob

”Don't deal in such articles,” said Bob, with a grin--”not in my line--not my style”

”Pardon,” said the official, with a sickly satoree You, sare?” and he addressed himself to David

David turned pale

He hesitated for a ot a few little stones, just two or three, you know; little relics, you know”

”Ah! ver good, ver nais,” said the official, with the sunshi+ne of perfect content illu his sallow features ”And you, sare?”

he continued, turning to Clive