Part 21 (2/2)

1 do Comic Theatre

1 stone, Amphitheatre

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The above is by no means a complete inventory of, the articles produced by Clive and David, but will serve to give an idea of the nature of that heap which was spread upon the table before the stern officials One by one they were turned out from the well-filled pockets of David and Clive Slowly and reluctantly, the two boys turned out those precious treasures Sadly and mournfully they laid them on the table, under the stern, the inflexible, the relentless gaze of the three inexorable custodians, who, to David's mind, seemed the impersonations of Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadaments from houses, bits of mosaic stone, little chips,--all were seized, and all were confiscated

Not a as spoken It was a sorrow too strong for words; and Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanthus stood, individually and collectively, inflexible and inexorable The rueful countenances of the two culprits excited the sympathy and pity of their companions; but it seemed a case where no help could avail the desire to interfere in some way, and Uncle Moses looked quite as distressed as either David or Clive

Suddenly a new actor entered upon the scene

It was Michael Angelo

He came in with a quick step, started as he noticed the sadness on the faces of his party, and then threw a rapid glance around One glance was sufficient to show plainly enough what had happened He saw the table covered with the stones and bones already described

He saw the heart-broken expression that was staazed upon their parting treasures He saw the attitude and the expression of Uncle Moses, and Frank, and Bob, as they watched their friends

That one glance not only explained all to Michael Angelo, but suggested to him a course of conduct upon which he instantly proceeded to act

He stepped up to the aide of Rhada him in Italian; he spoke a feords in a low voice What he said was, of course, unintelligible to the boys After these feords, Michael Angelo then slipped so into the hand of the inexorable one

Then he turned to the despairing boys

”It's all right,” said Michael Angelo, cheerily ”I haf explained

You s”

David and Clive looked up, and stared at Michael Angelo in wonder, not fully coelo ”Dey onderstand I haf explained You put deht Dey are yours now It's all r-r-r-r-right

All r-r-r-r-right, I say”

David and Clive still hesitated, and looked at Rhadanantly at theracious s a case

”All r-r-right,” said Rhadae was soible What there was to be explained they could not i off of relics froive them a claim to their unlawful possessions But neither David nor Clive was at all inclined to hesitate about the legality of their possessions, or to make any inquiries about the nature of the explanation which had been h for them to know that the difficulty was over, and that the relics were theirs once more

So the pile of relics went back from that table into the pockets of David and Clive with a rapidity that is inconceivable Away from their faces passed that heart-broken expression which had been upon them; the shadows passed away from their brows, the sunshi+ne of joy and exultation overspread theratitude

A few e

Then David asked Michael Angelo hoas that he had changed the stern resolve of the inexorable Rhadaence

Michael Angelo laughed

”I gif him,” said he, ”just one half dollar Dat hat he wanted all de tiht Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!”

And Michael Angelo burst into a peal of laughter

Upon this Uncle Moses began to moralize about the corrupt morals of the Italian race, and went on to speak of tyranny, priestcraft, slavery, aristocracy, e, and ten thousand other things

And the carriage rolled back to Naples

CHAPTER XX

_The Glories of Naples--The Museum--The Curiosities--How they unroll the charred Manuscripts exhumed from Herculaneum and Pompeii--On to Rome--Capua--The Tomb of Cicero--Terracina--The Pontine Marshes--The Appii Foruer, and had much to see

There was the Royal Museum, filled with the treasures of antique art, filled also as to the--the numerous articles exhumed from Herculaneum and Pos, kitchen utensils, weights, ical instruments, arms, armor, tripods, braziers, and a thousand other articles, the accompaniments of that busy life which had been so abruptly stopped