sweet, clean room, whose windows opened upon a small garden filled with
rose-bushes, and whose two little beds were snowy white. "How delightful
to be here a little later, when these roses will be in bloom!"

The brown withered face of the old chambermaid beamed upon the two young
girls, and showed her satisfaction at their evident delight, and when
she found that they could understand and speak a little of her own
language, her heart was indeed won, and she bustled about seeking
whatever she could do to add to their comfort, just for the pleasure of
being near them.

"It must be a delightful place to visit," said Barbara, when finally
they were alone, "but I should not like to have to live here for any
length of time, I know; so gray, so old, so desolate it all seemed on
our way through the streets," and a slight shiver ran through her at the
remembrance.

Soon they went to the Cathedral; admired its façade, decorated with
mosaics in softly brilliant colors until it looked like a great opal,
shining against the deep blue sky; entered it and saw Fra Angelico's
grand _Christ_, and calm, holy saints and angels; and, close to them
(the most striking contrast presented in art), Luca Signorelli's wild,
struggling, muscular figures.

They went into the photograph store on the corner for photographs, and
to the little antique shop opposite, where they bought quaint Etruscan
ornaments to take away as souvenirs,--and then gave themselves to
exploring the city; after which they all confessed to having fallen
somewhat under the spell of its charm.