"The others would not be so free to talk," he said. "I do not wish any
constraint. Now we are only a family party,--with the exception of
Howard, and I confess that I sometimes wish he did not join us in this."
Malcom was again with them, for the first time since they were at
Fiesole, and this was enough to make the occasion a particularly joyous
one.

The romantic mystery of Masaccio's short life and sudden, secret death,
and the wonderful advance that he effected in the evolution of Italian
painting of the fifteenth century, had greatly interested them as they
had read at home about him, and all were eager to see the frescoes.

"They are somewhat worn and dark," Mr. Sumner said, "and at first you
will probably feel disappointed. What you must particularly look for
here is that which you have hitherto found nowhere else,--the expression
of individuality in figures and faces. Giotto, you remember, sought to
tell some story; to illustrate some Bible incident so that it should
seem important and claim attention. Masaccio went to work in a wholly
different way. While Giotto would say to himself: 'Now I am going to
paint a certain Bible story; what people shall I introduce so that this
story shall best seem to be a real occurrence?' Masaccio would think: 'I
wish to make a striking picture of Peter and John, or any other sacred
characters. What story or incident shall I choose for representation
that will best show the individual characteristics of these men?'

"Possessing this great love for people, he studied the drawing of the
human figure as had never been done before in the history of Christian
art. At this time, more than a hundred years after Giotto, artists were
beginning to master the science of perspective drawing, and in