"Sometimes," he admitted. "You're illustrating a book about Venice,
aren't you? That must be awfully interesting."

"I am trying," she said, "to catch the most elusive thing in the
world--the Spirit of Venice. It breaks my heart, the pursuit. Just
round the corner, always; you know Browning's 'Love in a Life'?

Heart, fear nothing, for heart, thou shalt find her,
Next time herself!--not the trouble behind her ...
Still the same chance! she goes out as I enter.
Spend my whole day in the quest;--who cares? ...

It's like that with me and my Venice. It hurts rather--but I have to go
on."

"You shouldn't, my dear," Mrs. Johnson murmured soothingly. "I'm sure you
should be careful. We mustn't play tricks with our constitutions."

Rhoda kicked Peter under the table in mistake for her mother, and never
discovered the error.

"Can you tell me," Miss Barnett added abruptly, in her cheerful voice,
"where it hides?"

Peter looked helpful and intelligent, and endeared himself to her
thereby. She thought him a sympathetic young man, with possibilities,
probably undeveloped.

Vyvian, who regarded Miss Barnett and "Venice, Her Spirit," with
contemptuous jealousy, thought that Rhoda was paying them too much