thinking of the Emersons."

Miss Lavish gave a Machiavellian smile.

"I confess that in Italy my sympathies are not with my own
countrymen. It is the neglected Italians who attract me, and
whose lives I am going to paint so far as I can. For I repeat and
I insist, and I have always held most strongly, that a tragedy
such as yesterday's is not the less tragic because it happened in
humble life."

There was a fitting silence when Miss Lavish had concluded. Then
the cousins wished success to her labours, and walked slowly away
across the square.

"She is my idea of a really clever woman," said Miss Bartlett.
"That last remark struck me as so particularly true. It should be
a most pathetic novel."

Lucy assented. At present her great aim was not to get put into
it. Her perceptions this morning were curiously keen, and she
believed that Miss Lavish had her on trial for an ingenue.

"She is emancipated, but only in the very best sense of the
word," continued Miss Bartlett slowly. "None but the superficial
would be shocked at her. We had a long talk yesterday. She
believes in justice and truth and human interest. She told me
also that she has a high opinion of the destiny of woman--Mr.
Eager! Why, how nice! What a pleasant surprise!"