the door twenty times to see whether he has finished. Holy patience!
You have not even the advantage of fasting to the glory of God in this
house, though you keep Lent the year round. It's the Devil's Lent,
_I_ say. Eh, Diana! There goes the bell. Who now? Adieu, Lusetta.
To meet again, dear. Farewell!"

She ran to another window, and admitted the visitor. It was Ferris, and
she went to announce him to her master by the title he had given, while
he amused his leisure in the darkness below by falling over a cistern-
top, with a loud clattering of his cane on the copper lid, after which
he heard the voice of the priest begging him to remain at his
convenience a moment till he could descend and show him the way up-
stairs. His eyes were not yet used to the obscurity of the narrow entry
in which he stood, when he felt a cold hand laid on his, and passively
yielded himself to its guidance. He tried to excuse himself for
intruding upon Don Ippolito so soon, but the priest in far suppler
Italian overwhelmed him with lamentations that he should be so unworthy
the honor done him, and ushered his guest into his apartment. He
plainly took it for granted that Ferris had come to see his inventions,
in compliance with the invitation he had given him the day before, and
he made no affectation of delay, though after the excitement of the
greetings was past, it was with a quiet dejection that he rose and
offered to lead his visitor to his laboratory.

The whole place was an outgrowth of himself; it was his history as well
as his character. It recorded his quaint and childish tastes, his
restless endeavors, his partial and halting successes. The ante-room in
which he had paused with Ferris was painted to look like a grape-arbor,
where the vines sprang from the floor, and flourishing up the trellised
walls, with many a wanton tendril and flaunting leaf, displayed their