The grey sky kept on resolving itself into a rain which, at the impulse
of gusts of wind, traced oblique lines in the air.

Laura had waked and was in the dressing-room. A little later she came
out, fresh and hearty, without the least sign of fatigue.

They began to see the yellowish walls of Rome, and certain big edifices
blackened by the wet. A moment more and the train stopped.

"It's not worth the trouble to take a cab," said Laura. "The hotel is
here, just a step."

They gave a porter orders to attend to the luggage. Laura took her
brother's arm, they went out on the Piazza Esedra, and entered the
hotel.




II

AN EXTRAORDINARY FAMILY

_JUAN GUILLEN_


The Valencian family of Guillen was really fecund in men of energy and
cleverness. It is true that with the exception of Father Francisco
Guillen and of his nephew Juan Fort, none of them became known; but in
spite of the fact that the members of this family lived in obscurity in