but as who had not yet recovered from her uncle s protest though it was four and twenty hours of age offered her company the two sisters stepped together into one of the under mr s window and with the in attendance were taken in high state to mrs s lodging in truth their state was rather too high for the lodging which was as complained fearfully out of the way and which took them through a of narrow streets of water which the same lady as mere little the house on a little desert island looked as if it had broken away from somewhere else and had floated by chance into its present in company with a vine almost as much in want of training as the poor wretches who were lying under its leaves the features of the surrounding picture were a church with and about it which had been under repair so long that the means of repair looked a hundred years old and had themselves fallen into decay a quantity of washed linen spread to dry in the sun a number of houses at odds with one another and out of the perpendicular like rotten pre cut into fantastic shapes and full of and a feverish bewilderment of windows with their blinds all hanging and something and dirty dangling out of most of them on the first floor of the house was a bank � a surprising experience for any gentleman of commercial pursuits bringing laws for all mankind from a british city � where two spare clerks like dried in green velvet caps adorned with golden stood bearded behind a small counter in a small room containing no other visible objects than an empty iron safe with the door open a of water and a of of roses but who on lawful by merely dipping their hands out of sight could produce of five pieces below the bank was a of three or four rooms with barred windows which had the appearance of a jail for criminal rats above the bank was mrs s residence notwithstanding that its walls were as if missionary maps were bursting out of them to impart knowledge notwithstanding that its weird furniture was faded and and that the prevailing of water and an ebb tide on a shore was very strong the place was better within than it promised the door was opened by a smiling man like a � a temporary servant � who ushered them into the room where mrs go wan sat with the announcement that two beautiful english ladies were come to sec the mistress mrs who was engaged in put her work aside in a covered basket and rose a little hurriedly miss was excessively courteous to her and said the usual with the skill of a papa was extremely sorry proceeded to be engaged to day he is so much engaged here our acquaintance being so large and particularly requested me to bring his card for mr that i may be sure to myself of a commission which he impressed upon me at least a dozen times allow me to relieve my conscience by placing it on the table at once which she did with ease we have been said charmed to understand that you know the we hope it may be another means of bringing us together they are friends said mrs of mr s family i have not yet had the pleasure of a personal introduction to mrs but i suppose i shall be presented to her at rome little indeed returned with an of her own superiority i think you ll like her you know her very well why you see said with a frank action of her pretty shoulders in london one knows we met her on our way here and to say the truth papa was at first rather cross with her for taking one of the rooms that our people had ordered for us however of course that soon blew over and we were all good friends again although the visit had as yet given little no opportunity of conversing with mrs there was a silent understanding between them which did as well she looked at mrs with keen and interest the sound of her voice was thrilling to her nothing that was near her or about her or at all concerned her escaped little she was quicker to perceive the slightest matter here than in any other case � but one you have been quite well she now said since that night quite my dear and you oh i am always well said little timidly i � yes thank you there was no reason for her faltering and breaking off other than that mrs had touched her hand in speaking to her and their looks had met something thoughtfully apprehensive in the large soft eyes had checked little in an instant you don t know that you are a favorite of my husband s and that i am almost bound to be jealous of you said mrs little blushing shook her head he will tell you if he tells you what he tells me that you are and quicker of resource than any one he ever saw he speaks far too well of me said little i doubt that but i don t at all doubt that i must tell him you are here i should never be forgiven if i were to let you � and miss � go without doing so may i you can excuse the disorder and discomfort of a painter s the inquiries were addressed to miss who graciously replied that she would be beyond anything interested and enchanted mrs went to a door looked in beyond it and came back do henry the favor to come in said she i knew he would be pleased the first object that confronted little entering first was of paris in a great cloak and 