ycuriosity.Ismysister-in-lawtomarryanangel?”
“Mr.Herriton,don’t—please,Mr.Herriton—adentist.Hisfather’sadentist.”
Philipgaveacryofpersonaldisgustandpain.Heshudderedallover,andedgedawayfromhiscompanion.Adentist!AdentistatMonteriano.Adentistinfairyland!FalseteethandlaughinggasandthetiltingchairataplacewhichknewtheEtruscanLeague,andthePaxRomana,andAlarichimself,andtheCountessMatilda,andtheMiddleAges,allfightingandholiness,andtheRenaissance,allfightingandbeauty!HethoughtofLilianolonger.Hewasanxiousforhimself:hefearedthatRomancemightdie.
Romanceonlydieswithlife.Nopairofpincerswilleverpullitoutofus.Butthereisaspurioussentimentwhichcannotresisttheunexpectedandtheincongruousandthegrotesque.Atouchwillloosenit,andthesooneritgoesfromusthebetter.ItwasgoingfromPhilipnow,andthereforehegavethecryofpain.
“Icannotthinkwhatisintheair,”hebegan.“IfLiliawasdeterminedtodisgraceus,shemighthavefoundalessrepulsiveway.Aboyofmediumheightwithaprettyface,thesonofadentistatMonteriano.HaveIputitcorrectly?MayIsurmisethathehasnotgotonepenny?MayIalsosurmisethathissocialpositionisnil?Furthermore—”
“Stop!I’lltellyounomore.”
“Really,MissAbbott,itisalittlelateforreticence.Youhaveequippedmeadmirably!”
“I’lltellyounotanotherword!”shecried,withaspasmofterror.Thenshegotoutherhandkerchief,andseemedasifshewouldshedtears.Afterasilence,whichheintendedtosymbolizetoherthedroppingofacurtainonthescene,hebegantotalkofothersubjects.
Theywereamongolivesagain,andthewoodwithitsbeautyandwildnesshadpassedaway.Butastheyclimbedhigherthecountryopenedout,andthereappeared,highonahilltotheright,Monteriano.Thehazygreenoftheolivesroseuptoitswalls,anditseemedtofloatinisolationbetweentreesandsky,likesomefantasticshipcityofadream.Itscolourwasbrown,anditrevealednotasinglehouse—nothingbutthenarrowcircleofthewalls,andbehindthemseventeentowers—allthatwasleftofthefifty-twothathadfilledthecityinherprime.Somewereonlystumps,somewereincliningstifflytotheirfall,somewerestillerect,piercinglikemastsintotheblue.Itwasimpossibletopraiseitasbeautiful,butitwasalsoimpossibletodamnitasquaint.
MeanwhilePhiliptalkedcontinually,thinkingthistobegreatevidenceofresourceandtact.ItshowedMissAbbottthathehadprobedhertothebottom,butwasabletoconquerhisdisgust,andbysheerforceofintellectcontinuetobeasagreeableandamusingasever.Hedidnotknowthathetalkedagooddealofnonsense,andthatthesheerforceofhisintellectwasweakenedbythesightofMonteriano,an