Chapter XXIV

           HenryandAgneswereleftaloneintheRoomoftheCaryatides.

           Thepersonwhohadwrittenthedescriptionofthepalace—probablyapoorauthororartist—hadcorrectlypointedoutthedefectsofthemantel-piece.Badtaste,exhibitingitselfonthemostcostlyandsplendidscale,wasvisibleineverypartofthework.Itwasneverthelessgreatlyadmiredbyignoranttravellersofallclasses;partlyonaccountofitsimposingsize,andpartlyonaccountofthenumberofvariously-colouredmarbleswhichthesculptorhadcontrivedtointroduceintohisdesign.Photographsofthemantel-piecewereexhibitedinthepublicrooms,andfoundareadysaleamongEnglishandAmericanvisitorstothehotel.

           HenryledAgnestothefigureontheleft,astheystoodfacingtheemptyfire-place.’ShallItrytheexperiment,’heasked,’orwillyou?’Sheabruptlydrewherarmawayfromhim,andturnedbacktothedoor.’Ican’tevenlookatit,’shesaid.’Thatmercilessmarblefacefrightensme!’

           Henryputhishandontheforeheadofthefigure.’Whatistheretoalarmyou,mydear,inthisconventionallyclassicalface?’heaskedjestingly.Beforehecouldpresstheheadinwards,Agneshurriedlyopenedthedoor.’WaittillIamoutoftheroom!’shecried.’Thebareideaofwhatyoumayfindtherehorrifiesme!’Shelookedbackintotheroomasshecrossedthethreshold.’Iwon’tleaveyoualtogether,’shesaid,’Iwillwaitoutside.’

           Sheclosedthedoor.Leftbyhimself,Henryliftedhishandoncemoretothemarbleforeheadofthefigure.