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antiquities while you were there？〃 he continued。
〃Everybody who goes to Rome must learn something of art and
antiquities。 Before you go there I advise you to review Roman
history and the classic authors。 You had better make a study of
ancient and modern art； and not have everything to learn while you
are going about among ruins； and churches； and galleries。 You know
your Horace and Virgil well； I take it for granted？〃
The Interviewer hesitated。 The names sounded as if he had heard
them。 〃Not so well as I mean to before going to Rome；〃 he answered。
〃May I ask how long you lived in Rome？〃
〃Long enough to know something of what is to be seen in it。 No one
should go there without careful preparation beforehand。 You are
familiar with Vasari； of course？〃
The Interviewer felt a slight moisture on his forehead。 He took out
his handkerchief。 〃It is a warm day；〃 he said。 〃I have not had time
to read allthe works I mean to。 I have had too much writing to do；
myself； to find all the time for reading and study I could have
wished。〃
〃In what literary occupation have you been engaged； if you will
pardon my inquiry？ said Maurice。
〃I am connected with the press。 I understood that you were a man of
letters； and I hoped I might have the privilege of hearing from your
own lips some account of your literary experiences。〃
〃Perhaps that might be interesting； but I think I shall reserve it
for my autobiography。 You said you were connected with the press。
Do I understand that you are an author？〃
By this time the Interviewer had come to the conclusion that it was a
very warm day。 He did not seem to be getting hold of his pitcher by
the right handle； somehow。 But he could not help answering Maurice's
very simple question。
〃If writing for a newspaper gives one a right to be called an author；
I may call myself one。 I write for the 〃People's Perennial and
Household Inquisitor。'〃
〃Are you the literary critic of that well…known journal； or do you
manage the political column？〃
〃I am a correspondent from different places and on various matters of
interest。〃
〃Places you have been to； and people you have known？〃
〃Well； yes；…generally； that is。 Sometimes I have to compile my
articles。〃
〃Did you write the letter from Rome； published a few weeks ago？〃
The Interviewer was in what he would call a tight place。 However； he
had found that his man was too much for him； and saw that the best
thing he could do was to submit to be interviewed himself。 He
thought that he should be able to pick up something or other which he
could work into his report of his visit。
〃Well； Iprepared that article for our columns。 You know one does
not have to see everything he describes。 You found it accurate； I
hope； in its descriptions？〃
〃Yes； Murray is generally accurate。 Sometimes he makes mistakes； but
I can't say how far you have copied them。 You got the Ponte Molle
the old Milvian bridgea good deal too far down the stream； if I
remember。 I happened to notice that； but I did not read the article
carefully。 May I ask whether you propose to do me the honor of
reporting this visit and the conversation we have had； for the
columns of the newspaper with which you are connected？〃
The Interviewer thought he saw an opening。 〃If you have no
objections；〃 he said； 〃I should like very much to ask a few
questions。〃 He was recovering his professional audacity。
〃You can ask as many questions as you consider proper and discreet；
after you have answered one or two of mine： Who commissioned you to
submit me to examination？〃
〃The curiosity of the public wishes to be gratified； and I am the
humble agent of its investigations。〃
〃What has the public to do with my private affairs？〃
〃I suppose it is a question of majority and minority。 That settles
everything in this country。 You are a minority of one opposed to a
large number of curious people that form a majority against you。
That is the way I've heard the chief put it。〃
Maurice could not help smiling at the quiet assumption of the
American citizen。 The Interviewer smiled； too； and thought he had
his man； sure； at last。 Maurice calmly answered； 〃There is nothing
left for minorities； then； but the right of rebellion。 I don't care
about being made the subject of an article for your paper。 I am here
for my pleasure； minding my own business； and content with that
occupation。 I rebel against your system of forced publicity。
Whenever I am ready I shall tell the public all it has any right to
know about me。 In the mean time I shall request to be spared reading
my biography while I am living。 I wish you a good…morning。〃
The Interviewer had not taken out his note…book and pencil。 In his
next communication from Arrowhead Village he contented himself with a
brief mention of the distinguished and accomplished gentleman now
visiting the place； whose library and cabinet of coins he had had the
privilege of examining； and whose courtesy was equalled only by the
modesty that shunned the public notoriety which the organs of popular
intelligence would otherwise confer upon him。
The Interviewer had attempted the riddle of the Sphinx； and had
failed to get the first hint of its solution。
The many tongues of the village and its visitors could not remain
idle。 The whole subject of antipathies had been talked over； and the
various cases recorded had become more or less familiar to the
conversational circles which met every evening in the different
centres of social life。 The prevalent hypothesis for the moment was
that Maurice had a congenital aversion to some color； the effects of
which upon him were so painful or disagreeable that he habitually
avoided exposure to it。 It was known； and it has already been
mentioned； that such cases were on record。 There had been a great
deal of discussion； of late； with reference to a fact long known to a
few individuals； but only recently made a matter of careful
scientific observation and brought to the notice of the public。 This
was the now well…known phenomenon of color…blindness。 It did not
seem very strange that if one person in every score or two could not
tell red from green there might be other curious individual
peculiarities relating to color。 A case has already been referred to
where the subject of observation fainted at the sight of any red
object。 What if this were the trouble with Maurice Kirkwood？ It
will be seen at once how such a congenital antipathy would tend to
isolate the person who was its unfortunate victim。 It was an
hypothesis not difficult to test； but it was a rather delicate
business to be experimenting on an inoffensive stranger。 Miss
Vincent was thinking it over； but said nothing； even to Euthymia； of
any projects she might entertain。
XII
MISS VINCENT AS A MEDICAL STUDENT。
The young lady whom we have known as The Terror； as Lurida； as Miss
Vincent； Secretary of the Pansophian Society； had been reading
various works selected for her by Dr。 Butts；works chiefly relating
to the nervous system and its different affections。 She thought it
was about time to talk over the general subject of the medical
profession with her new teacher；if such a self…directing person as
Lurida could be said to recognize anybody as teacher。
She began at the beginning。 〃What is the first book you would put in
a student's hands； doctor？〃 she said to him one day。 They were in
his study； and Lurida had just brought back a thick volume on
Insanity； one of Bucknill and Puke's； which she had devoured as if it
had been a pamphlet。
〃Not that book； certainly；〃 he said。 〃I am afraid it will put all
sorts of notions into your head。 Who or what set you to reading
that； I should like to know？〃
〃I found it on one of your shelves； and as I thought I might perhaps
be crazy some time or other； I felt as if I should like to know what
kind of a condition insanity is。 I don't believe they were ever very
bright； those insane people； most of them。 I hope I am not stupid
enough ever to lose my wits。〃
〃There is no telling； my dear； what may happen if you overwork that
busy brain of yours。 But did n't it make you nervous； reading about
so many people possessed with such strange notions？〃
〃Nervous？ Not a bit。 I could n't help thinking； though； how many
people I had known that had a little touch of craziness about them。
Take that poor woman that says she is Her Majesty's Person；not Her
Majesty； but Her Majesty's Person；a very important distinction；
according to her： how she does remind me of more than one girl I have
known！ She would let her skirts down so as to make a kind of train；
and pile things on her head like a sort of crown； fold her arms and
throw her head back； and feel as grand as a queen。 I have seen more
than one girl act very much in th