"Yes, as I was saying, happiness and misery—or rather, prosperity and misery—come into such close contact in Italy;—the palace and the hovel lean one against the other; the lady in costly velvets and the beggar-woman in rags walk side by side. Indeed, it is in southern lands alone that you see them thus face to face."
"That is quite true," observed Mrs. Elton. "In England the proper distinction of classes is admirably well marked."
"The carriage, ma'am," announced Thomas, opening the door.
"What a strange girl that is!" thought Mr. Earnscliffe, as he looked at Mary, who was seated opposite to him in the carriage. "She was speaking with all the earnestness of excited feeling when her mother entered the room, and at once she changed her tone and manner so completely, that one could scarcely believe it to be the same person who, a moment before, was talking bitterly and eagerly, with flashing eyes and hands twitching nervously...."
When they reached the Riviera they found it already crowded with gay equipages. No sooner, however, had they taken their place among the other carriages than Helena exclaimed, "How I should like to get out and walk in the Villa Reale; then I could see the programme of the music, and one enjoys listening to a band so much more when one knows what it is playing."
"And why do you not gratify your desire? I need scarcely say that I should be most happy to escort you," said Mr. Earnscliffe.
"Thank you! Thomas, open the door."
"I will go with you," said Mary.
"But," interposed Mrs. Elton, "you surely will not leave me quite alone; you may as well stay with me now, Mary, and when Helena comes back you can take a turn, if Mr. Earnscliffe should not be tired of handing young ladies about."