Milly was laughing to herself at this conversation.
“What are you giggling at?” said Patty, a bit surprised to see Milly amused.
“Why,” said Milly, “that’s exactly what Rollo did. As soon as it began to rain he flew to the Pantheon to see it rain in!”
“I didn’t know that,” said Peter, smiling. “I fear I am sadly deficient in my ‘Rollo,’ but it is really a good plan to fly to the Pantheon when it rains, for it’s not always easy to get such an opportunity.”
After they reached the Pantheon, and were inside, Patty understood why it was a desirable thing to do.
It was a sudden and very hard shower, and the strange effect of the rain coming in at the open skylight was curious indeed.
The only opening in the Pantheon, save the entrance door, is the large round hole at the top of its domed roof. This is open to the sky, and sunlight and rain alike come in.
Many people stood round the edges of the circular church, but the centre of the floor was wet with the driving rain. So swift were the drops that they spattered up again as they struck the stone floor, and it was like hundreds of tiny fountains. But save for the wet circle on the floor, the place was dry and pleasant. They looked at the various tombs and monuments, and then inscribed their names in the book which is there for that purpose.
“It’s wonderful,” said Patty, gazing reverently around the great room as they were leaving, “but I should think they would have a canopy of some sort over that hole in the ceiling.”
“They did,” said Peter, “but the shutter, or whatever it was, is lost, and has never been replaced.”