Chapter IX.
The Museum.
The great museum at Naples is one of the most wonderful collections of curiosities in the world. It is contained in an immense building, which is divided into numerous galleries and halls, each of which is devoted to some special department of art.
It was the plan of our party to go and see the museum on the day after their visit to Pompeii,—or rather to begin to see it; for it requires a great deal more than one day even to walk cursorily through the rooms.
On the morning of the day in question, Mrs. Gray said to Mr. George, at breakfast, that she had a plan to propose.
"What is it?" asked Mr. George.
"I am afraid that you will not think it very polite in me to propose it," said Mrs. Gray, "but it is this: that when we get into the museum, we should divide into two parties. Let Rollo go with me and the children, while you join your friends the students, and accompany them. Then we can go through the rooms in our way, and you can go in yours."
Mr. George hesitated. For a moment he seemed not to know what to reply to this proposal.
"The reason is," said Mrs. Gray, "that the objects which you and the students will have in view in the visit, may very likely be different from ours. You will want to study the antiquities, and the old Latin and Greek inscriptions, and the monuments illustrating ancient history; but we should not understand such things. We shall be interested in the paintings, and the rings, and jewels, and ornaments found in Pompeii, and in the household implements and utensils."