“Isn’t it? It’s delightful, though; for it shows that there’s something in my theory of names, and that this statue has made almost exactly the same impression on us. I’m eager now to name the Winged Victory. Come; let’s go and look at her.”
They hurried away to the foot of the wide staircase, where, looking up, they saw the magnificent creature with her great wings spread.
After standing before her in silence a few moments, the princess exclaimed suddenly:
“Oh, have you named her yet? A perfect name for her has come to me!”
“And to me, too—perfect!” said Martha. “How many syllables has yours?”
“One.”
“So has mine!” said the other, breathlessly. “Now let’s count three, and say the name.”
Simultaneously they said: “One, two, three—Ruth!”
Then they looked at each other with an excited delight that the passers-by must have thought rather amazing even for two artists looking at the Victory.
“It’s the most wonderful thing I ever heard of,” said Martha. “Don’t you feel positively creepy?”