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Clementina declared she was not the least sleepy； but she went to bed at
nine； and slept till nine the next day。
Mrs。 Lander； the doctor confessed； the second morning； was more shaken up
by； her little attack than he had expected； but she decided to see the
gentleman who had asked to call on Clementina。 Lord Lioncourt did not
come quite so soon as she was afraid he might； and when he came he talked
mostly to Clementina。 He did not get to Mrs。 Lander until just before he
was going。 She hospitably asked him what his hurry was； and then he said
that he was off for Rome； that evening at seven。 He was nice about
hoping she was comfortable in the hotel； and he sympathized with her in
her wish that there was a set…bowl in her room； she told him that she
always tried to have one； and he agreed that it must be very convenient
where any one was； as she said； sick so much。
Mr。 Hinkle came a day later； and then it appeared that he had a mother
whose complaints almost exactly matched Mrs。 Lander's。 He had her
photograph with him； and showed it； he said if you had no wife to carry
round a photograph of； you had better carry your mother's； and Mrs。
Lander praised him for being a good son。 A good son； she added； always
made a good husband； and he said that was just what he told the young
ladies himself； but it did not seem to make much impression on them。
He kept Clementina laughing； and he pretended that he was going to bring
a diagram of his patent right for her to see； because she would be
interested in a gleaner like that； and he said he wished her father could
see it； for it would be sure to interest the kind of man Mrs。 Lander
described him to be。 〃I'll be along up there just about the time you get
home； Miss Clementina。 Then did you say it would be？〃
〃I don't know； pretty ea'ly in the spring； I guess。〃
She looked at Mrs。 Lander； who said； 〃Well； it depends upon how I git up
my health。 I couldn't bea' the voyage now。〃
Mr。 Hinkle said； 〃No； best look out for your health； if it takes all
summer。 I shouldn't want you to hurry on my account。 Your time is my
time。 All I want is for Miss Clementina； here； to personally conduct me
to her father。 If I could get him to take hold of my gleaner in New
England； we could make the blueberry crop worth twice what it is。〃
Mrs。 Lander perceived that he was joking； and she asked what he wanted to
run away for when the young Russian's card came up。 He said； 〃Oh； give
every man a chance；〃 and he promised that he would look in every few
days； and see how she was getting along。 He opened the door after he had
gone out； and put his head in to say in confidence to Mrs。 Lander； but so
loud that Clementina could hear； 〃I suppose she's told you who the belle
of the ball was； the other night？ Went out to supper with a lord！〃
He seemed to think a lord was such a good joke that if you mentioned one
you had to laugh。
The Russian's card bore the name Baron Belsky； with the baron crossed out
in pencil； and he began to attack in Mrs。 Lander the demerits of the
American character； as he had divined them。 He instructed her that her
countrymen existed chiefly to make money； that they were more shopkeepers
than the English and worse snobs； that their women were trivial and their
men sordid； that their ambition was to unite their families with the
European aristocracies； and their doctrine of liberty and equality was a
shameless hypocrisy。 This followed hard upon her asking； as she did very
promptly； why he had scratched out the title on his card。 He told her
that he wished to be known solely as an artist； and he had to explain to
her that he was not a painter； but was going to be a novelist。 She taxed
him with never having been in America； but he contended that as all
America came to Europe he had the materials for a study of the national
character at hand； without the trouble of crossing the ocean。 In return
she told him that she had not been the least sea…sick during the voyage；
and that it was no trouble at all； then he abruptly left her and went
over to beg a cup of tea from Clementina； who sat behind the kettle by
the window。
〃I have heard this morning from that American I met in Pompeii〃 he began。
〃He is coming northward； and I am going down to meet him in Rome。〃
Mrs。 Lander caught the word； and called across the room； 〃Why； a'n't that
whe'e that lo'd's gone？〃
Clementina said yes； and while the kettle boiled； she asked if Baron
Belsky were going soon。
〃Oh； in a week or ten days； perhaps。 I shall know when he arrives。 Then
I shall go。 We write to each other every day。〃 He drew a letter from
his breast pocket。 〃This will give you the idea of his character；〃 and
he read； 〃If we believe that the hand of God directs all our actions； how
can we set up our theories of conduct against what we feel to be his
inspiration？〃
〃What do you think of that？〃 he demanded。
〃I don't believe that God directs our wrong actions；〃 said Clementina。
〃How！ Is there anything outside of God？
〃I don't know whether there is or not。 But there is something that
tempts me to do wrong； sometimes； and I don't believe that is God。〃
The Russian seemed struck。 〃I will write that to him！〃
〃No；〃 said Clementina； 〃I don't want you to say anything about me to
him。〃
〃No； no！〃 said Baron Belsky； waving his band reassuringly。 〃I would not
mention your name！〃
Mr。 Ewins came in； and the Russian said he must go。 Mrs。 Lander tried to
detain him； too； as she had tried to keep Mr。 Hinkle； but be was
inexorable。 Mr。 Ewins looked at the door when it had closed upon him。
Mrs。 Lander said； 〃That is one of the gentlemen that Clementina met the
otha night at the dance。 He is a baron； but he scratches it out。 You'd
ought to head him go on about Americans。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Ewins coldly。 〃He's at our hotel； and he airs his
peculiar opinions at the table d'hote pretty freely。 He's a
revolutionist of some kind； I fancy。〃 He pronounced the epithet with an
abhorrence befitting the citizen of a state born of revolution and a city
that had cradled the revolt。 〃He's a Nihilist； I believe。〃
Mrs。 Lander wished to know what that was； and he explained that it was a
Russian who wanted to overthrow the Czar； and set up a government of the
people； when they were not prepared for liberty。
〃Then； maybe he isn't a baron at all；〃 said Mrs。 Lander。
〃Oh； I believe he has a right to his title；〃 Ewins answered。 〃It's a
German one。〃
He said he thought that sort of man was all the more mischievous on
account of his sincerity。 He instanced a Russian whom a friend of his
knew in Berlin； a man of rank like this fellow： he got to brooding upon
the condition of working people and that kind of thing； till he renounced
his title and fortune and went to work in an iron foundry。
Mr。 Ewins also spoke critically of Mrs。 Milray。 He had met her in Egypt；
but you soon exhausted the interest of that kind of woman。 He professed
a great concern that Clementina should see Florence in just the right
way； and he offered his services in showing her the place。
The Russian came the next day； and almost daily after that； in the