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be had taken second class tickets for himself and his wife。 She said
that she had never heard of anyone travelling second class before； and
she assured him that they never did it in America。 She begged him to let
her pay the difference； and bring his wife into her compartment； which
the guard had reserved for her。 She urged that the money was nothing to
her； compared with the comfort of being with some one you knew； and the
clergyman had to promise that as they should be neighbors； he would look
in upon her； whenever the train stopped long enough。
Before it began to move； Clementina thought she saw Lord Lioncourt
hurrying past their carriage…window。 At Rugby the clergyman appeared；
but almost before he could speak； Lord Lioncourt's little red face showed
at his elbow。 He asked Clementina to present him to Mrs。 Lander； who
pressed him to get into her compartment； the clergyman vanished； and Lord
Lioncourt yielded。
Mrs。 Lander found him able to tell her the best way to get to Florence；
whose situation he seemed to know perfectly； he confessed that he had
been there rather often。 He made out a little itinerary for going
straight through by sleeping…car as soon as you crossed the Channel； she
had said that she always liked a through train when she could get it； and
the less stops the better。 She bade Clementina take charge of the plan
and not lose it； without it she did not see what they could do。 She
conceived of him as a friend of Clementina's； and she lost in the strange
environment the shyness she had with most people。 She told him how Mr。
Lander had made his money； and from what beginnings he rose to be
ignorant of what he really was worth when he died。 She dwelt upon the
diseases they had suffered； and at the thought of his death； so
unnecessary in view of the good that the air was already doing her in
Europe； she shed tears。
Lord Lioncourt was very polite； but there was no resumption of the ship's
comradery in his manner。 Clementina could not know how quickly this
always drops from people who have been fellow…passengers； and she
wondered if he were guarding himself from her because she had danced at
the charity entertainment。 The poison which Mrs。 Milray had instilled
worked in her thoughts while she could not help seeing how patient he was
with all Mrs。 Lander's questions； he answered them with a simplicity of
his own； or laughed and put them by； when they were quite impossible。
Many of them related to the comparative merits of English and American
railroads； and what he thought himself of these。 Mrs。 Lander noted the
difference of the English stations； but she did not see much in the
landscape to examine him upon。 She required him to tell her why the
rooks they saw were not crows； and she was not satisfied that he should
say the country seat she pointed out was a castle when it was plainly
deficient in battlements。 She based upon his immovable confidence in
respect to it an inquiry into the structure of English society； and she
made him tell her what a lord was； and a commoner； and how the royal
family differed from both。 She asked him how he came to be a lord； and
when he said that it was a peerage of George the Third's creation； she
remembered that George III。 was the one we took up arms against。 She
found that Lord Lioncourt knew of our revolution generally； but was
ignorant of such particulars as the Battle of Bunker Hill； and the
Surrender of Cornwallis； as well as the throwing of the Tea into Boston
Harbor； he was much struck by this incident； and said； And quite right；
he was sure。
He told Clementina that her friends the Milrays had taken the steamer for
London in the morning。 He believed they were going to Egypt for the
winter。 Cairo； he said； was great fun； and he advised Mrs。 Lander； if
she found Florence a bit dull； to push on there。 She asked if it was an
easy place to get to； and he assured her that it was very easy from
Italy。
Mrs。 Lander was again at home in her world of railroads and hotels； but
she confessed； after he left them at the next station； that she should
have felt more at home if he had been going on to London with them。 She
philosophized him to the disadvantage of her own countrymen as much less
offish than a great many New York and Boston peuple。 He had given her a
good opinion of the whole English nation； and the clergyman； who had been
so nice to them at Liverpool； confirmed her friendly impressions of
England by getting her a small omnibus at the station in London before he
got a cab for himself and his wife； and drove away to complete his own
journey on another road。 She celebrated the omnibus as if it were an
effect of his goodness in her behalf。 She admired its capacity for
receiving all their trunks； and saving the trouble and delay of the
express； which always vexed her so much in New York； and which had nearly
failed in getting her baggage to the steamer in time。
The omnibus remained her chief association with London； for she decided
to take the first through train for Italy in the morning。 She wished to
be settled； by which she meant placed in a Florentine hotel for the
winter。 That lord； as she now began and always continued to call
Lioncourt； had first given her the name of the best little hotel in
Florence； but as it had neither elevator nor furnace heat in it； he
agreed in the end that it would not do for her； and mentioned the most
modern and expensive house on the Lungarno。 He told her he did not think
she need telegraph for rooms； but she took this precaution before leaving
London； and was able to secure them at a price which seemed to her quite
as much as she would have had to pay for the same rooms at a first class
hotel on the Back Bay。
The manager had reserved for her one of the best suites； which had just
been vacated by a Russian princess。 〃I guess you better cable to your
folks where you ah'； Clementina；〃 she said。 〃Because if you're
satisfied； I am； and I presume we sha'n't want to change as long as we
stay in Florence。 My； but it's sightly ！ 〃She joined Clementina a
moment at the windows looking upon the Arno； and the hills beyond it。
〃I guess you'll spend most of your time settin' at this winder； and I
sha'n't blame you。〃
They had arrived late in the dull； soft winter afternoon。 The landlord
led the way himself to their apartment； and asked if they would have
fire； a facchino came in and kindled roaring blazes on the hearths； at
the same time a servant lighted all the candles on the tables and
mantels。 They both gracefully accepted the fees that Mrs。 Lander made
Clementina give them； the facchino kissed the girl's hand。 〃My！〃 said
Mrs。 Lander； 〃I guess you never had your hand kissed before。〃
The hotel developed advantages which； if not those she was used to； were
still advantages。 The halls were warmed by a furnace； and she came to
like the little logs burning in her rooms。 In the care of her own fire；
she went back to the simple time of her life in the country； and chose to
kindle it herself when it died out； with the fagots of broom that blazed
up so briskly。
In the first days of her stay she made inquiry fo