Marjorie Bowen

“ The centre of the group was a girl in an orange gown, they who followed her the mere usual citizens of Rome, some courtiers of the Emperor's, soldiers, merchants' clerks, and the rabble of children, lazy mongrel foreigners and Franks. The dancer stopped and spread a scarlet carpet on the roadway; the crowd gathered about it in a circle, and Theirry drew up with the rest, interested by what interested them—the two facts, namely, that marked the girl as different from her kind. Although the mask concealed her charms of face, it was obvious that she was young, and probably Greek ”

“ Theirry gave him a startled glance.
"Why, till now I had thought that you felt tenderly towards the maid."
Dirk laughed. "Not I. I have never cared for women."
"Nor I," said Theirry simply; he leant back in his chair and his dreamy eyes were grave. "When young they are ornaments, it is true, but pleasant only if you flatter them, when they are overlooked they become dangerous—and a woman who is not young is absorbed in little concerns that are no matter to any but herself."
The smile, still lingering on Dirk's face, deepened derisively, it seemed. "Oh, my fine philosopher!" ”

“ Peter; it seemed as if all Rome had assembled there; many faces were turned towards the sky, and the sudden gloom that had overspread the city seemed to infect the people, for they were mostly silent, even sombre. The enormous and terrible ape cleared an easy way for himself through the crowd, and Theirry and the dancing girl followed until they had pushed through the press of people and found themselves under the windows of the Vatican. ”

“ The scholar rose. "Why do you go to Frankfort?" he asked.
"All men go to Frankfort," he answered. "Is not the Emperor there?"
Theirry lifted his shoulders. "'Tis no matter of mine."
"Nay," said Balthasar, who appeared to have been both disturbed and confused by the question, "no more than it is my affair to ask you—why go you to Basle?"
The scholar's eyes gleamed behind his thick lashes. "It is very clear why I go to Basle. To study medicine and philosophy."
They quitted the room, leaving Dirk looking covertly after them, and were proceeding through the dusty, neglected rooms. ”

“ Theirry glanced now at his bright face, smooth yellow hair and gorgeous vestments. "Ay," he said. "I go to Basle."
"And I to Frankfort; still, we might have kept company a little longer."
"I have other plans," said Theirry shortly.
Balthasar smiled good-humouredly. "You are not wont to be so evil-tempered," he remarked.
Then he looked from one to the other; silent both and unresponsive. "I will even take my leave;" he laid the great glittering sword across the table.
Dirk turned on his stool with the roll of gilding in his hand. ”