Father Rocco nodded to her kindly, and laid his hand lightly on
her head for a moment, then turned round again to his cast.
"Don't forget my message to the lady who is to sit to me
to-morrow," said Luca to Nanina, as she passed him on her way out
of the studio.
After she had gone, Fabio returned to the priest, who was still
busy over his cast.
"I hope you will get on better with the bust to-morrow," said
Father Rocco, politely; "I am sure you cannot complain of your
model."
"Complain of her!" cried the young man, warmly; "she has the most
beautiful head I ever saw. If I were twenty times the sculptor
that I am, I should despair of being able to do her justice."
He walked into the inner room to look at his bust again--lingered
before it for a little while--and then turned to retrace his
steps to the larger studio. Between him and the doorway stood
three chairs. As he went by them, he absently touched the backs
of the
first two, and passed the third; but just as he was entering the
larger room, stopped, as if struck by a sudden recollection,
returned hastily, and touched the third chair. Raising his eyes,
as he approached the large studio again after doing this, he met
the eyes of the priest fixed on him in unconcealed astonishment.
"Signor Fabio!" exclaimed Father Rocco, with a sarcastic smile,
"who would ever have imagined that you were superstitious?"
"My nurse was," returned the young man, reddening, and laughing
rather uneasily.
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