fascinate him.

It looked like rain, so we hastily checked our parasols and Jimmie's
stick and cut down the left corridor to the stairs, and so on down to
the chamber where we left Jimmie and the Tiber to stare each other out
of countenance. The rest of us continued our way to the room where the
Venus stands enthroned in her silent majesty. We sat down to rest and
worship, and then coming up the steps again and mounting another flight,
we stood looking across the arcade at the brilliant electric poise of
the Victory, and in taking our last look at her, we did not notice that
it had gradually grown very dark.

When we came out, rested, uplifted, and calmed as the effect of that
glorious Venus always is upon our fretted spirits, we discovered that
the most terrific rainstorm was in progress it ever was our luck to
behold. The water came down in cataracts and blinding sheets of rain.
Every one except us had been warned by the darkness and had got
themselves home. The streets were empty except for the cabs and
carriages which skurried by with fares. Our frantic signals and Jimmie's
dashes into the street were of no avail.

We would have walked except that Bee and I had colds, and big, beautiful
Mrs. Jimmie was subject to croup, which as every one knows is terrible
in its attacks upon grown people.

Poor Jimmie ran in every direction in his wild efforts for a carriage,
but none was to be had. We waited two hours, then Mrs. Jimmie saw a
black covered wagon approaching and she gathered up her skirts and
hailed it. The driver obligingly pulled up at the curb.