"No, my dear boy," I answered, "we are not ridiculous; we are two very
reasonable, superior people."

"The first time one comes--as I have done--it's a revelation."

"Oh, I remember well; one never forgets it. It's an introduction to
beauty."

"And it must be a great pleasure," said my young friend, "to come back."

"Yes, fortunately the beauty is always here. What form of it," I asked,
"do you prefer?"

My companion looked a little mystified; and at last he said, "I am very
fond of the pictures."

"So was I. And among the pictures, which do you like best?"

"Oh, a great many."

"So did I; but I had certain favourites."

Again the young man hesitated a little, and then he confessed that the
group of painters he preferred, on the whole, to all others, was that of
the early Florentines.

I was so struck with this that I stopped short. "That was exactly my
taste!" And then I passed my hand into his arm and we went our way
again.