giovani, e fanciulle e ragazzi, sono tutti — ’ She went on in Italian, as if, in thinking of the Italians she thought in their language.

He listened with a shade of distaste to her rhapsody, then he said:

‘For all that, I don’t like it. Their nationalism is just industrialism — that and a shallow jealousy I detest so much.’

‘I think you are wrong — I think you are wrong — ’ said Hermione. ‘It seems to me purely spontaneous and beautiful, the modern Italian’s PASSION, for it is a passion, for Italy, L’Italia — ’

‘Do you know Italy well?’ Ursula asked of Hermione. Hermione hated to be broken in upon in this manner. Yet she answered mildly: