The Road to Dumbiedykes 



supplied by the custodian, the inspira- 

 tions of Michael Angelo on the ceiling 

 of that world-famous chamber of the 

 Vatican. I was of course deeply im- 

 pressed by the majesty of the great 

 master's conception of the Creation, 

 the Fall from Grace, and the Deluge, 

 and turning to call the attention of 

 Bess (aet. 16) to the marvelous effect 

 produced in certain figures by fore- 

 shortening, I saw to my amazement 

 that she was apparently taking no 

 interest in the proposition whatsoever. 

 Just why I should expect a schoolgirl 

 in her teens to go into ecstasies over 

 these dingy old religious pictures I 

 do not know. But, making no allow- 

 ances for the difference in our ages 

 and point of view, I only saw that 

 she was busy primping, with the aid 

 of the little papal mirror in her hand, 

 and not looking at the ceiling at all. 

 Now to me this seemed, if not just 

 sacrilegious, a bit frivolous, and I said 

 somewhat testily, I fear: 

 166] 



