ROMAN MEMORIES 



Aristide had a profile like the head of a philosopher on a 

 Roman coin. He was a magnificent driver. We had a 

 pair of powerful, fiery Russian horses, and they wanted 

 all his skill. Whenever they took to plunging and when 

 they did so they struck sparks out of the stones and filled 

 the street with the thunder of their hoofs Aristide's 

 method of reassuring "his family " was invariably to 

 gather the reins in one hand and blow his nose with great 

 desinvolture with the other. He always turned sideways 

 to do this, flourishing an immense pocket-handkerchief, as 

 one who would say : " Behold ! how calm I am ! ... 

 Have no fear ! " 



Only on the occasions when we discarded our carriage 

 for the use of a motor was the harmony disturbed between 

 Aristide and ourselves. He would droop on his box for 

 days afterwards and take the characteristic Roman revenge 

 of declining to shave. 



Loki's Grandmother developed a sudden and violent attack 

 of influenza on one of these motor expeditions, and had to 

 be conveyed home in a collapsed condition. 

 " Ah," said Aristide, "if Mamma had been with me, this 

 would not have happened! Autos are nasty feverish 

 things/' 



We were very sorry to leave our Roman house, with its 

 delicious proximity to the Pincio. It was a very old 

 house, with a round marble staircase, deep-grilled win- 

 dows, and a delightful tiled inner courtyard filled with 

 green, where a fountain splashed day and night a court- 

 yard into which the sunshine literally poured. A great 



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