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Here Charlie entered into some details of his affairs； very interesting to his mother and sister； and they seemed to be in a very satisfactory condition； according to his own modest views。 After a while the conversation again returned to their Longbridge friends。
〃Did you know that Mr。 Hazlehurst is coming home too； this summer？〃 asked Miss Patsey。
〃Yes； he wrote me word he hoped we should meet before long。 How did that affair with Mrs。 Creighton turn out？〃
〃We did bear they were engaged； but it could not have been true； for the lady has been in Philadelphia； and he in Brazil； for some time； you know。 I used to ask about such matters once in a while； on purpose to write you word。 But I had no great opportunity of hearing much about Mr。 Hazlehurst； for after that unhappy business at Wyllys…Roof； there was； of course； a great coolness； for some time I never heard his name mentioned there； and Mr。 Wyllys seldom speaks of him now。〃
〃Are they not reconciled； then？〃
〃Not entirely； I am afraid； but you know they have not met for three years。〃
〃I shall hardly know myself at Wyllys…Roof； without seeing Mr。 Hazlehurst and Miss Graham there。〃
〃You will find a great change in that respect。 Mrs。 Taylor has not been here since her marriage； Miss Van Alstyne seems to have taken her place； she is a very pleasant young lady。 When the family is at home now； there seems often to be some strange gentleman with them。〃
〃Fortune…hunters； I suppose；〃 said Charlie； with some indignation。 〃Well； the course of true love never has； and never will run quite as it ought； I suppose。 And how do all the Longbridge people come on？How is Uncle Josie？〃
〃Very well； indeed； just as good as ever to us。 You must go to see him to…morrow。〃
〃Certainly；and what is Uncle Dozie about？〃
〃At work in the vegetable…garden； as usual。 He sent me a fine basket of salad； and radishes； and onions； this morning。〃
〃Clapp has got into a new house I see。〃
〃Yes； he is in very good business； I believe； you saw Catherine； you say？〃
〃Yes； for a minute only。 I ran in to kiss Kate and the children； while they were harnessing a horse for me at the tavern。 Kate looks very well herself。 The children didn't remember much of Uncle Charlie； but they are pretty； healthy little things； nevertheless。〃
The grandmother assented to the commendation of her daughter's family； she thought them remarkably fine children。 〃Catherine was a very fortunate woman；〃 she said； 〃Mr。 Clapp was a very superior man； so very clever that he must do well； and the children were all healthythey had gone through the measles wonderfully； that spring。〃
Charlie had not quite as elevated an opinion of his brother…in…law as the females of the family； he allowed his mother's remark to pass unnoticed； however。
〃And so Mr。 Taylor has given up Colonnade Manor；〃 he continued。
〃Yes； he has just sold it to Mr。 de Vaux； a friend of Mr。 Wyllys；〃 replied Miss Patsey。
〃Why did he sell it； pray？〃
〃Well； the young ladies liked better to live about at hotels and boarding…houses in the summer； I believe； they thought it was too dull at Longbridge。 Mr。 Taylor didn't care much for the place： you know there are some people； who； as soon as they have built a house； and got everything in nice order； want to sell； it seems as if they did not care to be comfortable； but I suppose it is only because they are so fond of change。〃
We may as well observe； by way of parenthesis； that this fancy of getting rid of a place as soon as it is in fine order； would probably never occur to any man but an American； and an American of the particular variety to which Mr。 Taylor belonged。
〃I don't wonder at his wanting to get rid of the house； but the situation and the neighbourhood might have satisfied him； I think；〃 said Charlie； as he accepted Miss Patsey's invitation to eat the nice supper she had prepared for him。
As he took his seat at the table； Mrs。 Hubbard observed； that he probably had not seen such short…cake as Patsey made； in Rometo which Charlie assented warmly。 He had wished one evening； in Florence； he said； for some of his sister's short…cake； and a good cup of tea of her making； and the same night he dreamed that the Venus de Medicis had made him some。 He was ashamed of himself for having had such a dream； but it could not be helped； such was the fact。
｛〃Venus de Medicis〃 = Famous nude statue of the Goddess Venusa 1st Century BC copy of a lost Greek statue by Cleomenes of Athensin the Uffizi Gallery in Florence｝
Mrs。 Hubbard thought no woman； Venus or not； ought to be ashamed of making good short…cake； if they were bad； that would be a different matter。
〃Well； Charlie； now you have seen all those paintings and figures you used to talk so much about； what do you think of them？are they really so handsome as you expected？〃 asked his sister。
〃They are wonderful！〃 exclaimed Charlie； with animation； putting down a short…cake he had just buttered。 〃Wonderful！There is no other word to describe them。〃
Mrs。 Hubbard observed； that she had some notion of a painting； from the minister's portrait in the parlourCharlie took up his short cakeshe thought a person might have satisfaction in a painting； such a picture as that portrait； but as for those stone figures he used to wish to see； she could not understand what was the beauty of such idol…like things。
〃They are not at all like idols； mother； they are the most noble conceptions of the human form。〃
How could they look human？ He himself had told her they were made out of marble； just such marble； she supposed； as was used for tomb…stones。
〃I only wish you could see some of the statues in Italy； the Laocoon； Niobe； and others I have seen。 I think you would feel then what I feltwhat I never can describe in words。〃
｛〃Laocoon〃 = A famous Greek statue； in the Vatican at Rome； of a Trojan priest and his two sons being crushed by serpents。 〃Niobe〃 = a famous statue； in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence （a Roman copy of a lost Greek original attributed to Scopas）； of Niobe in Greek mythology the daughter of Tantalus whose children were slaughtered by Zeus and who was transformed into a weeping image of stone｝
Mrs。 Hubbard said the names sounded very heathen…like to her ears； she had never seen a statue； of any description whatever； she didn't think she could have any satisfaction in looking at one。 If they had any colour to them； and were dressed up in uniforms； and handsome clothes； like the wax…figures of General Washington； Napoleon Bonaparte； and Lord Nelson； she had once seen； they would be worth looking at； perhaps。
Miss Patsey wished to know； if among the statues he had seen； there were any supposed to be likenesses of the great men that we read about in history？
〃There are many statues and busts in Italy； that are undeniably portraits of some of the greatest men of antiquity；〃 he replied。
〃Do you suppose they are really like those old Romans？ I don't mean such likenesses as the portrait of our dear father； but still pretty good for those old times？〃
〃Far better than anything of the kind you ever saw；〃 replied Charlie； drinking off a cup of tea。
Miss Patsey thought those might be worth seeing。 A conversa