Suddenly, as he watched the progress of her work slowly growing
beneath the rapid movements of her slender, blue-cold fingers, the
idea came into his mind that here might be a favourable opportunity
of obtaining what he had much wished to procure when he had been at
Ravenna,--some drawings of several of the most remarkable of the
Mosaics in the churches of San Vitale and St. Apollinare in Classe.
He was quite satisfied from what he saw that the young artist was
competent to execute the drawings he required. The conscientious
determination, which alone could have made her continue her work
under such circumstances, was a guarantee to him that she would do
her best. It was not probable that the expectations of the girl
before him as to remuneration would go beyond such sum as he was
willing to pay. And lastly--though truly not least in that
Englishman's mind--it might be that such a proposal would be a very
acceptable boon to a poor and meritorious artist. So managing to
speak to the attendant, when he was at a far part of the gallery, he
learned from him that the girl's name was Paolina Foscarelli; that
the old woman was, the officer believed, her aunt; that her name was
Orsola Steno; and that they lived together at No. 8 in the Campo San
Donato.
That same evening the stranger desired his servitore di piazza to
make inquiries about Signora Orsola Steno, and her niece, who copied
in the gallery; and the next morning he was told that, if he would
call upon the Director of the Gallery, that gentleman would be happy
to reply to any inquiries about the Signorina Paolina Foscarelli.
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