The other two figures were seated farther off, at the wide
doorway that opened on to the loggia. Lillo sat on the
ground with his back against the angle of the door-post, and
his long legs stretched out, while he held a large book open
on his knee and occasionally made a dash with his hand at an
inquisitive fly, with an air of interest stronger than that
excited by the finely printed copy of Petrarch which he kept
open at one place, as if he were learning something by
beart.
Bomola sat nearly opposite Lillo, but she was not ob-
serving him. Her hands were crossed on her lap and her
eyes were fixed absently on the distant mountains: she was
evidently unconscious of anything around her. An eager
life had left its marks upon her: the finely moulded cheek
had sunk a little, the golden crown was less massive; but
there was a placidity in Romola*s face which had never be-
longed to it in youth. It is but once that we can know our
worst sorrows, and Bomola had known them while life
was new.
20*

Digitized by VjOOQIC



308 SOMOIiA*

Absorbed in this way, she was not at first aware that
Lillo had ceased to look at his book, and was watching her
with a slightly impatient air, which meant that he wanted to
talk to her, but was not quite sure whether she would like
that entertoinment just now. But persevering looks make
themselres felt at last. Bomola did presently turn away her
eyes from the distance and meetLillo's impatient dark gaze
with a brighter and brighter smile. He shuffled along the
floor, still keeping the book on his lap, till he got close to her
and lodged his chin on her knee.
