The man who refuses to render the humblest of homage to the mother of his children deserves to have a millstone hung about his neck and to be cast into the sea." The blond lady seemed softened by this unconditional surrender.

"Are you on your way to Rome, may I ask ?" she presently inquired, her question being apparently suggested by the other's reference to ancient Roman customs.
"Yes, that is my destination," he replied.
"You go to witness the splendid ceremonies of Holy Week, I infer." "No; they do not interest me." "What!" exclaimed the lady; "the sublimest of our Church observances, that which symbolises the very divinity of our Saviour, does not interest you ?" "No; because I do not believe in his divinity," was the calm reply.
The lady raised her eyebrows in involuntary token of surprise at this most unexpected answer.

She suddenly felt a strong desire to fathom the mysterious stranger.

"I believe the Vatican is seeking an unusually large loan just now," she remarked, half-interrogatively.
The stranger could not suppress a smile.

He read the other's surmise that he might be of Hebrew birth and faith.