The ladies gave an excellent account of themselves.
Madame Grandoni had been taking sea-baths at Rimini, and Miss Blanchard painting wild flowers in the Tyrol.

Her complexion was somewhat browned, which was very becoming, and her flowers were uncommonly pretty.
Gloriani had been in Paris and had come away in high good-humor, finding no one there, in the artist-world, cleverer than himself.

He came in a few days to Roderick's studio, one afternoon when Rowland was present.
He examined the new statue with great deference, said it was very promising, and abstained, considerately, from irritating prophecies.

But Rowland fancied he observed certain signs of inward jubilation on the clever sculptor's part, and walked away with him to learn his private opinion.
"Certainly; I liked it as well as I said," Gloriani declared in answer to Rowland's anxious query; "or rather I liked it a great deal better.

I did n't say how much, for fear of making your friend angry.