This is the wonder of wonders that we behold to-day." I said I was, and I wandered over to where Mrs.Portheris examined with Mr.
Mafferton an egg that was laid on the last day of Pompeii.

Mrs.
Portheris was asking Mr.Mafferton, in her most impressive manner, if it was not too wonderful to have positive proof that fowls laid eggs then just as they do now; and I made a note of that too.

Dicky and Isabel bemoaned the fate of the immortal dog who still bites his flank in the pain extinguished so long ago.

I hardly liked to disturb them, but I heard Dicky say as I passed that he didn't mind much about the humans, they had their chance, but this poor little old tyke was tied up, and that on the part of Providence was playing it low down.
Then we all stepped out into the empty streets of Pompeii and Mr.
Mafferton read to us impressively, from Murray, the younger Pliny's letter to Tacitus describing its great disaster.

The Senator listened thoughtfully, for Pliny goes into all kinds of interesting details.