But blending with them, uttered in fact almost at the same time, came a remark from Mr. Sheston.... “You see where the frieze, now on the walls of this Museum, really belongs? Phidias, the sculptor, in all probability, saw just such a procession at the Olympic Games, celebrated throughout the world, and even now not forgotten. Didn’t you ask me what the wordOlympiameant? Now you know....”
“Yes, now we know,” said Rachel, slowly. She and Diana were still standing by the glass case containing the model of the Acropolis of Athens.
They both glanced quickly at Mr. Sheston, but his face was quite grave as he looked at his watch.
“I think it’s time to go to my house for tea,” he said. “I expect you’re tired?”
The children glanced at one another now, and smiled.
“Weoughtto be—because we’ve been away about four days, really,” whispered Diana, lingering a moment after Mr. Sheston turned to go.
“And yet I expect it wasn’t even fourminutes!” was Rachel’s hurried answer.
A week from the day on which the children had seen Athens, sat through the Olympic Games, returned to the British Museum and had tea with Mr. Sheston—they were both in Aunt Hester’s drawing-room.
Rachel’s father and mother were also there, and the following morning she and Diana were to return with them to the Seven Gables.
“Rachel looks in the seventh heaven of delight!” remarked Aunt Hester, glancing with a smile at her niece, who sat on the arm of her father’s chair.
“There’sanother‘seven,’” Rachel whispered meaningly to Diana, when the grown-up people began to talk amongst themselves....
“The Pyramids are amazing,” Rachel’s mother was saying, after she had been describing what they had seen in Egypt. “Weren’t they counted among the Wonders of the World? I’m not surprised.”
“It was the first Great Pyramid that was one of the Seven Wonders, I think, wasn’t it?” Rachel’s father returned. “What were the others? I don’t believe anyone knows!”
“We do!” exclaimed Rachel, suddenly. She really couldn’t help it.
Her mother and father laughed, but looked surprised.
“Well, what are they?” asked both of them, speaking together.
“There’s the Great Pyramid, and the Hanging Gardens atBabylon, and the Colossus at Rhodes—” began Rachel, very quickly.
“And the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, and the Pharos at Alexandria,” added Diana with equal speed.
“And the statue of Jupiter Olympius.”
The last one they said together, almost in the same breath.
“That’s seven,” was Rachel’s last word.
“Well, I never!” exclaimed her father. He looked across at Aunt Hester and laughed again. “How on earth have they learnt all that?”
“Mr. Sheston, I expect,” returned his sister. “He was always taking them to the British Museum.”
At the mention of the old man’s name, Rachel’s father glanced quickly at his little daughter, who returned the look with a smile.
“Mr. Sheston is a wonderful old boy, isn’t he, Rachel?” he remarked quietly.
“Oh, yes!... And, Dad,” she began, moving even closer to him. “It’s lovely to be going home, but I’ve enjoyed itawfullyhere with Aunt Hester, and Diana, and—Mr. Sheston. And it would be dreadful never to come back again. I may—some time or other—mayn’t I?” she begged earnestly.
“Oh, yes!” cried Diana, with equal fervour.
Rachel’s father put his arm round her.
“Of course you may,” he said, “if your aunt will have you.”
“OfcourseI will,” returned Aunt Hester, looking gratified.
“I’m glad you like Mr. Sheston,” observed Rachel’s father, smiling first at his little daughter, and then at Diana.
“Let’s givesevencheers!” exclaimed Diana. And both children laughed.