e of lively
satisfaction. She thought she said: "Thank you, Carlin. Are you going to
Dasio, now?"

"No, Signora," Carlin replied. "I am going to Casarico to see my son."

The invalid could no longer distinguish Carlin, but she saw the letter
on the table, saw it distinctly. Still she was not sure it was there; in
her sluggish brain the vague memory of other past hallucinations still
endured, the memory of the disease, which was her enemy, her cruel
master. Her eyes were glassy, her breathing laboured and rapid.

The sound of hastening footsteps roused her, and recalled her almost
completely to herself. When Luisa and Franco came swiftly into the room
from the terrace they did not notice that their mother's face was
distorted, for the lamp was heavily shaded. Kneeling before her they
covered her with kisses, attributing that laboured breathing to emotion.
Suddenly the invalid raised her head from the chair-back and stretched
out her hands, pointing to something at which she was looking fixedly.

"The letter!" she said.

The young people turned, but saw nothing.

"What letter, Mamma?" Luisa asked. At the same moment she noticed her
mother's expression, and warned Franco by a glance. This was not the
first time that Signora Teresa had suffered from hallucinations since
her illness began. At the question, "What letter?" everything became
clear to her. "Oh!" she exclaimed, and withdrawing her hands, buried her
face in them, weeping silently.

Comforted by her children's caresses she soon composed herself, kissed
them, extended her hand to her brother and Signor Giacomo, who did not
in the least understand what had happened, and then motioned to Luisa to
go and get something. It was a question of a cake and a precious bottle
of wine from Niscioree, which, together with some others, had been sent
some time before by the Marchese Bianchi, to whom Signora Teresa was an
object of special veneration.

Signor Giacomo, who was longing to be off, began to fidget and puff, and
glance towards the engineer.

"Signora Luisina," said he, seeing the bride about to leave the room.
"Pray excuse me, but I was just going to take leave of----"

"No, no!" Signora Rigey exclaimed, with only a thread of voice. "Wait a
little longer."

Luisa disappeared, and Franco slipped out of the room behind his wife.
Signora Teresa was suddenly assailed by scruples, and signed to her
brother to call him back.

"Nonsense!" said the engineer.

"