lessing of the
milk."

He embraced the man, and years afterwards the herder, Nazzareno Mercuri,
used to tell that while Benedetto held him in his arms, he, Nazzareno
did not seem to be himself; that his blood first turned to ice and then
to fire; that his heart beat hard, very hard, as it did the first time
he received Christ in the Sacrament; that a terrible headache which
had tormented him for two days suddenly disappeared; that then he had
realised he was in the arms of a saint, a worker of miracles; and that
he had fallen on his knees at his feet! In reality he did not fall on
his knees, but stood as one petrified, and Benedetto had to say twice
to him: "Now go, Nazzareno; go, my dear son." Having despatched him thus
lovingly on his way to the Sacro Speco, he himself started towards Santa
Scholastica.

In the light of day the rocky slope held no spirits either good or evil.
The mountains, the clouds, even the dark walls of the monastery, and the
tower itself looked heavy with sleep in the pale dawn. Benedetto entered
the Ospizio, and stretching himself on his poor couch, without removing
his wet garments, he crossed his arms on his breast, and sank into a
deep sleep.

CHAPTER IV. FACE TO FACE

I.

The rumbling of the thunder roused Noemi shortly after two o'clock;
she had fallen asleep only a short time before. Her room was next
to Jeanne's, and the door between them had been left open. Jeanne
immediately called out to her. They had talked until two o'clock,
when Noemi, quite exhausted, and after many vain efforts, had finally
succeeded in persuading her indefatigable friend to leave her in peace.
Now she pretended not to hear. Jeanne called again.

"Noemi! The thunder-storm! I am so frightened!"

"You are not a bit frightened!" Noemi answered irritably. "Be quiet! Go
to sleep!"

"I am frightened! I am coming into your room."

"I forbid it!"

"Then you must come in here!"

Noemi's "Will you be quiet?" sounded so resolute that the other was
silent.

Only for a moment, however; then the tearful, childish voice, that Noemi
knew so well, began again:

"Have you not slept long enough? Can you not talk now? You must have
slept three hours!"

Noemi struck a match and looked at her watch, holding which she had
previously begged for silence.

"Twenty-two minutes!" she announced. "Be quiet!"

Jeanne was still for a moment, then she uttered those little
hm!--hm!--hms!--which are always the prelude