could, if he would, tell some interesting
details. I will give you all Pietrino's letters, but I should just like
to run on with my own impressions from them first. It seems that, since
Madame Danterre's death, there has been a good deal of wild talk against
her in Florence, which was kept down by self-interest as long as she was
living and an excellent paying-machine. You will see, when you read the
gossip, that very little is to the point. But, on the other hand,
Pietrino has valuable information from one of the nurses. She is a young
woman who is disappointed, as she has had no legacy; evidently Madame
Danterre intended to add her name in the last codicil, but somehow
failed to do so. This woman is sure that Madame Danterre had an evil
conscience as to her wealth. She also said that she was always morbidly
anxious as to a small box. Once, when the nurse had reassured her by
showing her the box, which was kept in a little bureau by the bed, she
said, with an odd smile: 'If I believed in the devil I should be very
glad that I can pay him back all he lent me when I don't want it any
more.' At another time she asked for the box and took out some papers,
and told the nurse to light a candle close to her as she was going to
burn some old letters. Then she began to read a long, long letter, and
as she read, she became more and more angry until she had a sudden
attack of the heart. The nurse swept the papers into the box and locked
it up, knowing that she could do nothing to soothe the patient while
they were lying about. That night the doctors thought Madame Danterre
would die, but she rallied. She did not speak of the papers again until
some days later. The nurse described how, one evening, when she thought
her sleeping, she was surprised to find her great eyes fixed on the
candle in a sconce near the bed. 'The candle was burnt half way down,
but the paper was not burnt at all,' the nurse heard her whisper; 'I
shall not do it now. I cannot be expected to settle such questions while
I am ill. After all, I have always given her a full share; she can
destroy it herself if she likes, or she can give it all up to that
woman--it shall be her own affair.'

"She did not seem to know that she had been speaking aloud, and she
muttered a little more to herself and then slept.

"The nurse heard no further allusion to the box for weeks. She said the
old woman was using all her fine vitality and her iron will in fighting
death. Then ca