watched in silence; then he rose and fetched the
opium.

"Rivarez, I won't let this go on any longer; if you can stand it, I
can't. You must have the stuff."

The Gadfly took it without speaking. Then he turned away and closed
his eyes. Martini sat down again, and listened as the breathing became
gradually deep and even.

The Gadfly was too much exhausted to wake easily when once asleep. Hour
after hour he lay absolutely motionless. Martini approached him several
times during the day and evening, and looked at the still figure; but,
except the breathing, there was no sign of life. The face was so wan and
colourless that at last a sudden fear seized upon him; what if he had
given too much opium? The injured left arm lay on the coverlet, and
he shook it gently to rouse the sleeper. As he did so, the unfastened
sleeve fell back, showing a series of deep and fearful scars covering
the arm from wrist to elbow.

"That arm must have been in a pleasant condition when those marks were
fresh," said Riccardo's voice behind him.

"Ah, there you are at last! Look here, Riccardo; ought this man to sleep
forever? I gave him a dose about ten hours ago, and he hasn't moved a
muscle since."

Riccardo stooped down and listened for a moment.

"No; he is breathing quite properly; it's nothing but sheer
exhaustion--what you might expect after such a night. There may be
another paroxysm before morning. Someone will sit up, I hope?"

"Galli will; he has sent to say he will be here by ten."

"It's nearly that now. Ah, he's waking! Just see the maidservant gets
that broth hot. Gently--gently, Rivarez! There, there, you needn't
fight, man; I'm not a bishop!"

The Gadfly started up with a shrinking, scared look. "Is it my turn?" he
said hurriedly in Spanish. "Keep the people amused a minute; I---- Ah! I
didn't see you, Riccardo."

He looked round the room and drew one hand across his forehead as if
bewildered. "Martini! Why, I thought you had gone away. I must have been
asleep."

"You have been sleeping like the beauty in the fairy story for the last
ten hours; and now you are to have some broth and go to sleep again."

"Ten hours! Martini, surely you haven't been here all that time?"

"Yes; I was beginning to wonder whether I hadn't given you an overdose
of opium."

The Gadfly shot a sly glance at him.

"No such luck! Wouldn't you have nice quiet committee-meetings? What
the devil do you want, Riccardo? Do for mercy's sake l