and seized his hand, and bathed it with her
hot tears. "Leo, do you not know me! I am Nina! If you wish me to come
back--see! see!--I am here! I kiss your hand--it is Nina!"

He looked at her strangely, and turned with bewildered eyes to Maurice.

"Maurice, is it twelve o'clock? Has she really come this time? Did you
hear her speak just now? Is it Nina--at last! at last!"

With her head still bowed down, and her whole frame shaken with her
sobbing, but still clasping his hand, she murmured to him some
phrase--Maurice guessed it was in the familiar Neapolitan dialect; for
Lionel presently said to her--slowly, because of his heavy breathing:

"Ah, you are still _la cianciosella_!--but you have come back--and not
to go away. I have forgotten so many things. My head is not well. But
wait a little while, Nina--wait a little while--"

"Oh, yes, Leo," she said, and she rose and dried her eyes, with her head
turned aside somewhat. "I will wait until you have plenty of time to
tell me. I shall come and see you whenever you want me."

She looked at Maurice humbly for directions; his eyes plainly said--yes,
it was time she should withdraw. She went into the other room--rather
blindly, as it seemed to her--and she sank into a chair, still
trembling and exhausted; but Francie was by her side in a moment.

"Did he know you?" she asked in an undertone.

"Yes, I think," Nina answered. "But oh, he looks so strange--so
different. He has suffered. It is terrible; but I am glad that I came--"

"It is so kind of you--for I see you are so tired!" said Francie, in her
gentle way. "Perhaps you have been travelling?"

"Only last night--but I did not sleep any--"

"Shall I get you some tea?" was the next inquiry.

But here the old doctor, who had been stealthily moving about the room,
interfered, and produced a biscuit-box and a decanter of port wine and a
glass; while the old lady begged Miss Ross to take off her cloak and
remain with them a little while. At this moment Mangan came out from the
sick-room.

"Doctor," said he in a whisper, "you must go in presently; I think
you'll see a difference. He is quite pleased and content--talking to
himself a little, but not complaining any more. Twice he has said,
'Maurice, Nina has spoken at last.'"

There was a tinkle of a bell; Maurice answered it with the swiftness of
a nurse in a hospital. He returned in a minute, looking a little
puzzled.

"He wants to make quite sure you have bee