me persuade you to take rest."

She motioned in the negative.

"Indeed, madam, but you ought to do so," interrupted Lucrezia, who was
present: "these many nights you have passed without sleep; and your health
so delicate!"

"Lie down--lie down, my love," interposed her husband, "if only for a short
time."

Again she refused; but at length they induced her to comply, her husband
promising to watch over the child, and to let her know if there should be
the slightest change in him. He passed his arms round his wife to lead her
from the chamber, for she was painfully weak; but they had scarcely gone
ten steps from the door, when a prolonged, shrill scream, as of one in
unutterable terror, reached their ears. They rushed back again. The nurse
sat, still supporting the child, but with her eyes dilating and fixed on
one corner of the room, and her face rigid with horror. It was she who had
screamed.

"My child! my child!" groaned the Lady Adelaide.

"Nurse, what in the name of the Holy Virgin is the matter?" exclaimed the
count, perceiving no alteration in the infant. "You look as if you had
seen a spectre!"

"I have seen one," shuddered the nurse.

"What _have_ you been dreaming of?" he returned, angrily.

"As true as that we are all assembled here, my lord," continued the nurse,
solemnly, "I saw the spirit of Gina Montani!"

A change came over the Lord of Visinara's countenance, but he spoke not;
whilst the Lady Adelaide clung to her husband in fear, and Lucrezia darted
into the midst of the group, and laid hold of the nurse's chair.

"What absurdity!" uttered the count, recovering himself. "How could such
an idea enter your head?"

"Were it the last word I had to speak, my lord," continued the woman, "and
to my dying day, I will maintain what I assert. I saw but now the ghost of
Gina Montani. It was in a night-dress, and stood _there_, far away, where
the lamp casts its shade."

"Nonsense!" said the count abstractedly. "Pray did you see anything?" he
continued, banteringly, to Lucrezia, and to another attendant who was in
the room. They answered that they had not: but Lucrezia was white, and
shook convulsively. A wild, frantic sob, burst from the Lady Adelaide. The
child was dead!

V.

Many months again slipped by, with little to distinguish them save the
decreasing strength of the Lady Adelaide. She had been wasting slowly
since the shock given her heart at discovering her husband's love for Gin