gs of the edges they
got through, but a mighty voice of command thundered; the rearward
portion of the mob swung rapidly to the front, presenting a scattered
second barrier; Jenna tripped on a fallen body, lost his cigar, and swore
that he must find it. A dagger struck his sword-arm. He staggered and
flourished his blade in the air, calling "On!" without stirring. "This
infernal cigar!" he said; and to the mob, "What mongrel of you took my
cigar?" Stones thumped on his breast; the barrier-line ahead grew denser.
"I'll go at them first; you're bleeding," said Wilfrid. They were
refreshed by the sound of German cheering, as in approach. Jenna uplifted
a crow of the regimental hurrah of the charge; it was answered; on they
went and got through the second fence, saw their comrades, and were
running to meet them, when a weighted ball hit Wilfrid on the back of the
head. He fell, as he believed, on a cushion of down, and saw thousands of
saints dancing with lamps along cathedral aisles.

The next time he opened his eyes he fancied he had dropped into the
vaults of the cathedral. His sensation of sinking was so vivid that he
feared lest he should be going still further below. There was a lamp in
the chamber, and a young man sat reading by the light of the lamp. Vision
danced fantastically on Wilfrid's brain. He saw that he rocked as in a
ship, yet there was no noise of the sea; nothing save the remote thunder
haunting empty ears at strain for sound. He looked again; the young man
was gone, the lamp was flickering. Then he became conscious of a strong
ray on his eyelids; he beheld his enemy gazing down on him and swooned.
It was with joy, that when his wits returned, he found himself looking on
the young man by the lamp. "That other face was a dream," he thought, and
studied the aspect of the young man with the unwearied attentiveness of
partial stupor, that can note accurately, but cannot deduce from its
noting, and is inveterate in patience because it is unideaed. Memory
wakened first.

"Guidascarpi!" he said to himself.

The name was uttered half aloud. The young man started and closed his
book.

"You know me?" he asked.

"You are Guidascarpi?"

"I am."

"Guidascarpi, I think I helped to save your life in Meran."

The young man stooped over him. "You speak of my brother Angelo. I am
Rinaldo. My debt to you is the same, if you have served him."

"Is he safe?"

"He is in Lugano."

"The signorina Vittoria?"

"I