with her except the two nurses and the assistant. She heard in the
adjoining room the sound of hurried footsteps, a murmur of hasty and
subdued voices, and repressed exclamations. The sick woman fixed her
glazing eyes on the door, in expectation. At the end of a few minutes
she saw the doctor appear with an unusual expression on his face; then
her mistress and master, with their countenances also altered. All three
gazed at her with a singular expression, and exchanged a few words in a
low tone. She fancied that the doctor said to her mistress, "Better let
it be at once." She did not understand.

"Josefa," said her mistress to the sick woman, in a trembling voice, "I
have some good news for you. Prepare your heart for good news."

The woman observed her intently.

"News," pursued the lady, with increasing agitation, "which will give
you great joy."

The sick woman's eyes dilated.

"Prepare yourself," continued her mistress, "to see a person--of whom
you are very fond."

The woman raised her head with a vigorous movement, and began to gaze in
rapid succession, first at the lady and then at the door, with flashing
eyes.

"A person," added the lady, turning pale, "who has just
arrived--unexpectedly."

"Who is it?" shrieked the woman, with a strange and choked voice, like
that of a person in terror. An instant later she gave vent to a shrill
scream, sprang into a sitting posture in her bed, and remained
motionless, with starting eyes, and her hands pressed to her temples, as
in the presence of a supernatural apparition.

Marco, tattered and dusty, stood there on the threshold, held back by
the doctor's hand on one arm.

The woman uttered three shrieks: "God! God! My God!"

Marco rushed forward; she stretched out to him her fleshless arms, and
straining him to her heart with the strength of a tiger, she burst into
a violent laugh, broken by deep, tearless sobs, which caused her to fall
back suffocating on her pillow.

But she speedily recovered herself, and mad with joy, she shrieked as
she covered his head with kisses: "How do you come here? Why? Is it you?
How you have grown! Who brought you? Are you alone? You are not ill? It
is you, Marco! It is not a dream! My God! Speak to me!"

Then she suddenly changed her tone: "No! Be silent! Wait!" And turning
to the doctor, she said with precipitation: "Quick, doctor! this
instant! I want to get well. I am ready. Do not lose a moment. Take
Marco away, so that he