words he left me, disappearing down the passage which
led to "madama's" boudoir. Left alone, I paced up and down the
drawing-room, gazing abstractedly on its costly fittings, its many
luxurious knickknacks and elegancies--most of which I had given to my
wife during the first few months of our marriage. By and by I heard the
sound of violent hysterical sobbing, accompanied by the noise of
hurrying footsteps and the rapid whisking about of female garments. In
a few moments the doctor entered with an expression of sardonic
amusement on his face. "Yes!" he said in reply to my look of inquiry,
"hysterics, lace handkerchiefs, eau-de-Cologne, and attempts at
fainting. All very well done! I have assured the lady there is no fear
of contagion, as under my orders everything will be thoroughly
disinfected. I shall go now. Oh, by the way, the countess requests that
you will wait here a few minutes--she has a message for you--she will
not detain you long. I should recommend you to get back to your hotel
as soon as you can, and take some good wine. A rivederci! Anything I
can do for you pray command me!"

And with a cordial shake of the hand he left me, and I heard the street
door close behind him. Again I paced wearily up and down, wrapped in
sorrowful musings. I did not hear a stealthy tread on the carpet behind
me, so that when I turned round abruptly, I was startled to find myself
face to face with old Giacomo, who held out a note to me on a silver
salver, and who meanwhile peered at me with his eager eyes in so
inquisitive a manner that I felt almost uneasy.

"And so the little angel is dead!" he murmured in a thin, quavering
voice. "Dead! Ay, that is a pity, a pity! But MY master is not
dead--no, no! I am not such an old fool as to believe that."

I paid no heed to his rambling talk, but read the message Nina had sent
to me through him.

"I am BROKEN-HEARTED!" so ran the delicately penciled lines. "Will you
kindly telegraph my DREADFUL loss to Signor Ferrari? I shall be much
obliged to you." I looked up from the perfumed missive and down at the
old butler's wrinkled visage; he was a short man and much bent, and
something in the downward glance I gave him evidently caught and
riveted his attention, for Tie clasped his hands together and muttered
something I could not hear.

"Tell your mistress," I said, speaking slowly and harshly, "that I will
do as she wishes. That I am entirely at her service. Do you understand?"

"Yes