dear, I promise ... only a few minutes ... but I
must.... I must see him alone ... just at first...."

She was so determined that poor Susan felt she had no choice. She went
out into the hall, misery and dread in her heart--not for anything that
she feared between Sophy and Amaldi--she knew them both too well for
that--but lest some malevolent eyes might have seen Sophy go in ...
might watch for her coming out.

Sophy had not mentioned their names, or given any cards to Piero, and he
was too discreet a person to ask questions. When, therefore, he
announced to Amaldi that there were visitors for him, he said merely,
"_due signore_" (two ladies).

Amaldi came in to find Sophy standing alone in the middle of the room,
her hands locked tight together, and her eyes fixed on the door by which
he entered. The next instant he was close to her, and she was faltering
out:

"I thought you were ... dead.... Then I knew...."

"What?... You knew ... what?" he said dazedly.

She kept her eyes on his--they looked scared and brave and piteous at
the same time.

"That I ... cared for you ... more than I knew...."

Things went black before Amaldi for a second. He had been through a
hideous night with poor Nano. He had seen him lying on the pavement
drenched with blood--dead to all appearance. Then had come the long
hours of waiting for the doctors' verdict. Then the shock of hope after
the long vigil. Now this....

He mastered himself, thinking that he could not have taken her meaning
rightly.

"It was ... like you ... to come...." he said almost stupidly. He felt
stupefied, not equal to grasping the situation fitly.

But now Sophy held out her locked hands to him. Her white face flushed
and quivered.

"Marco ... don't you understand?" she whispered. "I ... I want you to
know ... that I...." She caught her breath. ".... It's ... it's ...
love, Marco...."

A profound instinct told him not to touch her. The black mist closed
down again for an instant. His bewildered, haggard face went to her
heart. Close to him, trembling, her eyes still courageous and timid at
the same time, she laid one hand upon his breast.

"Dearest," she said, "don't look like that ... as if you couldn't
believe me ... you'll have to be very patient with me...."

She put down her forehead suddenly on the hand that still rested against
his breast, and began to cry softly and restrainedly, like an overtaxed
child. Then his arms went round her, but ver