he cypresses lengthened along the grass until
they seemed to leap softly from the river brink into the water.

* * * * *

When they went back to the villa, they found old Carletto preparing to
serve tea in the columned portico. The Signora Marchesa was just about
to descend, he told them. She called from above as he finished speaking:

"_He_, Carletto!... Go tell the Signora Chesney and the Marchesino that
tea is ready...."

"We are here," said Amaldi, going towards the staircase. "Wait ... let
me help you...."

The Marchesa was coming down very slowly, one step at a time, leaning
heavily on a big, ebony cane. The rheumatism in her knee was much
better, but she was still very stiff. She called out in her jolly,
plucky voice as he began mounting towards her:

"But just look how cleverly I manage by myself!..."

As she said this, she planted her stick on the marble floor of the first
landing. Amaldi was within a yard of her--Sophy watching from the hall
below. It all happened in a second. The stick slipped ... the Marchesa,
who had leaned her whole weight upon it for the next downward step, was
thrown head first against the opposite wall. The sound of her bare
forehead against the marble of the wall was horrible. Then Amaldi had
her in his arms.... Sophy and Carletto ran wildly. It seemed as if she
must be dead. They could not realise that such a crashing blow could
result in anything but death.

In a few moments the whole villa was in confusion. Amaldi and his man
Piero carried the Marchesa to her bedroom. Sophy directed the frightened
maids what to do. Amaldi sent Piero to Cortola, the nearest town, for a
doctor. All the time that Sophy was working with Amaldi over the
unconscious form of his mother, a stupid voice kept dinning in her
mind: "_It never rains but it pours.... It never rains but it
pours_...."

It was nearly an hour before the Marchesa regained consciousness. Her
mind became clear in an astonishingly short time, but she was suffering
frightful pain in her head. Fortunately, almost at the moment she opened
her eyes Piero came back with the doctor from Cortola. After a careful
examination, he assured them that there was no concussion of the brain,
and that if the Signora would remain quietly in bed for a few days, all
would be well. It was nearly ten, however, before they became satisfied
that her condition was not dangerous.

Sophy insisted that Amaldi should send