reathlessly. "Oh, make haste, make haste! He is
ill, and he has sent for you!"

Marta inquired who had sent for her, and on being informed, promised
to lose no time. Nanina ran downstairs to tell the servant that the
sick-nurse was getting on her clothes. The man's serious expression,
when she came close to him, terrified her. All her usual self-distrust
vanished; and she entreated him, without attempting to conceal her
anxiety, to tell her particularly what his master's illness was, and how
it had affected him so suddenly after the ball.

"I know nothing about it," answered the man, noticing Nanina's manner
as she put her question, with some surprise, "except that my master was
brought home by two gentlemen, friends of his, about a couple of hours
ago, in a very sad state; half out of his mind, as it seemed to me. I
gathered from what was said that he had got a dreadful shock from seeing
some woman take off her mask, and show her face to him at the ball. How
that could be I don't in the least understand; but I know that when the
doctor was sent for, he looked very serious, and talked about fearing
brain-fever."

Here the servant stopped; for, to his astonishment, he saw Nanina
suddenly turn away from him, and then heard her crying bitterly as she
went back into the house.

Marta Angrisani had huddled on her clothes and was looking at herself in
the glass to see that she was sufficiently presentable to appear at the
palace, when she felt two arms flung round her neck; and, before she
could say a word, found Nanina sobbing on her bosom.

"He is ill--he is in danger!" cried the girl. "I must go with you to
help him. You have always been kind to me, Marta--be kinder than ever
now. Take me with you--take me with you to the palace!"

"You, child!" exclaimed the nurse, gently unclasping her arms.

"Yes--yes! if it is only for an hour," pleaded Nanina; "if it is only
for one little hour every day. You have only to say that I am your
helper, and they would let me in. Marta! I shall break my heart if I
can't see him, and help him to get well again."

The nurse still hesitated. Nanina clasped her round the neck once more,
and laid her cheek--burning hot now, though the tears had been streaming
down it but an instant before--close to the good woman's face.

"I love him, Marta; great as he is, I love him with all my heart and
soul and strength," she went on, in quick, eager, whispering tones; "and
he loves me. He would ha