therefore it must be the Padre. Then she
would speak to him. She threw aside the pencil, and went to meet him on
the stairs. It was dark, and Don Clemente mistook her for Maria Selva.

"He is quiet," the Benedictine said, before she could speak. "He seems
to be asleep. What your sister told him did him so much good! The
Professor thinks he will live through the night. Send for the other
lady. He has asked for her. I thought you had already gone for her."

Jeanne was dumb. She stepped aside. With an "Excuse me" he passed her
without looking at her, and entered the kitchen, to ask for a little
bread and some water, for he had been fasting since the night before.
Jeanne was trembling like a leaf. He had asked for her! The words and
the opportunity thus offered made her dizzy. Noiselessly she mounted the
stairs. Noiselessly she pushed the door open. The sister saw her, and
started to rise. She signed to her, her finger on her lips, not to move,
and noiselessly approached the bed. She saw a long, black something
spread upon it, over the quilt, and stopped, horrified, not
understanding. A faint groan. The man on the bed raised his right hand
with a vague gesture, as if in search of something. The sister rose, but
Jeanne, moving more swiftly, rushed to the pillow, and bent over Piero,
who had begun to groan again and move his hand.

Jeanne questioned him anxiously, but he did not answer. He only groaned
and looked at something beside the bed. Jeanne offered him a glass of
water, but he shook his head. She was in despair because she could not
understand. Ah! the Crucifix! the Crucifix! The sister lifted the light
from the ground; Jeanne held out the Crucifix to Piero, who, pressing
his lips to it, gazed at her, gazed at her with those great glassy eyes,
from which death looked forth. The sister gave a cry and ran to call the
Padre. Piero gazed and gazed at Jeanne. With a great effort, he clasped
the Crucifix in both hands, and raised it towards her. His lips moved,
moved again, but no sound came from them. Jeanne took Piero's hands
between her own, and pressed a passionate kiss upon the Crucifix. Then
he closed his eyes. A smile broke across his face.

His head drooped a little towards his right shoulder. He moved no more.

THE END.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Saint, by Antonio Fogazzaro

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SAINT ***

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