oke to the nurse in a low tone, by the door, and
both went out, leaving the two together. He was a sensible man, and a
kind-hearted one; and though he was no doctor, he guessed that the
peasant girl's glorious vitality would do as much for the sick man as
any medicine.

CHAPTER VIII

Corbario reached Rome in the afternoon, and the footman who stood
waiting for him on the platform was struck by the change in his
appearance. His eyes were hollow and bright, his cheeks were sunken, his
lips looked dry; moreover, he moved a little nervously and his foot
slipped as he got out of the carriage, so that he nearly fell. In the
crowd, the footman asked his valet questions. Was he ill? What had
happened to him? Was he consuming himself with grief? No, the valet
thought not. He had been much better in Paris and had seen some old
friends there. What harm was there in that? A bereaved man needed
diversion. The change had come suddenly, when he had decided to return
to Rome, and he had eaten nothing for thirty-six hours. The valet asked
if the youth at the hospital, of whom Corbario had told him, were really
Marcello. The footman answered that none of the servants thought so,
after they had all been taken to see him.

Having exchanged these confidences in the half-dumb language which
servants command, they reached the gate. The footman rushed out to call
the carriage, the valet delivered the tickets and followed the footman
more slowly, carrying Corbario's bag and coat, and Corbario lighted a
cigar and followed his man at a leisurely pace, absorbed in thought.

Until the moment of passing the gate he had meant to drive directly to
the hospital, which is at some distance from the station in a direction
almost opposite to that of the Janiculum. He could have driven there in
ten minutes, whereas he must lose more than an hour by going home first
and then coming back. But his courage failed him, he felt faint and
sick, and quite unable to bear any great emotion until he had rested and
refreshed himself a little. A long railway journey stupefies some men,
but makes others nervous and inclined to exaggerate danger or trouble.
During the last twelve hours Corbario had been forcing himself to decide
that he would go to the hospital and know the worst at once, but now
that the moment was come he could not do it.

He was walking slowly through the outer hall of the station when a large
man came up with him and greeted him quietly.