ness and weakness, as if she
were going to faint. Luckily I was not far off, and when I saw Cucurullo
supporting her I went to his assistance, and we took her out to her
carriage, which was waiting.'

Stradella looked at him anxiously, but the Bravo only smiled.

'Nothing serious, I am sure,' the latter said, in a reassuring tone.
'But she will be glad to see you as soon as possible, and if the Canons'
carriage has not come back, my friend and I will take you home at once
in ours; we have just bought one for our convenience.'

'Thank you,' Stradella answered, letting Trombin help him to pull his
arms out of the tight sleeves of the purple silk cassock. 'You are very
kind.'

He was evidently too anxious about Ortensia to say more, and in a few
seconds he had got into his coat, and Trombin was arranging the broad
linen collar for him as cleverly as any valet could have done.

Trombin was well aware that Tommaso was not coming back to the Lateran
with the coach, since the bells were already ringing for Ave Maria, and
the man was to meet Don Alberto behind the Baptistery in an hour--'the
first hour of the night'; but he pretended angry surprise at not finding
the carriage waiting. The one provided by the Canons was there, however,
and Stradella recognised it, which Trombin could not have done, amongst
the crowd of equipages that were waiting for the numerous ecclesiastics
who had taken part in the service. It was now all but quite dark, but
the coachman had received orders to be near the door and ready, lest the
famous singer should catch cold.

Stradella was in far too great a hurry to question him, and jumped in at
once, glad that Trombin should go with him. The carriage drove away at a
smart pace, long before the owners of the other coaches were ready to go
home.

Before the gateway of the Palazzo Altieri, Stradella got out, and tossed
a florin up to the coachman, who caught it with a grin, and drove away
at once.

'A thousand thanks!' the musician said, shaking Trombin's hand.

'I have done nothing,' the Bravo answered. 'I hope to hear to-morrow
that your lady----'

But Stradella was already gone, and was running up the broad staircase
at the top of his speed. A moment more and he knocked at his own door,
of which the heavy key had been in Cucurullo's keeping when they had all
left the house together to go to the Lateran.

Pina opened the door in her usual quiet way, and was a little surprised
to see Strad