, and the lady, with the paper still in
her hand, turned to the manager.

"Do you know anything about this paragraph?" she asked, touching it with
her delicately-gloved forefinger. "The one, I mean, which concerns the
Count di Marioni?"

"Certainly, your ladyship," he answered. "I inserted it myself."

"He is still here, I suppose?"

"He is, your ladyship. I do not know whether you will consider that I
acted wisely in taking such a step, but I could see no alternative. He
arrived here alone about a fortnight ago, and at that time there seemed
to be nothing singular about him excepting his clothing, and a certain
nervousness which the servants marked in his manner, and which we can
scarcely wonder at, considering his painful history and recent return
to--er--civilized ways. He left the hotel almost immediately after
engaging his room, and was away, I believe, for several hours. I chanced
to be in the hall on his return, and was struck by the change in his
appearance. Your ladyship, I never saw a man on whose face was written
such dumb and helpless agony. He went straight to his room, and since
then has never left it. He is simply pining to death there. He neither
eats, nor drinks, nor speaks. He sits there, with his eyes fixed upon
the fire, like a man waiting for his end. I ventured to visit him one
morning, but my attempts at remonstrance were cut short at once in a
most dignified fashion. I feel that it would be heartless to ask him to
leave the hotel; but, at the same time, if he remains, and continues in
the same way, he will certainly either die or go mad very shortly. What
he wants is the personal care of friends, and very kind treatment; and
as I could think of no other way of communication with them, I decided
to advertise his presence here. I trust that your ladyship does not
think my interference officious?"

He bowed his head, and turned away out of respect for the tears which he
could see in her eyes, and which she made scarcely an effort to conceal.

"No; you did quite right," she said after a moment's pause. "I was
waiting for my husband outside the club, and quite by chance I took up
the _Post_ and saw your paragraph. I drove here at once. Will you show
me to the Count's rooms, if you please?"

"Certainly, your ladyship. Will you come this way?"

She followed him up the fine marble staircase and down the first-floor
corridor. At the extreme end he paused outside a door.

"It is of no use knockin