was waiting for the words of absolution, and after a few
moments, as she did not hear them, she broke out again in senseless
terror, with sobbing and more tears. She grasped the Sister's arms
wildly and dragged herself up till she was on her knees in bed,
imploring and weeping, pleading and sobbing, while she trembled
visibly from head to foot.

The case was a difficult one, even for an experienced nurse. A lay
woman might have taken upon herself to personate the priest and
pronounce the words of the absolution in the hope of quieting the
patient, but no member of a religious order would do such a thing,
except to save life, and such a case could hardly arise. The Princess
Chiaromonte was in no bodily danger, and the chances were that the
delirium would leave her before long; when it disappeared she would
probably fall asleep, and it was very unlikely that she should
remember anything she had said in her ravings. Meanwhile it was
certainly not good for her to go on crying and throwing herself about,
as she was doing, for the fever was high already and her wild
excitement might increase the temperature still further.

Sister Giovanna took advantage of a brief interval, when she was
perhaps only taking breath between her lamentations, out of sheer
necessity.

'You must compose yourself,' the nun said with authority. 'You seem to
forget that you have been ill. Lie down for a little while, and I will
come back presently. In the meantime, I give you my word that your
niece has forgiven you with all her heart.'

She could say that with a clear conscience, just then, and gently
disengaging herself, she succeeded without much difficulty in making
the Princess lay her head on the pillow, for the words had produced a
certain effect; then, leaving the bedside, she went back to the table.
But she did not sit down, and only remained standing about a minute
before going back to the patient.

She went round by the opposite side of the screen, however, with the
hope that the Princess, seeing her come from another direction, would
take her for a different person. Very small things sometimes affect
people in delirium, and the little artifice was successful; she came
forward, speaking cheerfully in her ordinary voice, and at once put
her arm under the pillow, propping her aunt's head in order to make
her drink comfortably. There was no resistance now.

'You are much better already,' she said in an encouraging tone. 'Does
your head