er being
on duty a whole week? What a life! But they must give you a few hours,
surely! What time do you go off duty, and at what time do you go to your
new patient? I suppose they send for you?'

'Yes, at about eight o'clock. That is the usual time, but I never know
long beforehand. Arrangements of that sort are all made by the Mother
Superior.'

It did not seem unnatural that he should ask questions about her
occupation, now that he was calmer, nor could she think it wrong to
answer them. Any one might have listened to what they were saying.

'I daresay you do not even know where you are going this evening?'
Giovanni said.

She thought that he was talking only to keep her with him a little
longer. Overstrained as she had been, it was a relief to exchange a few
words quietly before parting from him.

'It is true,' she answered, after a moment's thought. 'I daresay the
Mother Superior mentioned the name of the family, but if she did I have
forgotten it. I shall get my instructions before I leave the house, as
usual. I only know that it is a new case.'

'Yes,' Giovanni said, as if it did not interest him further. 'All the
same, it is a shame that you should be made to work so hard! Before I
go, tell me that you have forgiven me for losing my head just now. I
think you have, but I want to hear you say so. Will you?'

It seemed little enough to forgive. Sister Giovanna felt so much
relieved by his change of manner that she was even able to smile
faintly. If he would always be as gentle, she could perhaps ask leave to
see him again in six months. Now that the storm was over, it was a pure
and innocent happiness to be with him.

'You will not do it again,' she said simply. 'Of course I forgive you.'

'Thank you. It is all I can expect, since you have told me that I was
asking the impossible. You see Madame Bernard sometimes, do you not?'

'Yes. Almost every week.'

'She will give me news of you. I suppose I must not send you a message
by her. That would be against the rules!'

'The message might be!' Sister Giovanna actually smiled again. 'But if
it is not, there is no reason why she should not bring me a greeting
from you.'

'But not a letter?'

'No. I would not take it from her. It would have to be given to the
Mother Superior. If she were willing to receive it at all, it would be
her duty to read it, and she would judge whether it should be given to
me or not.'

'Is that the rule?' Giovanni asked, more