ed a doctor,
and my husband is away, why is not Dr. Torquino here?'

"'Madam,' said Jaqui, his voice faltering a little, 'you will excuse the
intrusion of a stranger when I tell you that Dr. Torquino is dead.'"

"Rather abrupt," said the Mistress of the House.

"He could not help it, madam," said John Gayther; "it popped out of his
head. But it did not matter; Donna Paltravi had a quick perception.
'Oh,' she exclaimed, 'and I not know it!' Then she stopped and looked
steadfastly at Jaqui. 'I see,' she said slowly; 'I have been in one of
my trances.' Then she grew still paler. 'But my husband, he is not dead?
Tell me he is not dead!' she cried.

"'Oh, no,' exclaimed Jaqui; 'he is alive and well, and will be with you
very soon.' Donna Paltravi's face lighted with an expression of great
happiness; her color returned; and she looked almost as handsome as when
she had been lying in the box. 'Blessed be the holy Mary!' said she. 'If
he is well it does not matter what has happened. How long have I been in
a trance?'

"'I cannot say exactly,' replied Jaqui, very much afraid to speak the
truth; 'in fact, I was not here when you went into it: but--'

"'Oh, never mind, never mind!' she exclaimed. 'My husband will tell
me everything. I would much rather he should do so. But what
ugly-fashioned clothes you are wearing, sir! Does everybody dress in
that way now, or is it only doctors? I am sure I must have been asleep
for a good while, and that I shall see some wonderful things. It is
quite delightful to think of it. I can scarcely wait until my husband
comes. I want him to tell me everything.'

"When the greatly relieved Jaqui returned with this news he threw
Dr. Paltravi into a state of rapture. His wife knew what had happened;
she had not been shocked; she understood; and, above everything else,
she longed to see him! After all these forty years he was now--this
minute--to be with her again! She was longing to see him! With all the
vigor of youth he bounded up the stairs.

"Now," said John Gayther, "we will pass over an interval of time."

"I think that will be very well indeed!" the Mistress of the House said
approvingly.

"Not a long one, I hope," said her daughter, "for this is a breathless
point in the story. I have worked it out in my own mind in three
different ways already."

The gardener smiled with pleasure. He had a high regard for the mind of
the Daughter of the House.

"Well," said he, "the interval is v