recovering fast. He did not seem to be so strong as his friend had
thought, and the short illness, together with the mental shock of
Cecilia's letter, had made him very weak. The news of him was much the
same for three days, and the young girl grew anxious. She knew that
Lamberti spent most of his time with Guido, but he had not been to the
Palazzo Massimo since his interview with her. She wished she could see
him and ask questions, if only he could temporarily be turned into some
one else; but since that was impossible, she was glad that he did not
come to the house. She spent long hours in reading, while Petersen and
the servants made preparations for the journey, and she wrote a line to
Guido every day, to tell him how sorry she was for him. She received
grateful notes from him, so badly written that she could hardly read
them.

On the fourth day, no answer came, but Lamberti sent her mother a line
an hour later to say that Guido had more fever than usual and could not
write that morning, but was in no danger, as far as the doctor could
say.

"I should like to go and see him," Cecilia said. "He is very ill, and it
is my fault."

The Countess was horrified at the suggestion.

"My dear child," she cried, "you are quite mad! Why, the poor man is in
bed, of course!"

"I hope so," Cecilia answered unmoved. "But Signor Lamberti could carry
him to his sitting room."

"Who ever heard of such a thing!"

"We could go in a cab, with thick veils," Cecilia continued. "No one
would ever know."

"Think of Petersen, my dear! Women of our class do not wear thick veils
in the street. For heaven's sake put this absurd idea out of your head."

"It does not seem absurd to me."

"Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself," retorted the Countess,
losing her temper. "You do not even mean to marry him, and yet you talk
of going to see him when he is ill, as if he were already your husband!"

"What if he dies?" Cecilia asked suddenly.

"There will be time enough to think about it then," answered the
Countess, with insufficient reflection. "Besides he is not going to die
of a touch of influenza."

"Signor Lamberti says he is very ill. Several people died of it last
winter, you know. I suppose you mean that I need not think of trying to
see him until we hear that there is no hope for him."

"Well?"

"That might be too late. He might not know me. It seems to me that it
would be better to try and save his life, or if he is not