the
contrary, at the end of half an hour Lamberti was almost sure that the
lids were more tightly closed than before, and that the breath came and
went with a fuller sound. In ten minutes more he was sure that the sick
man was peacefully sleeping, and not likely to die that night. He turned
away with a deep sigh of relief.

The doctor came soon after midnight. He would not disturb Guido; he
looked at him a long time and listened to his breathing, and nodded with
evident satisfaction.

"You may begin to hope now," he said quietly to Lamberti, not even
whispering, for he knew how deep such sleep was sure to be. "He may not
wake before to-morrow afternoon. Do not be anxious. I will come early in
the morning."

"Very well," answered Lamberti. "By the bye, a near relation of his has
died suddenly while he has been delirious. Shall I tell him if he wakes
quite conscious?"

"If it will give him great satisfaction to know of his relative's death,
tell him of it by all means," answered the doctor, his quiet eye
twinkling a little, for he had often heard of the Princess Anatolie, and
knew that she was dead.

"I do not think the news will cause him pain," said Lamberti, with
perfect gravity.

The doctor gave the nurse a few directions and went away, evidently
convinced that Guido was out of all immediate danger. Then Lamberti
rested at last, for the nun slept in the daytime and was fresh for the
night's watching. He stretched himself upon Guido's long chair in the
drawing-room, leaving the door open, and one light burning, so that the
nurse could call him at once. He had earned his rest, and as he shut his
eyes his only wish was that he could have let Cecilia know of the change
before he went to sleep. A moment later he was sitting beside her on the
bench in the Villa Madama, by the fountain, telling her that Guido was
safe at last.

When he awoke the sun had risen an hour.

CHAPTER XXVII

"I am like Dante," said Guido to Lamberti, when he was recovering. "I
have been in Hell, and now I am in Purgatory. But I shall not reach the
earthly Paradise at the top, much less the Heaven beyond."

He smiled sadly and looked at his friend.

"Who knows?" Lamberti asked, by way of answer.

"Beatrice will not lead me further."

Guido closed his eyes, and wondered why he had come back to life, out of
so much suffering, only to be tormented again in the same way, perhaps
when the end really