Casa Braccio, Volumes 1 and 2

he was no longer young, and before forty-eight hours had gone by his wounds were decidedly inflamed and he had a little fever. At

o bleed him, and he insisted upon eating and drinking more than was good for him, at a time w

open door, in order that he might at least ask her questions and hear her own answers. Many an old Italian doctor can tell of even stranger and more absurd precautions observed by the nuns of those days. As

no object beyond enjoying the pleasure of talking with Maria Addolorata, and no hope beyond that of some day seeing her face without the veil. As for her voice, his present position as doctor to the convent made it foolish for him to run the risk of being caught l

he approached the subject, merely for the sake of conversation, saying that he ha

forbidden here to sing except in church," she added with a sigh. "A

mple. "But I would give anyth

diction service. We are behind the altar in the choir, of course. But

red thousand," asseverated

gels!" And the nun laughed softly, as she somet

low as it was, that made Dalrymple look at those full white hands

rest next Sunday afternoon, Sister Mar

t sin," she answered,

hy

e holy service. Do you not know that? But nothing is sinful accordi

evils, Sister Maria?" aske

n. "They say in the town that yo

what is said

na tells it to me when she brings the linen. There are a thousand ways. The peop

er for some time. Then he spok

ee you, Sister M

ou see me

r face, witho

lorata sho

t all rules,"

we should sit here and make conver

to take care of my aunt," she added quickly. "That

aughed a little. "Then I am nev

s beautiful, since yo

hands," answered th

and then, with a movement which might have

hat God has made beaut

ful, it is for God's glory that I hide it,"

ded. Nevertheless, in order to exhibit a proper amount of contrition he took his leave with a little more formality than usual on this particular occasion. Possib

ust not look at it," she added, drawing it back quickly and hiding it in her sleeve with

though he was surefooted by nature and habit, he almost stumbled once or twice on his way down, be

al futility of the almost intimate intercourse into which the two were gliding. The day must soon come when the abbess would no longer need his assistance. In all probability she would recover, for the more alarming symptoms had disappeared, and she showed signs of regaining her strength by slow degrees. It was quite clear to Dalrymple that, after her ultimate recovery, his chance of seeing and talking with Maria Addolorata would be gone forever. Sor Tom

e tried in vain to form plans and create reasons for seeing Maria Addolorata even once a month for some time to come

coldness and reserve such as he had certainly not thought necessary to put on at his first visit. Almost without any preliminary words of courtesy, and without any attempt to prolong the short conversation which always took plac

uietly folded before her, Dalrymple could not see that his behaviour had any effe

rom the sound of her voice than from anything else. He had also taught Maria Addolorata how to feel the pulse; and she counted the beats while he looked at his watch. His chief anxiety was now for the action of the heart, which had been weakened

really recovering, so far as she could judge, and as almost every day, after Dalrymple had gone, Maria Addolorata had some new direction of his to carry out, the elder lady's suspicions were not aroused. On the contrary, her confidence in the Scotch doctor grew from day to day; and in the long hours during which she lay th

s's own big easy-chair, expecting that Dalrymple would seat himself opposite to her. But he remained standing, with the evident intention of

a little, but not enough to show

?" she asked, in her deep, warm voice

fness which he resented in himself. "It is impossi

r him to go. She believed that she was far too proud to detain him, if he wishe

rted as though he were about to speak. The si

aria Addolorata," he sa

ignor Doctor," a

t as she did so, her shoulders moved forward a little, as though her breast were contracted by some sudden l

the window, and her eyes fixed themselves in that look which was peculiar to her. Her full white hands strained upon each other a little, bringing the colour to the tips of her fingers. During some minutes she did not move. Then she heard her aunt's voice c

ay long to-day," she s

e thinks you are doing very well. He wis

ia," she added suddenly, "you are careful to keep your

way

until you come into this room, after t

innocent truth. "I stayed a moment in the parlour, thinking over his

little," said the abbess. "It

ness about her niece's conduct, it