“But where is he!” I asked, when I could find voice to speak, for I was all trembling.

“He is gone for a good walk, to freshen his nerves, poverino.  I wonder he has any strength left.  For Heaven’s sake, give me a match that I may light my cigar, and then I will tell you all about it.  Thank you.  And I will sit down comfortably—­so.  Now you must know that the baroness—­requiescat!—­was not poisoned by Nino, or by anyone else.”

“Of course not!  Go on.”

“Piano—­slow and sure.  They had a terrific scene yesterday.  You know?  Yes.  Then she went out and tired herself, poor soul, so that when she got home she had an attack of the nerves.  Now these foreigners, who are a pack of silly people, do not have themselves bled and drink malva water as we do when we get a fit of anger.  But they take opium; that is, a thing they call chloral.  God knows what it is made of, but it puts them to sleep, like opium.  When the doctors came to look at the poor lady they saw at once what was the matter, and called the maid.  The maid said her mistress certainly had some green stuff in a little bottle which she often used to take; and when they inquired further they heard that the baroness had poured out much more than usual the night before, while the maid was combing her hair, for she seemed terribly excited and restless.  So they got the bottle and found it nearly empty.  Then the doctors said, ’At what time was this young man who is now arrested seen to give her the glass of water?’ The man-servant said it was about two in the afternoon.  So the doctors knew that if Nino had given her the chloral she could not have gone out afterwards, and have been awake at eleven in the evening when her maid was with her, and yet have been hurt by what he gave her.  And so, as Jacovacci was raising a thousand devils in every corner of Rome because they had arrested his principal singer on false pretences, and was threatening to bring suits against everybody, including the Russian embassy, the doctors, and the Government, if Nino did not appear in Faust to-night, according to his agreement, the result was that, half an hour ago, Nino was conducted out of the police precincts with ten thousand apologies, and put into the arms of Jacovacci, who wept for joy, and carried him off to a late breakfast at Morteo’s.  And then I came here.  But I made Nino promise to take a good walk for his digestion, since the weather has changed.  For a breakfast at three in the afternoon may be called late, even in Rome.  And that reminds me to ask you for a drop of wine; for I am still fasting, and this talking is worse for the throat than a dozen high masses.”

Mariuccia had been listening at the door, as usual, and she immediately began crying for joy; for she is a weak-minded old thing, and dotes on Nino.  I was very glad myself, I can tell you; but I could not understand how Nino could have the heart to sing, or should lack heart so much as to be fit for it.  Before the evening he came home, silent and thoughtful.  I asked him whether he were not glad to be free so easily.