Laura’s first letter stated brief facts.  “She was stabbed this afternoon, at half-past two, on the steps of her house, by a woman called the wife of Barto Rizzo.  She caught her hands up under her throat when she saw the dagger.  Her right arm was penetrated just above the wrist, and half-an-inch in the left breast, close to the centre bone.  She behaved firmly.  The assassin only struck once.  No visible danger; but you should come, if you have no serious work.”

“Happily,” ran the subsequent letter, of two days’ later date, “the assassin was a woman, and one effort exhausts a woman; she struck only once, and became idiotic.  Sandra has no fever.  She had her wits ready —­where were mine?—­when she received the wound.  While I had her in my arms, she gave orders that the woman should be driven out of the city in her carriage.  The Greek, her mad musical adorer, accuses Countess d’Isorella.  Carlo has seen this person—­returns convinced of her innocence.  That is not an accepted proof; but we have one.  It seems that Rizzo (Sandra was secret about it and about one or two other things) sent to her commanding her to appoint an hour detestable style!  I can see it now; I fear these conspiracies no longer:—­she did appoint an hour; and was awaiting him when the gendarmes sprang on the man at her door.

“He had evaded them several weeks, so we are to fancy that his wife charged Countess Alessandra with the betrayal.  This appears a reasonable and simple way of accounting for the deed.  So I only partly give credit to it.  But it may be true.

“The wound has not produced a shock to her system—­very, very fortunately.  On the whole, a better thing could not have happened.  Should I be more explicit?  Yes, to you; for you are not of those who see too much in what is barely said.  The wound, then, my dear good friend, has healed another wound, of which I knew nothing.  Bergamasc and Brescian friends of her husband’s, have imagined that she interrupted or diverted his studies.  He also discovered that she had an opinion of her own, and sometimes he consulted it; but alas! they are lovers, and he knew not when love listened, or she when love spoke; and there was grave business to be done meanwhile.  Can you kindly allow that the case was open to a little confusion?  I know that you will.  He had to hear many violent reproaches from his fellow-students.  These have ceased.  I send this letter on the chance of the first being lost on the road; and it will supplement the first pleasantly to you in any event.  She lies here in the room where I write, propped on high pillows, the right arm bound up, and says:  ’Tell Merthyr I prayed to be in Rome with my husband, and him, and the Chief.  Tell him I love my friend.  Tell him I think he deserves to be in Rome.  Tell him—­’ Enter Countess Ammiani to reprove her for endangering the hopes of the house by fatiguing herself.  Sandra sends a blush at me, and I smile, and the countess kisses her.  I send you a literal transcript of one short scene, so that you may feel at home with us.