All this had been clear to him before he had at last succeeded in bringing her out into the open air.

“There is no help for it,” he whispered, “you must come upstairs.  Do you think you can walk so far?”

“Of course I can!” she answered, straightening herself bravely.  “I am not at all tired.”

Nevertheless she gladly laid her hand on his aching arm, and they both walked cautiously along the paved gutter that separated the wall from the gravel, for their steps would have made much more noise on the latter.  All was quiet, and they reached Malipieri’s door, by the help of a wax light.  He led her in, still carrying the match, and he shut the door softly after him.

“At least,” Sabina said, “no one can hear us here.”

“Hush!”

He suspected that Toto must have got out, but was not sure.  After lighting a candle, he led the way into his study, and made Sabina sit down, while he went back.  He returned in a few moments, having assured himself that Toto had escaped by the window, and that Masin was not in, and asleep.

“Masin has disappeared,” he said.  “We can talk as much as we please, while you have your supper.”

He had brought bread and wine and water, which he set before her, and he went off again to find something else.  She ate hungrily after drinking a glass at a draught.  He reappeared with the remains of some cold meat and ham.

“It is all I have,” he explained, “but there is plenty of bread.”

“Nothing ever tasted so good,” answered Sabina gravely.

He sat down opposite to her and drank, and began to eat the bread.  His hands were grimy, and had bled here and there at the knuckles where they had grazed the broken masonry.  His face was streaked with dried perspiration and dust, his collar was no longer a collar at all.

As for Sabina, she had tried to take off the fawn-coloured hat, but it had in some way become entangled with her unruly hair, and it was hanging down her back.  Otherwise, as she sat there her dress was not visibly much the worse for the terrible adventure.  Her skirt was torn and soiled, indeed, but the table hid it, and the coat had kept the body of her frock quite clean.  She did not look much more dishevelled than if she had been at a romping picnic in the country.

Nor did she look at all ill, after the wine and the first mouthfuls of food had brought all the warmth back to her.  If anything, she was less pale than usual now, her lips were red again, and there was light in her eyes.  There are little women who look as if they had no strength at all, and seem often on the point of breaking down, but who could go through a battle or a shipwreck almost without turning a hair, and without much thought of their appearance either; nor are they by any means generally the mildest and least reckless of their sex.

The two ate in silence for several minutes, but they looked at each other and smiled now and then, while they swallowed mouthful after mouthful.