When she was next aware of anything it was broad daylight, and she was
lying on her bed, still dressed and wearing her cloak; and Kalmon was
bending over her, his eyes on hers and his fingers on her pulse, while
old Teresa watched her anxiously from the foot of the bed.
"I'm afraid it is a 'perniciosa,'" he said. "Put her to bed while I call
a regular doctor."
Regina looked up at him.
"I have fever, have I not?" she asked quite quietly.
"Yes. You have a little fever," he answered, but his big brown eyes were
very grave.
When Marcello came, an hour later, she did not know him. She stared at
him with wide, unwinking eyes, and there were bright patches of colour
in her cheeks. Already there were hollows in them, too, and at her
temples, for the perniciosa fever is frightfully quick to waste the
body. In the Campagna, where it is worst, men have died of it in less
than four hours after first feeling it upon them. Great men have
discovered wonderful remedies for it, but still it kills.
Kalmon got one of the great men, who was his friend, and they did what
they could. A nursing sister came and was installed. Marcello was
summoned away soon after noon by an official person, who brought a
carriage and said that Corbario was now conscious and able to speak, and
that it was absolutely necessary that Marcello should be confronted
with him, as he might not live another day. It was easier to go than it
would have been if Regina had been conscious, but even so it was very
hard.
Pages:
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352