For the first time during the week I had a good night's rest, for ever since my adventure the events in connection therewith had succeeded one another so rapidly that my brain was kept in too active a state to admit of slumber, but now that everything seemed to be at an end, that the antidote had been found, and that Pallanza would be restored to Bianca Angello, my mind was relieved of the strain upon it, and I slept soundly till morning. In fact, I did not waken till nearly eleven o'clock, and having taken my bath I dressed myself slowly, made a good meal at midday, and altogether felt better than I had done for the last week.

As my appointment with Beltrami was for half-past two I did not go to Casa Angello for my usual singing lesson, not wishing to see the Signorina until I could tell her the good news that her lover was alive and well. It was true Beltrami had asserted that the antidote would awaken the young man from his death-like slumber, but remembering that he had now been in this state of catalepsy for nearly a week, I felt doubtful as to the success of the experiment. However, a few hours would now decide the fate of Pallanza for life or death, and in the event of the antidote acting according to the expectations of the Marchese, I promised myself I should be the first to carry the joyful news of this wonderful resurrection to the Signorina Bianca.

When two o'clock struck I could no longer restrain my impatience, but set off without further delay to see Beltrami at his apartments. He had just returned from the barracks, and was taking some biscuits and wine when I was announced, but jumped up when he saw me and came forward with outstretched hand,--

"Eh! mon ami, I am delighted to see you! Sit down, while I finish this small meal. Will you have a glass of wine?"

"No, thank you, Marchese!"

"Then take a cigarette, there are some on that table."

The Marchese returned to his wine and biscuits, while I lighted a cigarette, and lay down On the sofa.

"Excuse me lying down, Luigi, but our last night's experience has knocked me up terribly."

"You would never do for a soldier, Signor Hugo! I've been drilling some stupid recruits all the morning, and I feel perfectly fresh. Ecco! I'm glad to see you, however, as I have some news to tell you."

"About Pallanza?"

"Eh? No! About Madame Morone."

"Ah! she has found out we were at the vault?"

"Dame! not a bit of it. She left Verona by the five o'clock train last night."

"Left Verona!" I cried, rising hastily from my recumbent position. "Why has she gone away?"

"Eh! who knows?" replied Beltrami, shrugging his shoulders. "She didn't even leave a message for me, her promised husband. I think, myself, the empty pillar of yesterday startled her. She evidently thought everything was discovered, therefore has gone to Rome so that she Can appeal to the King in case of trouble."

"And what are you going to do, Marchese?"

"The best thing I can do under the circumstances. I have applied for, and obtained, leave of absence, so I will give this infernal tenor the antidote to-day, and start for Rome by the night train."

"But when you arrive at Rome?"

"I will see Madame Morone, and tell her that I removed the body of Pallanza from the pillar."

"The body, Beltrami! You forget Pallanza is alive!"

"Of course he is, but I'm not going to tell her that. Cospetto! if she discovered that this devil of a tenor was still in existence my power over her would be gone, and she would not marry me. Ecco!"

"But as Pallanza will sing again, she is bound to find it out sooner or later."

"Eh! no doubt, Signor Hugo; but by the time she finds out I hope to be married. In that case it does not matter. Besides, I am going to make Pallanza promise not to sing anywhere for a month."

"Suppose he refuses?"

"He won't refuse. Dame! he owes me something for bringing him into existence again."

"And what about the doctor?"

"He will soon be here," said Beltrami, glancing at his watch; "I expect him every minute."

"Will he keep this affair quiet?"

"Per Bacco! I should think so, mon ami. I ascertained that before I told him anything. Not that I told him much, ma foi, no! I invented a delightful story about Pallanza, which he swallowed as easily as I do this wine."

"And the story?"

"I have not the time to tell it to you, but it is a beautiful story, worthy of Boccaccio. Oh, he will keep his mouth shut, I promise you, Hugo. He is a great friend of mine, and I never associate with those who talk of other people's business."

"Have you the antidote, Marchese?"

"Here it is," said Beltrami, rising and taking the small bottle from his desk near the window; "and, ma foi! here is the doctor coming up the street."

"How fond you are of French," I remarked, laughingly. "Parisian ejaculations are never out of your mouth."

"One must ejaculate in some language, Hugo, and I've been so often in Paris that I've got into the trick in some way."

"What about London?"

"Your city of fogs! Eh! You know I cannot master your tongue, Signor Hugo. 'You are a beautiful mees; I loove you'--Dio! what a difficulty I had in learning those two sentences."

"Which are perfectly useless."

"I have not found them so. But here is Signor Avenza, the doctor I spoke of. Good-day, for the second time, my friend. Permit me to introduce Signor Hugo Cranston, an Englishman."

The doctor, a fat little man with a round smiling face and two twinkling black eyes, executed an elaborate bow, for which purpose he brought his feet smartly together in military fashion, and, having thus saluted me, rashly entered into a contest with the English language, which vanquished him at once.

"I spik Inglis," he said, mincingly. Then, with a gigantic effort, "Gif me your tongue! Ah! he is bad. Dis writing is your cure. Goot-day! I vil taake a leetle valk wis you agin."

Signor Avenza had evidently learned these choice English phrases for the purposes of his profession.

While this lesson in philology was going on the Marchese had opened the door leading into the room where Pallanza was concealed, and called to us to enter. Both the doctor and myself, obeying the summons, went through the bedroom, and soon found ourselves by the couch, whereon lay the still form of the young man, with that terrible death-in-life look on his white face.

"See, Avenza, this is what I spoke about," said Beltrami, holding up a small phial filled with a red liquid. "It is the antidote to the poison which this Pallanza was foolish enough to take."

"And all through a love disappointment," replied Avenza, lifting his eyes. "Ah! the poor young man!"

I now began to see the kind of story Beltrami had told Avenza to account for the condition of Pallanza, and I must say it did credit to his powers of invention.

"The amount of the poison he took was ten drops." went on Beltrami, uncorking the bottle, "so it will require ten drops of this antidote to revive him, but when the life is once more in him I suppose he will be weak."

"Most certainly," answered Avenza, nodding his head, "since you say he has been like this for nearly a week. But proceed, Marchese, I am anxious to see the result of this antidote."

Beltrami bent over the face of the unconscious man, and forced the teeth slightly apart with a spoon he held in his left hand. Having done this, he poised the bottle over the pale lips, and began to pour the red liquid drop by drop into the mouth.

Both Avenza and myself bent forward eagerly to watch the operation, and held our breaths with anxiety as the Marchese counted, slowly,--

"One, two, three, four, five, ............