Old Mrs. Moore went over to the girl and patted her affectionately on the shoulder and kissed her.

“Lionel has told us a great deal about you,” the old lady said; “even when he was in Naples we seemed to know you quite well; and now I hope we shall be friends.”

And Nina made answer, with downcast eyes: 

“Whenever you wish it, madame, I shall be glad to come and play a little—­if he cares to hear the Neapolitan airs that he used to know in former days.”

Yes, there was no doubt that this opportune visit had made a great difference in Lionel’s condition; for, though the fever did not abate—­and could not be expected to abate until the crisis had been reached, there were no more of those agonized pleadings and murmurings that showed such deep distress of mind.  Frequently, indeed, he seemed to know nothing of what had occurred; he would talk of Nina as being in Naples or as having gone down to the theatre; but all the same he was more tranquil.  As for Nina, she said she would do just as they wished.  She had arrived in London that morning, and had gone to Mrs. Grey’s, in Sloane Street, and engaged a room.  She could go down there now, and wait until she was sent for, if they thought it would please Lionel to know that one of his former companions had come to see him.  She put it very prettily and modestly; it was only as an old ally and comrade of Lionel’s that she was here; perhaps he might be glad to know of her presence.  Or, if they thought that might disturb him, she would not come back at all; she would be content to hear, from time to time, how the fever was going on, if she might be permitted to call and ask the people below.

It was Maurice who answered her.

“If you don’t mind, Miss Ross,” said he, “I should like you to be here just as much as ever you found convenient.  I keep telling Lionel you are in the next room; and that, at any moment he wants, you will play some of those Neapolitan airs for him; and he seems satisfied.  It has been the worst part of his delirium that he fancied you were away in some distant place and were being cruelly ill-used, and he has excited himself dreadfully about it.  Well, we don’t want that to come back; and if at any moment I can say, ’But look!—­here is Nina’—­I beg your pardon!” said Mangan, blushing furiously, and looking as sheepish as a caught school-boy.  “I mean if I could say to him, ’Look! here is Miss Ross, perfectly safe and well,’ that would pacify him.”

“And if you are fatigued after your journey,” said Dr. Moore, who was a firm believer in the fine, old-fashioned fortifying theory, “we shall be having our midday meal by and by, in a room up-stairs, and I’m sure we’ll make you heartily welcome.”

“And I think, my dear,” said the mother, rising from her chair and taking the girl kindly by the hand, “that if you and I and Francie were to go up there now we should be more out of the way; and there would be no chance of our talking being heard.”