She thought so, oh, yes; she never could have the home-feeling at Venice that she had at Florence.

“Exactly; that’s what I meant—­a home-feeling; I’m glad you had it.”  He let the gondola dip and slide forward almost a minute before he added, with an effect of pulling a voice up out of his throat somewhere, “How would you like to live there—­with me—­as my wife?”

“Why, what do you mean, Dr. Welwright?” asked Clementina, with a vague laugh.

Dr. Welwright laughed, too; but not vaguely; there was a mounting cheerfulness in his laugh.  “What I say.  I hope it isn’t very surprising.”

“No; but I never thought of such a thing.”

“Perhaps you will think of it now.”

“But you’re not in ea’nest!”

“I’m thoroughly in earnest,” said the doctor, and he seemed very much amused at her incredulity.

“Then; I’m sorry,” she answered.  “I couldn’t.”

“No?” he said, still with amusement, or with a courage that took that form.  “Why not?”

“Because I am—­not free.”

For an interval they were so silent that they could hear each other breathe:  Then, after he had quietly bidden the gondolier go back to their hotel, he asked, “If you had been free you might have answered me differently?”

“I don’t know,” said Clementina, candidly.  “I never thought of it.”

“It isn’t because you disliked me?”

“Oh, no!”

“Then I must get what comfort I can out of that.  I hope, with all my heart, that you may be happy.”

“Why, Dr. Welwright!” said Clementina.  “Don’t you suppose that I should be glad to do it, if I could?  Any one would!”

“It doesn’t seem very probable, just now,” he answered, humbly.  “But I’ll believe it if you say so.”

“I do say so, and I always shall.”

“Thank you.”

Dr. Welwright professed himself ready for his departure, at breakfast next morning and he must have made his preparations very late or very early.  He was explicit in his charges to Clementina concerning Mrs. Lander, and at the end of them, he said, “She will not know when she is asking too much of you, but you will, and you must act upon your knowledge.  And remember, if you are in need of help, of any kind, you’re to let me know.  Will you?”

“Yes, I will, Dr. Welwright.”

“People will be going away soon, and I shall not be so busy.  I can come back if Dr. Tradonico thinks it necessary.”

He left Mrs. Lander full of resolutions to look after her own welfare in every way, and she went out in her gondola the same morning.  She was not only to take the air as much as possible, but she was to amuse herself, and she decided that she would have her second breakfast at the Caffe Florian.  Venice was beginning to fill up with arrivals from the south, and it need not have been so surprising to find Mr. Hinkle there over a cup of coffee.  He said he had just that moment been thinking of her, and meaning