'Who is he?'
Giovanni again trembled, and pressed closer to his friend. 'No, no! For God's sake let us not speak of him!'
'Listen, my son,' answered Leonardo, in that soothing yet severe and almost rough tone in which a doctor speaks to a sick child; 'I see you have a weight upon your heart. You must tell me all; all, do you hear? Thus only shall I be able to help you;' and after a pause he added: 'Tell me of whom you spoke just now.'
Giovanni looked round as if in fear; then whispered in low, awestruck tones:—
'Of your Semblance.'
'My Semblance? How mean you? Did you see it in a dream?'
'No; in reality.'
For a moment Leonardo thought him delirious.
'Messer Leonardo, three nights ago you, yourself, came to me as you have come to-night?'
'No, I did not come. Why do you ask? Can you not remember yourself?'