"I will see to it," said Ghisleri. "By the bye, it is contagious, is it not? I have a visit to pay before dinner; ought I to change my clothes?"
The doctor smiled. He did not know Ghisleri, and fancied that he might be timid.
"It is not contagious yet," he answered, "or hardly at all. I do not think there is any danger."
"There might be a little—even a very little, you think?" asked Pietro, insisting.
"Of course it can do no harm to change one's clothes," replied the other, somewhat surprised.
"You have told Lady Herbert exactly what must be done, I suppose. In that case I shall not go up."
The doctor was confirmed in his suspicion that Ghisleri was afraid of catching the fever, and got into his carriage, musing on the deceptive nature of appearances. Pietro wrote a few words on his card, telling Laura that he would be back before dinner time with the best nurse to be found, and sent it up by the porter. Then he drove home as quickly as possible, dressed himself entirely afresh, and went to see the Contessa dell' Armi.
"I have come," he said, after the first greeting, "to tell you that you will not see me for several days. Arden has got the scarlet fever, and I shall be there taking care of him, more or less, until he is out of danger."
"Can they not have a nurse for him?" asked Maddalena, raising her eyebrows.
"There will be a nurse, too. I am going to get one now and take her there."