"A good reason?"
"A very good reason. My dear, I am sleepy. I am going to bed."
Volterra rang the bell by the fireplace, and a man appeared almost instantly.
"You may put out the lights," he said. "We are going to bed."
"Shall any one sit up, in case Donna Sabina should come in,
Excellency?" asked the servant.
"No."
He went towards the door, and his wife followed him meekly.
CHAPTER XVI
Sabina's strength revived in the warm night air, out in the courtyard, under the stars, and the awful danger from which Malipieri had saved her and himself looked unreal, after the first few moments of liberty. She got his watch out of her glove where it had been so many hours, and by the clear starlight they could see that it was nearly twenty minutes past two o'clock. Malipieri had put out the lamp, and the lantern had gone out for lack of oil, at the last moment. It was important that Sabina should not be seen by the porter, in the very unlikely event of his being up at that hour.
They had not thought that it could be so late, for it was long since Sabina had looked at the watch. The first thing that became clear to Malipieri was that it would be out of the question for him to take her home that night. The question was where else to take her. She was exhausted, too, and needed food at once, and her clothes were wet from the dampness. It would be almost a miracle if she did not fall ill, even if she were well taken care of at once.