'All right, very good,' the doctor said heartily. 'Don't speak;' and he made Margherita, who was coming in, keep silence, too.
The servant's poor tired eyes shone with joy when she saw Bianca Maria smiling.
'Are you better? Make a sign,' the doctor asked tenderly.
She made an effort, and very low, instead of a sign, she pronounced the word 'Better.' The voice was low, but quiet. With a medical man's familiarity, he took one of her hands in his to warm it.
'Thank you!' said she after a time.
'For what?' he said, rather put out.
'For everything,' she replied, smiling again.
Now, it seemed, she had quite got back the power of speaking. She spoke, but kept quite still, only living intensely in her eyes and smile.
'For everything—what do you mean?' he asked, piqued by a lively curiosity.
'I understood,' said she, with a profound look.