Armed with this commission, and ascertaining first of all from Teresa that Fanny was now awake, and might be seen without harm, he stole softly to her room on the tips of his toes, went up to the bed, gently smoothed down her hair, took her hand in his, and asked how she was.
"Quite well," replied the invalid, and she tried to smile.
The smile was but a poor success, but it did Squire John good to see the attempt, at any rate.
"Lady Szentirmay sends her love; she has just gone."
Fanny made no reply to this, but she drew his hand across her forehead, as if she wished to drive from thence the thought which arose within it.
Kárpáthy fancied that his hand was cooling, perhaps, to the poor hot forehead, so he pressed it tenderly.
Then Fanny seized his hand with both her own, and drew it to her lips. How happy Kárpáthy felt at that moment! He turned aside for a moment, lest she should see the tears in his eyes.
Fanny fancied he would have gone away, and drew him still closer to her.
"Don't go away," she said—"stay here; let us talk!"