The closeness of Ninitta's death kept this wholly from
their words, but it could not banish the exultation, so sharp as to be
almost pain, which would arise from the mere fact of their being
together. Both understood that however great the sorrow at her death
which he was too noble-hearted not to feel, he must rejoice in the
right to follow the dictates of his love at last.
He forced himself to examine the bust critically, and to speak of it
calmly; but he soon turned away from it, and stood looking at her a
moment, as if trying to find speech in which to phrase what he had come
to say. She waited for him to speak, meeting his glance frankly. Her
head was thrown backward a little, and he noted with pitying eagerness
that she was paler than of old, and that there were dark circles
beneath her eyes. He thought of the years in which their lives had been
separated, and sorrow for her suffering made his heart swell.
"Helen," he said, "I have come to ask a favor. I want you to look after
Nino a little. He has been given up to servants too much, and I am
perfectly helpless when it comes to managing his nurse. Is there any
way in which you can do anything for him?"
"Of course there is," she answered. "I will come in and see him every
day and find out how things go with him; then, if anything is wrong, I
can let you know."
"Thank you," he returned simply.
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