At the slight sound Malipieri looked anxiously
into her face, and saw that her lips were blue.
"This is folly," he said. "You will fall ill if you stay here any
longer. It is quite dry in the vault, and warm by comparison with this
place. You must go down there, while I stay here and work."
He got up, and in spite of a little resistance he made her put her
arms into the sleeves of the coat, and turned the cuffs back, and
fastened the buttons. She was shivering from head to foot.
"What a miserable little thing I am!" she cried impatiently.
"You are not a miserable little thing, and you are much braver than
most men," said Malipieri. "But it will be of very little use to get
you out of the vault alive if you are to die of a fever in a day or
two."
She said nothing and he led her carefully down the inclined passage
and the steps, away from the gloomy overflow, and the roaring water
and the fearful dampness. He helped her down into the vault very
gently, over the glittering chest of the great imperial statue. The
air felt warm and dry, now that she was so badly chilled, and her lips
looked a little less blue.
"I will light the lamp, and turn it very low," said Malipieri.
"I am not afraid of the dark," Sabina answered. "You said that we must
not waste our light."
"Shall you really not be nervous?" Malipieri supposed that all women
were afraid to be in the dark alone.
Pages:
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234