"How long have you known, suspected--this?"
"For about two months now--suspected, I say--but when I saw you on the boat, I was sure. Of course I may be mistaken, an examination would be necessary to be quite certain--there are tumours--"
"Will you examine me then--to-day? I must know, I must be sure--Oh, my God, I never thought of this!"
He gazed at her curiously, half cynically, yet impressed by her sincerity of manner.
"But surely, you must have known? You are young, Signorina, but you are not a child."
"I did not know--I never thought of this!" she repeated dully.
His doubting expression faded before the despairing misery of her pale face.
"No," he thought, "she did not know or she could not look like this."
The girl's attitude was not one of discovered shame, but that of a person felled by a sudden blow. She looked dazed, stricken. People in bright summer dress were laughing, and joking all about; some were drinking Vermouth. From the sands below came the voices of happy children, and bathers in gay costumes made merry in the sparkling blue water.
"You are sure, quite sure?" Ragna asked suddenly, in a low, terrible voice.
"I told you that there can be no absolute certainty without an examination. Do not distress yourself so, my child," he added, touched to the heart by her misery, "after all, it may be a false alarm!"
The words seemed to give Ragna strength; though still deadly pale, she rose from her chair, saying:
"Come with me now, then; let us have it over at once. Come!"
"But, Signorina," he remonstrated, "your people, what will they think?"
"I can leave a message for Fru Bjork; I shall say I felt ill, and that you took me home. See! there comes your wife--tell her and she will see the others!"
She was already moving towards the Signora, who was crossing the terrace with her little girls, all three greeting Ferrati with smiles of welcome. The children ran to him, and throwing their arms about him, shrieked with joy.
Ferrati embraced them, and put them down; he kissed his wife who was holding Ragna's hand, and said to her,
"Virginia cara, the Signorina has a bad headache, and feels faint, so I am taking her home. Tell the others not to be alarmed; it is only that I think the glare here is too much for her, and she ought not to go all the way home alone."