All his mornings
continued to be spent alone in the studio, and all his afternoons
to be occupied by his clerical duties, until the day before the
masked ball at the Melani Palace.
Early on that day he covered over the statues, and locked the
doors of the work-rooms once more; then returned to his own
lodgings, and did not go out again. One or two of his friends who
wanted to see him were informed that he was not well enough to be
able to receive them. If they had penetrated into his little
study, and had seen him, they would have been easily satisfied
that this was no mere excuse. They would have noticed that his
face was startlingly pale, and that the ordinary composure of his
manner was singularly disturbed.
Toward evening this restlessness increased, and his old
housekeeper, on pressing him to take some nourishment, was
astonished to hear him answer her sharply and irritably, for the
first time since she had been in his service. A little later her
surprise was increased by his sending her with a note to the
Ascoli Palace, and by the quick return of an answer, brought
ceremoniously by one of Fabio's servants. "It is long since he
has had any communication with that quarter. Are they going to be
friends again?" thought the housekeeper as she took the answer
upstairs to her master.
"I feel better to-night," he said as he read it; "well enough
indeed to venture out.
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