before a measure of the best, while Nanna and Paoluccio dozed in their
chairs; and at last all three were asleep.

Then Regina went out softly into the dark summer night, and climbed the
stairs to the attic.

"I am going to take you to Rome to-night," she whispered in Marcello's
ear.

"Rome?" he repeated vaguely, half asleep.

She wrapped him in the tattered blanket as he was, and lifted him
lightly in her arms. Down the stairs she bore him, and then lifted him
upon the tail of the cart, propping him up as best she could, and
passing round him the end of one of the ropes that held the casks in
place. He breathed more freely in the open air, and she had fed him
again before the carters came to supper.

"And you?" he asked faintly.

"I shall walk," she whispered. "Now wait, and make no noise, or they
will kill you. Are you comfortable?"

She could see that he nodded his head.

"We shall start presently," she said.

She went into the kitchen, waked Mommo, and made him swallow the rest of
his wine. He was easily persuaded that he had slept too long, and must
be on the road. The innkeeper and Nanna grumbled a good-night as he went