He acknowledged to himself that he had made a mistake and said quickly,
“Leave everything to me. I will make all the arrangements for you. In the meantime, here is some money in case you need it, and what I will pay for the pictures would be best placed in a Bank.”
As he spoke he drew from his pocket what money he had with him, and put it on the table.
It was not much, yet at the same time he knew it would seem a lot to Lucia.
He saw that she was looking at it as if she did not believe it was real, but like Fairy Gold would disappear.
“As soon as I return to my Palazzo,” he said, “I will send you food and somebody to collect the pictures, and I will also instruct a physician to call to see your father.” Lucia was silent for a moment. Then she said,
“The – doctors in Venice are not –
