But at the very first they said what they really thought; none of them really believed the sick youth at the hospital to be Marcello.

An illness of nearly seven weeks and a long course of privation can make a terrible difference in the looks of a very young person, and when the memory is gone, too, the chances of his being recognised are slight.
But the Chief of Police was not disturbed in his belief, and after he had smoked several cigarettes very thoughtfully in his private office, he wrote a telegram to Corbario, advising him to come back to Rome at once.

He was surprised to receive an answer from Folco late that night, inquiring why he was wanted.

To this he replied in a second telegram of more length, which explained matters clearly.

The next morning Corbario telegraphed that he was starting.
The visiting physician came early and examined Marcello's head with the greatest minuteness.