Pica was to be at the Minister's own residence at seven o'clock with this note and was to wait for an answer.

The Minister was known to be a very early riser and would have plenty of time to arrange matters as he thought best.
Ugo was now in a good deal of pain, and it seemed very long before the panes of his window turned from black to grey as the dawn fore-lightened.

He made Pica get him coffee, and soon after sunrise the orderly brought one of the men from the guard-house to remain within call in case the Captain needed anything.

Pica took his bicycle and went off to the city with the note for the Minister.
As Ugo had anticipated, Giovanni arrived in a station cab while the orderly was still absent, and was admitted by the soldier, on his representing that he was a relation of the Captain's and had come a long distance to see him.

The man briefly explained that Ugo was in bed, having been wounded in the foot during the night, but was in no danger.
A moment later the brothers were together.
Ugo saw a man standing beside his bed and holding out his hand whom he would certainly not have recognised if he had met him in the street.