After a long time, Sister Giovanna lifted her head very slowly, sat up, and passed her hand over her eyes, while the Mother Superior still kept one arm round her, thinking that she might faint again at any moment.

But she did not.
'Thank you,' she said, with difficulty.

'You are very good to me, Mother.

I think I can walk now.' 'Not yet.' The elder woman's hand was on her wrist, keeping her in her seat.
'I must go back to my work,' she said, but not much above a whisper.
'Not yet.

When you are better, you must come to my room for a little while and rest there.' Sister Giovanna looked old then, for her face was grey and the deep lines of suffering were like furrows of age; she seemed much older than Mother Veronica, who was over forty.