To tell the truth, too, Sister Giovanna had not fully understood the meaning of what her aunt had said.

She stood motionless during the long pause that followed the last words.
Then, without warning, the delirious woman began to laugh, vacantly and foolishly at first, and with short interruptions of silence, but then more loudly, and by degrees more continuously, till the spasms grew wild and hysterical, and bad to hear.

Sister Giovanna went quickly to her and at once tried to put a stop to the attack.

The Princess was rolling her head from side to side on the pillows, with her arms stretched out on each side of her and her white hands clawing at the broad hem of the sheet with all their strength, as if they must tear the fine linen to strips, and she was shrieking with uncontrollable laughter.
Sister Giovanna bent down and grasped one arm firmly with both hands.
'Control yourself!' she said in a tone of command.

'Stop laughing at once!' The Princess shrieked again and again.
'Silence!' cried the nurse in a stern voice, and she shook the arm she held with a good deal of roughness, for she knew that there was no other way.
The delirious woman screamed once more, and then gulped several times as if she were going to sob; at last she lay quite still for a moment, gazing up into her nurse's eyes.