"There may be news even now," he said, striving to master his emotion, and to speak with the superiority of a few minutes before.

"One moment, by your leave! I will see and let you know if it be so, Messer Fabri." "Do by all means," Fabri answered earnestly.

"You will greatly relieve me." "Ay, indeed, I hope it is so," Petitot murmured.
"I will see, and--and return," Blondel repeated, beginning to stammer.
"I--I shall not be a minute." The struggle for composure was vain; his head was on fire, his limbs twitched.

Had it come?
Yet when he reached the door he paused, afraid to open.

What if it were not the _remedium_, what if it were some trifle?
What if--but as he hesitated, his hand, half eager, half reluctant, rested on the latch, the door slid ajar, and his eyes met the complacent smirking face of his messenger.