"Oh, it is so good to hear you talk," she exclaimed, laughing, though her eyes were full of tears. "I did not know that it was so strange a thing to hear me talk," said he. "Why, you have not said one word for more than two weeks!" she said impulsively. "But perhaps I ought not to have told you." "I did not think it best to tell the patient too much, your Highness," said the nun almost reproachfully. "He seemed so anxious to talk that I allowed him to ask some questions, but I was just about to bid him be quiet when your gracious Highness entered the room." "I am always blundering, even with you, Le Glorieux," said the princess, rising, "but now I will go. Try to sleep, try to get well as soon as possible. And now good-by for the present." She smiled down upon him, took her long train over her arm, and motioning to the page to open the door, went from the room. "She is a great princess; she is the future Queen of Spain, yet she does not forget the poor jester," murmured the sick man, while to himself his words sounded as if they had been uttered by some one else and he seemed to sail away into a silent sea. When he once more became conscious the bright sun was streaming in at the open window, and standing beside his bed and looking down at him with coldly blinking eyes, was the Lady Clotilde. "I thought I had died and gone to Heaven," said the jester weakly, "but this is only purgatory." "I do not know that you ought to talk," said the Lady Clotilde. "I wish you had not returned to consciousness while Sister Barbara is out. I never know what to do with sick people." "I have been talking all my life, and it has not killed me yet," said the jester. "I came on behalf of her Highness, the Princess of the Asturias," said the Lady Clotilde. "Not being able to come in person, she sent me to see that you were well cared for and had everything that you needed." "She was here last night," said he; "she said she was so glad to hear me talk again." "Oh, that was some time ago. She has been here since, but you did not recognize her. You have been raving with fever for six weeks." "Fever?" he asked, considerably puzzled. "Why, I thought I was pushed over a bridge." "And so you were, but it terminated in a fever. The leeches do not know whether the accident brought on the fever, or whether the malady was already in your system. They have had several consultations about it." "I do not see the sense of consulting about a thing like that. What difference does it make what gave me the fever, since it is very evident that I have it? How long have I been here altogether?"