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Whither, oh! whither hath the world a home— The wide, cold world—for heart so lorn as mine?"

was the third night after their arrival in their new abode, that Francesca was seated watching the slumbers of their sick guest. They were quiet and deep; and the physician had pronounced that he would, in all probability, awaken restored to sense. More than once she had approached the pillow, and bathed his temples with some aromatic essence, and moistened his lips with some refreshing liquid. At length he stirred, and drawing a deep breath, she could perceive that he was rousing, and, as she hoped, to consciousness. Placing the screen carefully before the lamp, lest its light should flash too suddenly on his weakened eyes, she took a cup in her hand, and advanced to give the medicine it had been especially enjoined he should take when he awoke.