FeelingmoreateaseIgavesixsequinstoLaura，onetoeachofherdaughters，andatesomethingformysupper:Ithenlaidmyselfdownononeofthewretchedbedsintheroom。Assoonasthetwoyoungersisterssawmeinbed，theyundressedthemselveswithoutceremony，andtookpossessionofthesecondbedwhichwasclosebymine。Theirinnocentconfidencepleasedme。Theeldestsister，whomostlikelyhadmorepracticalexperience，retiredtotheadjoiningroom；shehadalovertowhomshewassoontobemarried。Thistime，however，I
wasnotpossessedwiththeevilspiritofconcupiscence，andI
allowedinnocencetosleeppeacefullywithoutattemptinganythingagainstit。
EarlythenextmorningLaurawasthebearerofgoodnews。Shecameinwithacheerfulairtoannouncethatthebelovedpatienthadsleptwell，andthatshewasgoingbacksoontogivehersomesoup。Ifeltanalmostmaddeningjoyinlisteningtoher，andIthoughttheoracleofAEsculapiusathousandtimesmorereliablethanthatofApollo。
Butitwasnotyettimetoexultinourvictory，formypoorlittlefriendhadtorecoverherstrengthandtomakeupforallthebloodshehadlost；thatcouldbedoneonlybytimeandcarefulnursing。I