When  he  is
hungry — which  will  also  be  frequently — he  must
not  be  humored  oftener  than  every  seven  or  eight
hours;  then  toast  part  of  a  cracker  until  it  begins  to
brown,  and  give  it  to  his  brother."

"That  is  all  very  well,  as  far  as  Angelo  is  con-
cerned," said  Luigi,  "but  what  am  I  to  eat?"

"I  do  not  see  that  there  is  anything  the  matter
with  you,"  the  doctor  answered,  "you  may,  of
course,  eat  what  you  please."

"And  also  drink  what  I  please,  I  suppose?"

"Oh,  certainly — at  present. When  the  violent
and  continuous  perspiring  has  reduced  your  strength,
I  shall  have  to  reduce  your  diet,  of  course,  and  also
bleed  you,  but  there  is  no  occasion  for  that  yet
awhile."  He  turned  to  Aunt  Patsy  and  said:  "He
must  be  put  to  bed,  and  sat  up  with,  and  tended
with  the  greatest  care,  and  not  allowed  to  stir  for
several  days  and  nights."

"For  one,  I'm  sacredly  thankful  for  that,"  said
Luigi,  "it  postpones  the  funeral — I'm  not  to  be
drowned  to-day,  anyhow."

Angelo  said  quietly  to  the  doctor:
282


THOSE    EXTRAORDINARY    TWINS

"I  will  cheerfully  submit  to  all  your  require-
ments, sir,  up  to  two  o'clock  this  afternoon,  and
will  resume  them  after  three,  but  cannot  be  confined
to  the  house  during  that  intermediate  hour."

"Why,  may  I  ask?"

"Because  I  have  entered  the  Baptist  communion,
and  by  appointment  am  to  be  baptized  in  the  river
at  that  hour."

"Oh,  insanity! — it  cannot  be  allowed!"

Angelo  answered  with  placid  firmness:

"Nothing  shall  prevent  it,  if  I  am  alive."

"Why,  consider,  my  dear  sir,  in  your  condition
it  might  prove  fatal."

A  tender  and  ecstatic  smile  beamed  from  Angelo's
eyes,  and  he  broke  forth  in  a  tone  of  joyous  fervency :

"Ah,  how  blessed  it  would  be  to  die  for  such  a
cause — it  would  be  martyrdom!"

"But  your  brother — consider  your  brother;  you
would  be  risking  his  life,  too."

"He  risked  mine  an  hour  ago,"  responded  Angelo,
gloomily;  "did  he  consider  me?"  A  thought  swept
through  his  mind  that  made  him  shudder. 