noon
He had asked no questions about Angela , for he felt tolerably sure that Ugo had never known her , and it was his intention to go directly from the hospital to Madame Bernard 's lodgings , where he hoped to find them both as he had left them . He could not bring himself to make vague and roundabout inquiries just then , and he was still less inclined to confide his love story to this brother whom he hardly felt that he knew . So he kept his own counsel and waited , as he had learned to do in five years of slavery . The Minister sent back a line by Pica to say that Giovanni was to come to him at noon , and would then receive his instructions as to a change of lodging , if any should seem advisable . There was a word of sympathy also for Ugo . In less than an hour more , Giovanni had helped Pica to carry Ugo down to the Princess 's motor , which had appeared punctually , bringing Doctor Pieri , and the wounded man was comfortably placed in the limousine with the surgeon beside him and Giovanni sitting opposite . Ugo introduced his brother as a relation who had arrived very opportunely that morning .