o Nisida--after an absence of nearly
twenty-four hours, for the time occupied in crossing and recrossing the
mountains was considerable--he found her gloomy and pensive. His long
absence had vexed her: she in the secrecy of her own heart had felt a
craving for a change of scene--and she naturally suspected that it was
to gratify a similar want that Fernand had undertaken the transmontane
journey. She received his fruits coldly; and it was some time ere he
could succeed in winning her back to perfect good humor.

The next interval of a month glided away, the little incident which had
for a moment ruffled the harmony of their lives was forgotten--at least
by Nisida;--and so devoted was Fernand in his attention, so tenderly
sincere in his attachment toward her--and so joyful, too, was she in the
possession of one whose masculine beauty was almost superhumanly great,
that those incipient cravings for change of scene--those nascent
longings for a return to the great and busy world, returned but seldom
and were even then easily subdued in her breast.

When the second fatal date after their union on the island approached,
Wagner was compelled to urge some new but necessarily trivial excuse for
again crossing the mountains; and Nisida's remonstrances were more
authoritative and earnest than on the previous occasion. Nevertheless he
succeeded in obtaining her consent: but during his absence of four or
five-and-twenty hours, the lady had ample leisure to ponder on home--the
busy world across the sea--and her well-beloved brother Francisco.
Fernand when he came back, found her gloomy and reserved; then, as he
essayed to wean her from her dark thoughts, she responded petulantly and
even reproachingly.

The ensuing month glided away as happily as the two former ones; and
though Fernand's attentions and manifestations of fondness increased, if
possible, still Nisida would frequently sigh and look wistfully at the
sea as if she would have joyed to behold a sail in the horizon. The
third time the fatal close of the month drew nigh, Wagner knew not how
to act; but some petulance on the part of Nisida furnished him with an
excuse which his generous heart only had recourse to with the deepest,
the keenest anguish. Throwing back the harsh word at her whom he loved
so devotedly, he exclaimed, "Nisida, I leave thee for a few hours until
thy good humor shall have returned;" and without waiting for a reply he
darted toward the mountains. For