's margin she recognized her brother Francisco and the maiden
Flora Francatelli!

"Thou hast seen enough!" cried the demon, snatching the telescope from
her hands. "And now, more than ever," he added with a malignant smile of
triumph, "dost thou long to revisit thy native land. It was to confirm
that longing that I showed thee the scene thou hast just witnessed."

"And canst thou give me the means to return thither?" demanded Nisida,
almost maddened by the spectacle that had met her eyes.

"Listen!" exclaimed the fiend, "and hear me patiently. I charge thee not
to breathe to thy Fernand one word descriptive of this interview which
thou hast had with me. Thou couldst simulate dumbness for ten long years
or more, with a success which rendered thee great and glorious in my
eyes--for I love the hypocrite and the deceiver," he added with one of
his diabolical smiles; "although I myself deceive them! Be dumb, then,
in all that relates to my visit to thee here. But thou mayst so beset
thy Fernand with earnest entreaties to give thee the means of departure
from this island--for he can do so, if he have the will--that he shall
be unable to resist thy prayer--thy fears--thy anguish, real or feigned,
whichever that anguish may be. And should he not yield to thy
intercessions, then assail him on another point. Tell him that thou wilt
never rest until thou shalt have discovered the cause of those
periodical visits which he makes to the other side of the
mountains--threaten to accompany him the next time he goes thither. But
I need not teach you how to be energetic nor eloquent. For thou art a
woman of iron mind and of persuasive tongue; and thy perseverance, as is
thy will, is indomitable. Follow my counsel, then--and, though the
future to a great extent be concealed from my view, yet I dare prophesy
success for thee! And now farewell, Nisida--farewell!"

And the demon retreated rapidly toward the forests, as if to seek the
abode of those terrible serpents whose cunning was akin to his own.

Nisida was too much astonished by the nature of the counsel which his
deep sonorous voice had wafted to her ear, to be able to utter a word
until his receding form was no longer visible, and then she exclaimed
wildly; "I have assuredly seen Satan face to face!"

And her blood ran cold in her veins. But a few moments were sufficient
to enable that woman of wondrous energy to recover her presence of mind
and collect her scattered thoughts; an