us to
one another with tenfold fervor. And little Stella! Why--this very
evening I would swing her again under the orange boughs and listen to
her sweet shrill laughter! This very evening I would clasp Guido's hand
in a gladness too great for words! This very night my wife's fair head
would lie pillowed on my breast in an ecstatic silence broken only by
the music of kisses. Ah! my brain grew dizzy with the joyful visions
that crowded thickly and dazzlingly upon me! The sun had risen--his
long straight beams, like golden spears, touched the tops of the green
trees, and roused little flashes as of red and blue fire on the shining
surface of the bay. I heard the rippling of water and the measured soft
dash of oars; and somewhere from a distant boat the mellifluous voice
of a sailor sung a verse of the popular ritornello--

"Sciore d'amenta
Sta parolella mia tieul' ammento
Zompa llari llira!
Sciore limone!
Le voglio fa mori de passione
Zompa llari llira!"
[Footnote: Neapolitan dialect]

I smiled--"Mori de passione!" Nina and I would know the meaning of
those sweet words when the moon rose and the nightingales sung their
love-songs to the dreaming flowers! Full of these happy fancies, I
inhaled the pure morning air for some minutes, and then re-entered the
vault.

CHAPTER V.

The first thing I did was to repack all the treasures I had discovered.
This work was easily accomplished. For the present I contented myself
with taking two of the leathern bags for my own use, one full of gold
pieces, the other of jewels. The chest had been strongly made, and was
not much injured by being forced open. I closed its lid as tightly as
possible, and dragged it to a remote and dark corner of the vault,
where I placed three heavy stones upon it. I then took the two leathern
pouches I had selected, and stuffed one in each of the pockets of my
trousers. The action reminded me of the scantiness of attire in which I
stood arrayed. Could I be seen in the public roads in such a plight? I
examined my purse, which, as I before stated, had been left to me,
together with my keys and card-case, by the terrified persons who had
huddled me into my coffin with such scant ceremony. It contained two
twenty-franc pieces and some loose silver. Enough to buy a decent
costume of some sort. But where could I make the purchase, and how?
Must I wait till evening and slink out of this charnel-house like the
ghost of a wr