mean to have you for a husband.
Neither you, nor any other."

"Nor any other? so will you not always say!--You say so now, because
you would not have that painter. Bah! you were but a child! You will
feel lonely enough yet, some day; and then, wild as you are, you will
take the next best who comes to hand."

"Who knows? which of us can see the future? It may be that I change my
mind. What is that to you?"

"What it is to me?" he flew out, starting to his feet, while the small
boat leapt and danced; "what it is to me, you say? You know well
enough! I tell you, that man shall perish miserably, to whom you shall
prove kinder than you have been to me!"

"And to you, what did I ever promise?--Am I to blame, if you be
mad?--What right have you to me?"

"Ah! I know," he cried, "my right is written nowhere. It has not been
put in Latin by any lawyer, nor stamped with any seal. But this I feel;
I have just the right to you, I have to Heaven, if I die an honest
Christian. Do you think I could look on, and see you go to church with
another man, and see the girls go by, and shrug their shoulders at me?"

"You can do as you please. I am not going to let myself be frightened
by all those threats. I also mean to do as I please."

"You shall not say so long!" and his whole frame shook with passion. "I
am not the man to let my whole life be spoiled by a stubborn wench like
you! You are in my power here, remember, and may be made to do my
bidding."

She could not repress a start, but her eyes flashed bravely on him.

"You may kill me, if you dare," she said slowly.

"I do nothing by halves," he said, and his voice sounded choked and
hoarse. "There is room for us both in the sea; I cannot help thee,
child,"--he spoke the last words dreamily, almost pitifully;--"but we
must both go down together--both at once--and now!" he shouted, and
snatched her in his arms. But at the same moment, he drew back his
right hand; the blood gushed out;--she had bitten him fiercely.

"Ha! can I be made to do your bidding?" she cried, and thrust him from
her, with one sudden movement; "am I here in your power?" and she leapt
into the sea, and sank.

She rose again directly; her scanty skirts, clung close; her long hair,
loosened by the waves, hung heavy about her neck, she struck out
valiantly, and, without uttering a sound, she began to swim steadily
from the boat towards the shore.

With senses maimed by sudden terror, he stood, with outstre