room which was once
occupied by her lover Gaetano. Crossing the terrace rapidly, he glided
near the window with rage in his heart and his mind excited--for a
guilty project, which he would had he been cooler have repelled,
attacked him, with all its seductions. Without longer hesitation he
returned to his room, shut the terrace door, and looked in the dark for
Aminta. Aminta, however, sat at a window which the moon did not light,
and which opened on the court of the villa. She seemed to listen
anxiously to some distant noise, perceptible only to her ear. So great
was her preoccupation that she paid no attention to Maulear's entrance.
Surprised at this statue-like immobility, Maulear approached the young
girl.

"Silence, Marietta," said she, without looking around, "I promised to
see him go. He has kept his word, for I yet hear, in the distance, the
gallop of his horse. Bring the light and place it in the window. He
knows my room, in which we played so often when we were children, and
far down the road he will see it burning. My remembering him will please
him. He will see that, if he watches over me, I pray for him to bring me
good news to-morrow--Gaetano is so kind."

"Gaetano!" said Maulear, in spite of himself.

"Yes--yes, Gaetano," continued the young girl, "will watch over Taddeo
during this unfortunate trial, for I know all. But say nothing,
Marietta. Poor Taddeo--Gaetano has told me. His letter, yesterday,
comforted me. Taddeo is no longer compromised. Gaetano assured me. But
this evening in the park he confirmed all, and has promised to go to
Naples to be present at the trial."

Aminta at once became silent, and sitting in an arm-chair near the
window, appeared to sleep soundly, for the noise of her breathing was
alone heard. Maulear, erect, motionless, with an icy brow, neither saw
nor heard. A thousand confused ideas filled his mind. A revelation,
strange and unforeseen, put an end to his suffering and dissipated his
fears, by exhibiting the incomprehensible mystery under which he had
been. Aminta was sleeping. Her sleep was of that somnambulist character,
so common in this country of moral and physical excitement. While
dreaming, Aminta had told and taught him every thing. She was innocent
and pure. Yet in doubt, hesitating as the victim does, who when he
marches to punishment receives a pardon, wishing to convince himself of
the reality of all that passed, he went into the next room and came out
with t