"But do not ask me to look upon thy sufferings! All that can be done to
lessen, by sharing thy disgrace, if disgrace it be, will I most gladly
do; though I dread to see thy aged form in pain!"

"And this wilt thou do for one thou never beheld'st until this
hour?--one thou canst hardly have been taught to consider just
to thyself?"

"If I have never seen thee before this visit, grandfather, I have loved
thee and prayed for thee from infancy. My excellent uncle early taught
me this duty; but he never taught me to hate thee or any one. My own
father is taken away; and that which he would have been to thee this day
will I endeavor to be for him. The world is naught to me; and it will
console thee to think that one is near whose heart weeps for thee and
whose soul is lost in prayers for thy eternal pardon."

"And this being, father, is made known to me an hour before I die! God
punishes me sufficiently for the wrong I've done her, in letting me thus
know her worth, when it is too late to profit by it. No, Ghita--blessed
child, such a sacrifice shall not be asked of thee. Take this cross--it
was my mother's; worn on her bosom, and has long been worn on mine--keep
it as a memorial of thy unhappy parent, and pray for me; but quit this
terrible ship, and do not grieve thy gentle spirit with a scene that is
so unfit for thy sex and years. Bless thee--bless thee, my child. Would
to heaven I had earlier known thee--but even this glimpse of thy worth
has lightened my heart. Thou find'st me here a poor condemned criminal,
unable to provide for thy future wants--nay, I can yet do a little for
thee, too. This bag contains gold. It has been sent to me by a relative,
thinking it might be of service in averting the punishment that awaits
me. For that purpose it is now useless; with thy simple habits, however,
it will render thy life easy and above care."

Ghita, with streaming eyes, steadily put aside the gold, though she
pressed the cross to her bosom, kissing it fervently again and again.

"Not that--not that, grandfather," she said; "I want it not--wish it
not. This is enough; and this will I keep to my own last moment. I will
quit the ship, too; but not the place. I see many boats collecting, and
mine shall be among them; my prayers shall go up to God for thee, now
thou art living, and daily after thou art dead. There needs no gold,
grandfather, to purchase a daughter's prayers."

Don Francesco regarded the zealous and lovely gi