nner, that betrayed how
nearly her heart was interested in what was passing. Still, principle
was ever uppermost in her thoughts, and she determined now to speak
plainly, and to the purpose.

"Raoul," she said, after listening to some one of those fervent
declarations of love that were peculiarly agreeable to one of her
affectionate and sincere nature, even when she most felt the necessity
of repelling the insinuating suit; "there must be an end of this. I can
never go through again the scenes I have lately witnessed, nor allow you
to run such fearful risks. The sooner we understand each other, and, I
may say, the sooner we part, it will be the wiser, and the better for
the interests of both. I blame myself for suffering the intimacy to last
so long, and for proceeding so far."

"And this is said by a fervent-souled Italian girl! One of eighteen
years;--who comes of a region in which it is the boast that the heart is
even warmer than the sun; of a race, among whom it is hard to find
_one--oui,_ even a poor _one_--who is not ready to sacrifice home,
country, hopes, fortune, nay, life itself, to give happiness to the man
who has chosen her from all the rest of her sex."

"It _would_ seem to _me_ easy to do all this, Raoul. _Si_--I think I
could sacrifice everything you have named, to make _you_ happy! Home I
have not, unless the Prince's Towers can thus be called; country, since
the sad event of this week, I feel as if I had altogether lost; of
hopes, I have few in this world, with which your image has not been
connected; but those which were once so precious to me are now, I fear,
lost; you know I have no fortune, to tempt me to stay, or you to
follow; as for my life, I fear it will soon be very valueless--an sure
it will be miserable."

"Then why not decide at once, dearest Ghita, to throw the weight of your
sorrows on the shoulders of one strong enough to bear them? You care not
for dress or gay appearances, and can take a bridegroom even with the
miserable aspect of a lazzarone, when you know the heart is right. You
will not despise me because I am not decked as I might be for the
bridal. Nothing is easier than to find an altar and a priest among these
monasteries; and the hour for saying mass is not very distant. Give me a
right to claim you, and I will appoint a place of rendezvous, bring in
the lugger to-morrow night, and carry you off in triumph to our gay
Provence; where you will find hearts gentle as your ow