you wish?"

"Why, we wish to wander forth, and explore the island, grandfather,"
answered the young girl, speaking for the Italian, who had difficulty
both in comprehending old Vlacco's way of speaking, and in answering him
in Romaic. "Now, I will not hear any excuses; I am going with the lady,
who is ill, and will pine to death if she is kept shut up in this way;
and, if you do not think we are able to take care of ourselves, you can
come too. It is a pity we have not got wings, and then you might clip
them as they do those of the wild sea-fowl, to prevent their flying
away."

The old Greek offered a number of objections to the project; among
others, that if anything happened to the lady, his life would pay the
forfeit; but they were all overruled by his grandchild, who laughed at
his fears, and at length she and the Italian set out on their
expedition. They took the way along the neck of land of which I have
spoken, among rocks which towered up in many fantastic shapes, without a
sign of vegetation on their weatherworn summits, and overlooking
precipices which descended many hundred feet of perpendicular height
into the sea below. At last they emerged from this wilder tract, and
descending a gentle slope covered with many a sweet-scented shrub, on
which the bees delight to rest, they looked down into the centre of the
island. Here a scene of a nature totally different to what they had
left met their view. Every spot of ground was cultivated to the utmost
extent. Below their feet was an orange grove, the trees of which were
laden with the ripening fruit; the side of a neighbouring hill was
covered with vines wide spreading along trellises gracefully arranged.
Several orchards of apple and pear trees were seen in the distance.
Beyond were fields of Indian corn waving in the breeze, and on the
higher ground millet and barley were seen growing.

"We may boast, lady, that our island is not altogether the barren rock
those might suppose who have looked forth only from the windows of the
castle," said Mila. "And from yonder hill to the north let us enjoy the
view over the whole of it, if you will venture so far."

The Italian expressed her readiness to go there; for though, as she
said, she had before visited it, a long time since then had passed away.

As the two young girls passed through the fields, several husbandmen,
employed in them, gazed at them with a somewhat furious look; but they
all knew the grandda