njoy."

Ada looked at the unhappy young man with compassion, and her bosom
heaved with emotion; for she saw the sincerity of his passion, and it
grieved her heart to wound his feelings; but yet, she could not deceive
him.

"Signor, I cannot blame you. I do not complain of your addressing me in
words of love, however much I am grieved to hear them. I am grateful
for all you have done for me--I would endeavour to prove to you, had I
the power, how grateful I am, and for all you purpose doing for me. I
feel that to you I owe my preservation from dangers too dreadful to
contemplate. I venture to entreat you still to exert your generous
efforts to aid me, and to enable me to return to my friends; and yet I
tell you that I cannot give you more than my deep, my everlasting
gratitude. My love, signor, were it a worthy recompense for your
exertions, I have not to give--my heart as well as my troth belongs to
another."

The fierce passions which rest in the bosoms of the inhabitants of those
southern climes, have far more powerful effects than any similar
emotions on the less sensitively constituted frames of the northern
nations. Scarcely had Ada uttered these words, than, casting a glance
at her features, as if to ascertain that he heard aright, and was not in
some frightful dream, the young Italian fell prostrate on his face
before her. Horrified and trembling, she gazed at him without moving,
for she thought he was dead; but at length as she stepped over him, his
heavy breathing assured her that he still lived, and she exerted all her
strength to raise him, as she was afraid, for his sake, to call any one
to her assistance. A jar of water was in the room, and she dashed some
of its contents over his face, and placed him so that the air from the
window might come in and revive him. It was now her turn to act the
part of guardian angel; and Captain Fleetwood would have pardoned her,
as she bent over him, had she felt as a sister for the pale and unhappy
youth before her. At last her efforts were crowned with success. He
opened his eyes and gazed at her with a look to which intelligence soon
returned. As he did so, he endeavoured to rise; but the agitation of
his feelings had been too violent to allow him so quickly to recover,
and he again sank down on the ground, where he remained for some
minutes, endeavouring to regain his scattered thoughts.

"Where am I? What dreadful event has occurred?" he at length mutt