that it would be better to appear as much
as possible at her ease; and by meeting the strangers, without appearing
in any way to recognise them, or to take interest in them, to disarm any
suspicions she thought it probable old Vlacco might entertain.

The veteran pirate had at first grumbled at allowing her to leave her
tower; but Nina silenced him by asserting that, during her lord's
absence, she had the chief command; and that if he would not obey, she
would complain of his cruelty and tyranny, and declare that he was no
better than a Turk.

Marianna was delighted at once more finding herself looking at a crowd,
and sadly wanted to go and join the dancers, though her mistress would
not allow her to do so; and even Ada herself felt her spirits rise under
the genial influence of others' happiness. She forgot that the
handsome, spirited youths she saw before her were beings brought up to
become robbers and murderers; and that the lovely maidens she gazed on
were taught to consider such deeds as justifiable and praiseworthy. She
saw in them, for the moment, only the descendants of the ancient Greeks;
and in form and feature, and even in dress, how slight the change.
Alas! that their own indolence and effeminacy should have reduced them
so low that they should become the slaves of despots, and thus have all
the vices inherent in a state of slavery. Nina and Ada did not venture
down into the bay among the crowd, but stood apart on a ledge, raised
some thirty or forty feet above the sands, at the entrance of the
ravine, where they could overlook the whole scene. The old fishermen
and their wives were seated in groups, either on the rocks under the
cliffs, or on seats formed of the spars and planks of the boats ranged
along the sands. The youths wore their gayest sashes, and their red
fezzes set jauntily on one side; and the maids their best cymars, with
their beautiful hair adorned with garlands of wild flowers, in rich
profusion, streaming down their backs.

Many of the girls were very lovely, with tall, graceful figures, and
their hair of auburn hue, which is as much prized now as of yore. The
music was primitive, consisting of pipes, such as Pan might have played
on, and stringed instruments like the guitar or violin. The musicians
were in appearance like the bards of old, ancient men, with white locks
and flowing beards; but they appeared, nevertheless, to reap as much
pleasure from the scene as the rest.

The