e impatience of his
people, who began to murmur at the length of time which had passed since
they had been engaged in what they considered useful activity, as well
as to replace the property he had lost by the burning of his tower.

Ada had not neglected to inquire for the prisoners who had so severely
suffered in her cause, and, though not allowed to communicate with them,
she learned from Paolo that they were not treated with any unusual
severity, farther than being confined in a chamber under ground, where
very little light or air could penetrate, and that he believed their
lives were in no danger.

Nina never spoke of the dreadful night when she had first felt the
fierceness of her husband's anger; but her sunken eye, her hollow voice,
and faded cheek, showed what the effect had been, though, when she met
him, she tried to smile as of yore, and to attempt to win him to his
better mood.

His followers, however, remarked that an ominous change had come over
him, and that his mind at times seemed wavering on its throne.

The unhappy Paolo still nourished in silence his love for Ada, and day
by day he allowed it to increase, till he could scarcely conceal his
feelings in her presence.

It was night, and he stood where he had spent many an hour, on the cliff
beneath her window. No moon was in the sky, and the stars were
concealed by a canopy of clouds which hung over the sea, and the wind
moaned amid the rocks and ruined buildings with a melancholy tone well
consonant to his feelings.

Suddenly the perfect silence which had existed was broken by loud,
terrific cries; the roar of cannon--the rattle of musketry--the cheers,
and shrieks, and fierce imprecations of men striving in deadly combat;
where had lately reigned silence and darkness, all was now the wildest
confusion and uproar, and lighted up with the blaze of the death-dealing
musketry.

The pirate rushed by, and entered Ada's tower, giving orders to his
followers, the meaning of which no sooner did Paolo understand, than
exclaiming, "Now is the time, or she is lost to me for ever," he hurried
after him.

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

We left the _Ione_, at the dawn of a fine morning, beating up towards a
small boat, which had been observed running to the westward, while a
mistico was seen off the island, directly before the wind, apparently in
chase of her. The boat, it was judged, was about half way between the
two vessels; but then the _Ione_ was nearl