d at length all
around me was black. It was night. I raised myself up, and looked
feebly out upon the waves. They were all hidden from my sight. I fell
back, and lay there for a long time, enduring horrors, which, in my
wildest dreams, I had never imagined as liable to fall to the lot of
any miserable human being.

"I know nothing more of that night, or of several nights afterward.
When I came back to consciousness I found myself in a ship's cabin,
and was completely bewildered. Gradually, however, I found out all.
This ship, which was an Italian vessel belonging to Naples, and was
called the _Vittoria_, had picked me up on the morning after I had
drifted away. I was unconscious and delirious. They took me on board,
and treated me with the greatest kindness. For the tender care which
was shown me by these rough but kindly hearts Heaven only can repay
them; I can not. But when I had recovered consciousness several days
had elapsed, the ship was on her way to Naples, and we were already
off the coast of Portugal. I was overwhelmed with astonishment and
grief. Then the question arose, What was I to do? The captain, who
seemed touched to the heart by my sorrow, offered to take the ship
out of her course and land me at Lisbon, if I liked; or he would put
me ashore at Gibraltar. Miserable me! What good would it do for me to
be landed at Lisbon or at Gibraltar? Wide seas would still intervene
between me and my darling. I could not ask them to land me at either
of those places. Besides, the ship was going to Naples, and that
seemed quite as near as Lisbon, if not more so. It seemed to me to be
more accessible--more in the line of travel--and therefore I thought
that by going on to Naples I would really be more within your reach
than if I landed at any intervening point. So I decided to go on.

"Poor me! Imagine me on board a ship, with no change of clothing, no
comforts or delicacies of any kind, and at the same time prostrated
by sickness arising from my first misery. It was a kind of low fever,
combined with delirium, that affected me. Most fortunately for me,
the captain's wife sailed with him, and to her I believe my recovery
is due. Poor dear Margarita! Her devotion to me saved me from death.
I gave her that gold necklace that I have worn from childhood. In no
other way could I fittingly show my gratitude. Ah, my darling! the
world is not all bad. It is full of honest, kindly hearts, and of
them all none is more noble or