een so innocent," said Gualtier, "I do not see how
my plan could have succeeded. But she knew nothing. She didn't even
know enough to make inquiries herself. She accepted all that I said
with the most implicit trust, and believed it all as though it were
Gospel. It was, therefore, the easiest thing in the world to manage
her. Her only idea was to get to you."

Gualtier paused for a moment.

"Go on," said Hilda, coldly.

"Well, all the preparations were made, and the day came. Mathilde had
left. _She_ did not seem to feel the desertion much. She said nothing
at all to me about the loss of her maid, although after three or four
years of service it must have been galling to her to lose her maid so
abruptly, and to get such a letter as that silly thing wrote at my
dictation. She came on board, and seemed very much satisfied with all
the arrangements. I had done every thing that I could think of to
make it pleasant for her--on the same principle, I suppose," he
added, dryly, "that they have in jails--where they are sure to give a
good breakfast to a poor devil on the morning of his execution."

"You may as well omit allusions of that sort," said Hilda, sternly.

Gualtier made no observation, but proceeded with his narrative.

"We sailed for two days, and, at length, came to within about fifty
miles of Leghorn. During all that time she had been cheerful, and was
much on deck. She tried to read, but did not seem able to do so. She
seemed to be involved in thought, as a general thing; and, by the
occasional questions which she asked, I saw that all her thoughts
were about you and Naples. So passed the two days, and the second
night came."

Gualtier paused.

Hilda sat motionless, without saying a word. Gualtier himself seemed
reluctant to go on; but he had to conclude his narrative, and so he
forced himself to proceed.

"It was midnight"--he went on, in a very low voice--"it was
exceedingly dark. The day had been fine, but the sky was now all
overclouded. The sea, however, was comparatively smooth, and every
thing was favorable to the undertaking. The boat was all ready. It
was a good-sized boat, which we had towed behind us. I had prepared a
mast and a sail, and had put some provisions in the locker. The men
were all expecting--"

"Never mind your preparations," exclaimed Hilda, fiercely. "Omit all
that--go on, and don't kill me with your long preliminaries."

"If you had such a story to tell," said Gualtier, humb