faithful
companion. She was standing, not far from her mistress, with Carlo, and
both were tenderly observing the young maiden, who now smilingly grasped
her guitar and commenced a song of joy for Paulo's expected return!

"I have no faith in our count's return!" whispered Marianne while
Natalie was singing. "It is a bad sign that no news, not a line, nor
even the shortest message, had yet come from him. Something unusual,
some great and uncontrollable misfortune, must have prevented his
writing!"

"You do not think they have imprisoned him?" asked Carlo.

"I fear it," sighed Marianne. "And if so, what fate then awaits our
poor princess? Helpless, alone, without means! For if the count is
imprisoned, he will no longer be in a condition to send money as he
promised. And we now possess only a thousand scudi, with double that
amount in diamonds!"

"Then we are still rich enough to keep off deprivations for a time!"
said Carlo.

"But when at length these last resources are exhausted?" asked
Marianne--"when we no longer have either money or diamonds--how then?"

"Oh, then," exclaimed Carlo, with a beaming face, "then will we labor
for her! That, also, will be a pleasure, Marianne!"

While the two were thus conversing, Natalie, with a happy smile and
cheerful face, was still singing her hymn of joy for Paulo's approaching
return to the accompaniment of the rustling trees, the murmuring
fountains, and the chirping birds in the myrtle-bush. It was a beautiful
night, and as the bright full moon now advanced between the pines,
illuminating Natalie's face and form, the partially intoxicated and
perfectly happy Carlo whispered: "Only look, Marianne! does she not
resemble a blessed angel ready to spread her wings, and with the
moonlight to mount up to the stars? Only look, seems it not as if the
moonbeams tenderly embraced her for the purpose of leading an angel back
to its home?"

"May she, at least, one day, with such a happy smile, take her departure
for the skies!" sighed Marianne, piously folding her hands.

At this moment a shrill, cutting wail interrupted Natalie's song. A
string of her guitar had suddenly snapped asunder; frightened, almost
angry, Natalie let the instrument fall to the earth, and again the
strings resounded like lamentations and sighs.

"That is a bad omen," sighed Natalie. "How, if that should be true, and
not my dream?"

And trembling with anxiety, the young maiden stretched forth her hands