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"Alas! my beloved sister," exclaimed the young count, "you speak in a faint voice, you are very ill! In the name of the Holy Virgin! I conjure you to allow me to send for Dr. Duras!" "No, Francisco," said Nisida, her voice recovering somewhat of its power as she continued to address him: "I implore you to let me have my own way, to follow my own inclinations!
The holy mother gave her a blessing, and made a motion for her to rise. Nisida obeyed, and took a seat near the abbess at the table. She then drew forth her tablets, and wrote a few lines, which the superior read with deep attention. Nisida placed a heavy purse of gold upon the table, and the abbess nodded an assent to the request contained in the lines inscribed on the tablet.
Nor was he mistaken, for having traversed the volcanic range of heights, he beheld naught to break the uniform and monotonous aspect of the sunlit sea. But, on drawing nearer to the shore, he saw a dark spot almost immediately in front of the little hut which Nisida and himself had constructed, and wherein they had passed so many, many happy hours. He now advanced with a beating heart to the hut.
And as the lightning played upon the raging sea, Nisida and Verrina caught hurried but frightful glimpses of many human faces, whereon was expressed the indescribable agony of the drowning. "Perdition!" cried Verrina; "all are gone save Nisida and myself! And shall we too perish ere she has become mine? shall death separate us ere I have reveled in her charms?
Demetrius then ordered his party to dismount and rest for a short space upon the banks of the Arno. Some of his slaves immediately pitched a tent, into which he conducted Nisida; and refreshments were served to them.
Starting up, he again paced the dungeon in an agitated manner. "Holy God!" he exclaimed aloud, "how much wretchedness has fallen upon me in a single day! Agnes murdered Nisida perhaps forever estranged from me myself accused of a dreadful crime, whereof I am innocent and circumstances all combining so wonderfully against me! But who could have perpetrated the appalling deed?
Nisida sought her couch and slept until nearly ten o'clock, when she awoke with a start doubtless caused by some unpleasant dream. Having ascertained the hour by reference to a water-clock, or clepsydra, which stood on a marble pedestal near the head of the bed, she arose unlocked the door of her apartment rang a silver bell and then returned to her bed.
Tears came into the eyes of Nisida of her who so seldom, so very seldom wept; and throwing herself into Wagner's arms, she exclaimed, "God grant that I may revisit my native land; and believe me, oh! believe me, when I declare that I would come back to thee the moment the interests of my brother no longer demanded my presence!"
"If we can't do anything, let us go down quickly, Gaspare!" "Si, Signorina. We will go quickly." He opened the door and they went out. In the Pool of the Saint there was no boat. They went to the crest of the island and looked out over the sea. Not far off, between the island and Nisida, there was a boat. Gaspare put his hands to his mouth and hailed her with all his might.
Nisida," he said, suddenly exercising a strong mastery over his emotions, as he seized her hand and pressed it with spasmodic violence "Nisida, as thou valuest our happiness seek not to penetrate into my secret proffer not that mad request again!" And dropping her hand he paced the shore with the agitation of reviving excitement.
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