Chapter 15 - Page 2

life; not that they felt ashamed to avow their connection
with the dead, but because they were quite devoid of any of that worldly
ambition which renders rank and fortune necessary to happiness.

When he left the crowd of boats, Raoul pulled toward the rocks which
bound the shores of the bay, near the gardens of Portici. This was a
point sufficiently removed from the common anchorage to be safe from
observation; and yet so near as to be reached in considerably less than
an hour. As the light boat proceeded Ghita gradually regained her
composure. She dried her eyes and looked around her inquiringly, as if
wondering whither their companion was taking them.

"I will not ask you, Raoul, why you are here at a moment like this, and
whence you have come," she said; "but I may ask whither you are now
carrying us? Our home is at St. Agata, on the heights above Sorrento,
and on the other side of the bay. We come there annually to pass a month
with my mother's sister, who asks this much of our love."

"If I did not know all this, Ghita, I would not and could not be here. I
have visited the cottage of your aunt this day; followed you to Naples,
heard of the admiral's trial and sentence, understood how it would
affect your feelings, traced you on board the English admiral's ship,
and was in waiting as you found me; having first contrived to send away
the man who took you off. All this has come about as naturally as the
feeling which has induced me to venture again into the lion's mouth."

"The pitcher that goes often to the well, Raoul, gets broken at last,"
said Ghita, a little reproachfully, though it surpassed her power to
prevent the tones of tenderness from mingling with her words.

"You know all, Ghita. After months of perseverance and a love such as
man seldom felt before, you deliberately and coldly refused to be my
wife;--nay, you have deserted Monte Argentaro purposely to get rid of my
importunities; for there I could go with the lugger at any moment; and
have come here, upon this bay, crowded with the English and other
enemies of France, fancying that I would not dare to venture hither.
Well, you see with what success; for neither Nelson nor his two-deckers
can keep Raoul Yvard from the woman he loves, let him be as victorious
and skilful as he may!"

The sailor had ceased rowing, to give vent to his feelings in this
speech, neither of the two colloquists regarding the presence of
Giuntotardi any more than if he had been a part of themselves. This
indifference to the fact that a third person was a listener proceeded
from habit, the worthy scholar and religionist being usually too
abstracted to attend to concerns as light as love and the youthful