ordnancescale
of
the
million
)
,
not
even
by
the
rolling
sun
,
and
nature
's
hail
and
farewell
;
but
by
the
well-spring
of
ourselves
,
the
fount
of
thought
and
feeling
.
Every
single
breath
I
draw
of
this
living
air
—
air
the
bride
of
earth
our
sire
,
wedded
to
him
by
God
Creator
,
air
whose
mother-milk
we
fight
for
in
clusters
baulking
one
another
—
every
breath
I
draw
dances
with
a
buoyant
virtue
,
sucked
,
in
any
other
land
,
but
from
mountain
nipples
.
Bright
air
of
a
rosy
blue
,
where
northern
eyes
are
dazed
with
beauty
,
where
every
flower
cuts
stars
of
light
,
and
every
cloud
is
sunshine
's
step
;
can
even
lovers
parted
thus
believe
themselves
divided
?
Every
rock
has
its
myrtle
favour
,
every
tree
its
clematis
wreath
;
under
the
cistus
and
oleander
hides
the
pink
to
lace
its
bodice
,
watched
by
the
pansy
's
sprightly
eye
.
Lavishly
,
as
children
's
bubbles
,
hover
overhead
oranges
,
and
citrons
,
lemons
,
almonds
,
figs
,
varied
by
the
blushing
peach
and
the
purpling
grape
.
Far
behind
,
and
leaning
forth
the
swarthy
bosom
of
the
mountain
,
whose
white
head
leans
on
the
heaven
,
are
ranks
on
ranks
of
glaucous
olive
,
giants
of
a
green
old
age
dashed
with
silver
gray
.
And
oh
,
the
fragrance
under
foot
,
the
tribute
of
the
ground
,
which
Corsica
's
great
son
—
as
we
men
measure
greatness
—
pined
for
in
the
barren
isle
,
where
the
iron
of
his
selfishness
entered
his
own
soul
.
These
are
said
to
be
the
largest
olive-trees
in
the
world
,
and
of
the
very
best
varieties
.
Heaps
upon
heaps
the
rich
fruit
lies
at
the
foot
of
the
glorious
tree
;
nature
is
too
bountiful
for
man
to
heed
her
gifts
.
For
this
district
of
Balagna
,
and
that
of
Nebbio
further
north
,
my
attention
had
been
especially
bespoken
by
my
shrewd
and
sagacious
friend
.
Therefore
and
by
reason
of
the
charms
around
me
,
here
I
resolved
to
pass
the
summer
;
so
my
vessel
was
laid
up
at
Calvi
,
and
being
quartered
in
Belgodere
at
a
little
Inn
—
"
locanda
"
it
should
be
called
,
but
I
hate
interlarding
—
I
addressed
myself
right
heartily
to
business
and
to
pleasure
.
First
I
had
to
study
the
grand
Palladian
gift
.
Unless
old
Seneca
was
,
as
the
Corsicans
say
,
a
great
liar
,
he
cannot
have
been
the
author
of
that
epigram
which
declares
this
land
a
stranger
to
the
peaceful
boon
.
It
is
impossible
to
believe
that
a
country
so
adapted
to
that
tree
,
so
often
colonized
by
cultured
races
,
can
have
been
so
long
ungifted
with
its
staff
of
life
.
The
island
itself
in
that
same
epigram
is
utterly
mis-described
.
As
regards
the
inhabitants
,
the
first
line
of
the
well-known
couplet
is
verified
by
ages
;
to
the
second
it
does
not
plead
guilty
now
,
and
probably
never
did
.
"
Law
the
first
revenge
.
Law
the
second
to
live
by
robbery
.
Law
the
third
to
lie
.
The
fourth
to
deny
any
Gods
.
"
The
Corsicans
,
on
the
contrary
,
have
always
been
famous
for
candour
,
whose
very
soul
is
truth
,
and
for
superstition
,
the
wen
or
hump
of
religion
.
For
my
own
part
,
loving
not
that
unprincipled
fellow
hard
labour
,
towards
whom
these
noble
islanders
entertain
a
like
antipathy
,
and
loving
much
any
freedom
not
hostile
to
my
own
,
I
got
on
with
the
natives
admirably
,
for
a
certain
time
.
Time
had
reconciled
me
to
their
custom
of
carrying
,
instead
of
cane
or
umbrella
,
long
double-barrelled
guns
,
whose
muzzle
they
afford
the
stranger
full
opportunity
of
inspecting
.
First-rate
marksmen
are
they
,
but
they
sling
their
guns
at
hap-hazard
on
their
backs
,
and
cheek
to
jowl
we
come
upon
the
cold
metal
at
the
corner
of
the
narrow
streets
.
Tall
and
powerful
men
they
are
,
especially
the
mountaineers
;
with
all
the
Spaniard
's
dignity
and
the
Italian
's
native
grace
.
The
women
are
lithe
,
erect
,
and
beautifully
formed
,
with
a
swan-like
carriage
,
and
a
free
and
courteous
bearing
,
such
as
very
few
of
our
high-born
damsels
own
.
The
olive-growers
frankly
gave
me
all
their
little
information
about
that
tree
whose
typical
virtues
they
have
never
cared
to
learn
.
The
variety
chiefly
grown
,
or
rather
which
chiefly
grows
itself
,
is
one
they
call
the
Genoese
.
The
owners
afford
them
very
little
culture
,
and
many
are
too
idle
even
to
collect
the
fruit
.
There
are
said
to
be
ten
million
olive-trees
in
the
island
;
at
least
they
were
reckoned
up
to
that
number
by
order
of
the
Government
;
then
the
enumerators
grew
tired
,
and
left
off
counting
.
Whatever
number
there
is
might
easily
be
tripled
,
if
any
one
had
the
energy
to
graft
the
oleasters
,
with
which
the
hills
are
covered
.
There
is
also
the
Saracen
olive
,
and
the
Sabine
,
the
latter
perhaps
the
Regia
of
Columella
,
Raggiaria
of
Cæsalpinus
,
and
Radius
of
Virgil
.
However
,
though
not
unlike
my
sample
fruit
,
it
was
not
quite
identical
,
and
as
my
employers
wanted
a
very
special
sort
for
very
special
qualities
,
I
was
as
far
from
my
object
as
ever
.
One
magnificent
summer
evening
,
as
I
rode
along
the
mountain
side
near
the
village
of
Speloncato
,
suddenly
the
track
turned
sharply
into
a
wooded
dingle
.
Steeped
in
the
dream
of
nature
's
beauty
,
I
was
thinking
of
nothing
at
all
,
as
becomes
a
true
Corsican
,
when
I
received
a
sharpish
knock
in
the
eye
.
Something
fell
and
lodged
in
my
capacious
beard
.
Smarting
from
the
pain
.
I
caught
it
,
and
not
being
able
to
see
clearly
,
took
it
at
first
for
a
spent
and
dropping
bullet
.
But
when
my
eyes
had
ceased
to
water
,
I
found
in
my
hand
a
half-grown
olive
of
the
very
kind
I
had
so
long
been
seeking
.
I
drew
forth
some
of
my
London
specimens
which
had
been
chemically
treated
to
prevent
their
shrivelling
,
and
compared
it
narrowly
.
Yes
,
there
could
be
no
doubt
;
the
same
pyriform
curve
,
the
same
bulge
near
the
peduncle
,
the
same
violet
lines
in
the
skin
,
and
when
cut
open
,
the
same
granulation
and
nucleus
.
I
was
truly
delighted
,
at
length
I
should
be
of
some
real
service
;
at
least
if
there
were
many
trees
here
of
this
most
rare
variety
.
By
riding
up
the
dingle
,
I
soon
ascertained
that
it
was
planted
with
trees
of
this
sort
only
,
gray
old
trees
of
a
different
habit
from
any
other
olive
.
Afterwards
I
found
that
it
requires
a
different
soil
,
and
a
different
aspect
.
Full
speed
I
galloped
back
to
the
hamlet
of
Speloncato
,
and
inquired
for
the
owner
of
this
olive
Eldorado
.
Signor
Dezio
Della
Croce
,
owner
of
all
this
lovely
slope
,
and
of
large
estates
extending
as
far
as
the
road
to
Corte
;
in
fact
the
chief
proprietor
of
the
neighbourhood
.
He
was
,
said
the
peasant
with
some
pride
,
a
true
descendant
of
the
great
race
of
Cinarca
,
foremost
in
the
island
annals
for
a
thousand
years
,
and
of
whom
was
the
famous
Giudice
Della
Rocca
,
Count
and
Judge
of
Corsica
,
six
hundred
years
ago
.
"
At
the
sound
of
his
name
,
Giudice
opened
his
great
sleepy
eyes
,
and
pricked
his
ears
:
I
promised
not
to
interrupt
,
but
he
gave
no
such
pledge
.
"
Let
the
Cinarchesi
blood
go
for
its
full
value
;
but
it
was
worth
something
to
the
Della
Croce
to
be
descended
also
from
the
Tuscan
Malaspina
;
for
the
lands
of
those
great
Marquises
were
now
in
the
possession
of
the
Signor
Dezio
.
And
the
Signor
had
such
a
daughter
,
a
young
maiden
.
Ah
,
Madonna
!
The
loveliest
girl
in
Corsica
.
And
the
vine-dresser
crossed
himself
.
As
I
listened
to
all
this
information
,
I
began
to
look
through
my
unused
credentials
,
which
I
always
carried
.
It
struck
me
that
this
name
of
Della
Croce
was
quite
familiar
to
me
,
though
I
knew
not
how
,
until
a
letter
in
the
sprawling
hand
of
young
Laurence
Daldy
fell
out
from
among
Peter
's
crabbed
characters
.
Laurence
Daldy
,
my
mother
's
younger
son
,
was
now
in
full
career
,
as
a
pigeon
and
a
Guardsman
,
spending
at
full
gallop
his
dead
father
's
money
.
These
Daldys
were
of
Italian
origin
,
the
true
name
being
D'Aldis
,
which
after
some
years
of
English
life
they
had
naturalised
into
Daldy
.
And
now
I
recollected
that
when
we
Vaughan
boys
scorned
them
as
ignoble
sons
of
commerce
,
they
used
to
brag
about
their
kinship
to
the
ancient
Della
Croce
.
Riding
up
the
forest
hill
,
on
whose
western
bluff
stands
boldly
the
gray
old
tower
of
the
Malaspinas
,
I
began
of
course
to
make
forecasts
about
the
character
of
my
host
.
My
host
I
knew
he
needs
must
be
,
for
Corsica
is
of
all
the
world
the
most
hospitable
spot
.
Although
by
this
time
well
acquainted
with
the
simple
island
habits
,
I
could
not
but
expect
to
find
a
man
of
stateliness
and
surroundings
,
of
stiffness
and
some
arrogance
.
Now
the
sun
was
setting
,
and
the
western
fire
from
off
the
sea
glanced
in
spears
of
reddening
gold
into
the
solemn
timeworn
keep
.
All
things
looked
majestic
,
but
a
deal
too
lonely
.
Where
was
I
to
apply
,
how
was
I
to
get
in
?
The
narrow
doorway
overhung
with
the
wreck
of
some
portcullis
,
was
blocked
instead
with
a
sort
of
mantlet
like
the
Roman
Vinea
;
the
loopholes
on
the
ground-tier
were
boarded
almost
to
the
top
,
the
high
windows
,
such
as
they
were
,
had
their
rough
shutters
closed
.
Everything
betokened
a
state
of
siege
and
fear
.
Two
or
three
magnificent
chesnuts
,
which
must
have
commanded
the
front
of
the
tower
,
had
been
cut
down
and
added
to
the
defences
of
the
approach
.
Over
these
I
managed
at
last
to
leap
my
horse
,
who
was
by
no
means
a
perfect
hunter
;
and
there
I
halted
at
a
loss
how
to
proceed
.
I
had
been
long
enough
in
Corsica
to
know
,
even
without
a
certain
ominous
gleam
from
a
loophole
,
and
the
view
in
transverse
section
of
a
large
double-barrelled
gun
,
that
the
owner
of
this
old
mansion
was
now
in
the
pleasant
state
of
Vendetta
.
Expecting
every
moment
to
be
shot
,
and
nothing
said
about
it
,
I
waved
my
letter
,
as
a
white
flag
,
furiously
above
my
head
.
Presently
that
frightful
muzzle
was
withdrawn
,
and
the
slide
pushed
back
,
to
reconnoitre
me
at
leisure
.
I
tried
,
for
the
first
time
in
my
life
,
to
look
like
a
real
Briton
;
my
Corsican
ambition
was
already
on
the
wane
.
So
I
sat
my
horse
,
and
waited
;
and
what
came
was
worth
a
thousand
years
of
waiting
.
Round
the
bastion
of
the
tower
,
under
the
rich
magnolia
bloom
,
towards
me
glided
through
the
rosy
shadow
the
loveliest
being
that
ever
moved
outside
the
gates
of
heaven
.
She
seemed
not
to
walk
but
waft
along
,
like
the
pearly
Nautilus
.
A
pink
mandile
of
lightest
gauze
lit
the
sable
of
her
clustering
hair
,
and
wreathing
round
her
graceful
head
deepened
the
tinge
of
the
nestling
cheeks
.
The
lithe
faldetta
of
white
cashmere
,
thrown
hastily
over
the
shoulders
,
half
concealed
the
flowing
curves
of
the
slender
supple
form
,
half
betrayed
them
as
it
followed
every
facile
motion
.
But
when
she
smiled
—
oh
,
Clara
,
I
would
have
leaped
from
her
father
's
tower
,
or
into
the
black
caves
of
the
Restonica
,
for
one
smile
of
hers
.
The
dark-fringed
lustre
of
her
eyes
seemed
to
dance
with
golden
joy
,
trusting
,
hoping
,
loving
all
things
,
pleasure
pleased
at
pleasing
.
And
the
gleesome
arch
of
her
laughing
lips
,
that
never
shaped
evil
word
!
Oh
,
my
Lily
,
my
own
Lily
,
I
shall
see
you
soon
again
.
My
dear
Clara
,
I
ought
to
know
better
.
I
am
ashamed
of
myself
.
And
after
so
many
years
!
But
at
the
first
glance
of
Fiordalisa
,
my
fate
was
fixed
for
this
life
and
the
other
.
I
never
had
loved
before
.
I
never
had
cared
to
look
at
a
girl
;
in
fact
I
despised
them
all
.
Now
I
paid
for
that
contemptuous
folly
.
Loving
at
one
glance
,
loving
once
,
for
all
,
for
ever
,
my
heart
stood
still
like
the
focus
of
a
hurricane
;
my
speech
and
every
power
but
that
of
vision
failed
me
.
I
dared
not
try
to
leave
the
saddle
,
such
a
trembling
took
me
.
It
was
a
visitation
unknown
in
our
foggy
plains
,
scoffed
at
by
our
prosy
race
,
but
known
full
well
in
Southern
climes
,
as
the
sunstroke
of
love
.
My
own
darling
—
I
can
call
her
nothing
less
—
my
own
delicious
darling
was
quite
startled
at
me
.
Whether
she
had
a
like
visitation
in
a
milder
form
,
is
more
than
I
can
say
;
but
I
hope
with
all
my
heart
she
had
;
for
then
,
as
the
Southern
tale
recites
,
God
placed
her
hand
in
mine
.
How
I
got
my
horse
tied
up
,
how
I
followed
her
through
the
side
entrance
,
and
returned
her
father
's
greeting
,
I
have
not
the
least
idea
;
all
I
know
is
that
she
smiled
,
and
I
wanted
nothing
more
.
But
I
could
not
bear
to
see
her
in
the
true
Homeric
fashion
still
maintained
in
Corsica
,
waiting
on
us
like
a
common
servant
,
with
her
beautiful
arched
feet
glancing
under
the
brown
pelone
,
and
her
tapering
white
arms
laid
demurely
on
her
bosom
;
then
at
her
father
's
signal
how
she
flew
for
the
purple
grapes
or
the
fragrant
broccio
!
But
do
what
she
would
,
it
seemed
to
become
her
more
than
all
she
had
done
before
.
As
that
form
of
love
and
elegance
flitted
through
the
simple
room
,
and
those
lustrous
heavenly
eyes
beamed
with
hospitable
warmth
,
Signor
Dezio
Della
Croce
,
careworn
man
with
beard
of
snow
,
seemed
at
times
no
little
proud
of
his
sweet
and
only
child
,
but
was
too
proud
to
show
his
pride
.
As
for
me
,
he
must
have
thought
that
I
spoke
very
poor
Italian
.
END
OF
VOL.
II
.
BOOK
IV
.
(
continued
)
.
CHAPTER
X
.
STORY
OF
EDGAR
VAUGHAN
.
Child
Clara
,
for
your
own
dear
sake
,
as
well
as
mine
and
my
sweet
love
's
,
I
will
not
dwell
on
that
tempestuous
time
.
If
you
cannot
comprehend
it
without
words
,
no
words
will
enable
you
.
If
you
can
,
and
I
fear
you
do
,
no
more
words
are
wanted
;
and
,
as
an
old
man
weary
of
the
world
,
I
know
not
whether
to
envy
or
to
pity
you
.
Hither
and
thither
I
was
flung
,
to
the
zenith
star
of
ecstasy
or
the
nadir
gulf
of
agony
,
according
as
my
idol
pet
chose
to
smile
or
frown
.
Though
she
was
no
silly
child
,
but
a
girl
of
mind
and
feeling
,
she
had
a
store
,
I
must
confess
,
of
clouds
as
well
as
dazzling
sunlight
in
the
empyrean
of
her
eyes
.
Her
nature
,
like
my
love
,
was
full
of
Southern
passion
.
It
is
like
the
air
they
breathe
,
the
beauty
they
behold
.
One
minute
of
such
love
compresses
in
a
thunder
flood
all
the
slow
emotions
stealing
through
the
drought-scrimped
channel
,
where
we
dredge
for
gold
deposits
,
through
ten
years
of
Saxon
courtship
.
Instead
of
Lily-bloom
,
she
should
have
been
called
the
Passion-flower
.
My
life
,
my
soul
—
how
weak
our
English
words
are
—
she
loved
me
from
the
first
,
I
can
take
my
oath
she
did
,
although
her
glory
was
too
great
for
her
to
own
it
yet
,
though
now
and
then
her
marvellous
eyes
proved
traitors
.
Sometimes
when
she
was
racking
me
most
,
feigning
even
,
with
those
eyes
cast
down
,
her
pellucid
fingers
point
to
point
,
and
her
little
foot
tapping
the
orchid
bloom
,
feigning
,
I
say
,
in
cold
blood
,
to
reckon
her
noble
lovers
—
long
names
all
and
horribly
hateful
to
me
—
suddenly
,
while
I
trembled
,
and
scowled
like
a
true-born
Briton
,
suddenly
up
would
leap
the
silky
drooping
lashes
,
and
a
spring
of
soft
electric
light
would
flutter
through
them
to
the
very
core
of
my
heart
.
As
for
me
,
I
abandoned
myself
.
I
made
no
pretence
of
waiting
a
moment
.
I
flung
my
heart
wide
open
to
her
,
and
if
she
would
not
come
in
,
desert
it
should
be
for
ever
.
She
did
come
.
That
life-blood
of
my
soul
came
in
,
and
would
and
could
live
nowhere
else
for
ever
.
It
was
done
like
this
.
One
August
evening
,
when
the
sun
was
sinking
,
and
the
air
was
full
of
warmth
and
wooing
sounds
,
the
cicale
waking
from
his
early
nap
,
the
muffro
leaping
for
the
first
dew-drop
,
the
love-birds
whispering
in
the
tamarind
leaves
,
Fiordalisa
sat
with
me
,
under
a
giant
cork-tree
on
the
western
slope
.
The
tower
was
still
in
Vendetta
siege
,
and
the
grave
and
reverend
Signor
knew
better
than
to
come
out
,
when
the
Sbirri
were
gone
to
the
town
.
Lily-bloom
was
sitting
by
me
in
a
mass
of
flowers
;
her
light
mandile
was
laid
by
,
that
her
glorious
hair
might
catch
the
first
waft
of
the
evening
breeze
.
All
down
her
snow-white
shoulders
fell
the
labyrinth
of
tresses
,
twined
by
me
with
red
Tacsonia
,
and
two
pale
carnations
.
Her
form
was
pillowed
in
rich
fern
,
that
feathered
round
her
waist
;
of
all
the
fronds
and
plumes
and
stems
,
not
one
so
taper
,
light
,
and
rich
as
that
.
The
bloom
upon
her
cheeks
was
deepened
by
my
playing
with
her
hair
,
and
her
soft
large
eyes
were
beaming
with
delicious
wonder
.
We
knew
,
as
well
as
He
who
made
us
,
that
we
loved
one
another
.
None
who
did
not
love
for
ever
could
interchange
such
looks
.
Suddenly
,
and
without
a
word
,
in
an
ecstasy
of
admiration
,
I
passed
my
left
arm
round
her
little
waist
,
drew
her
close
to
me
—
she
was
very
near
before
—
and
looking
full
into
her
wondrous
eyes
,
found
no
protest
but
a
thrill
of
light
;
then
tried
her
lips
and
met
her
whole
heart
there
.
Darling
,
how
she
kissed
me
!
No
English
girl
can
do
it
.
And
then
the
terror
of
her
maiden
thoughts
.
The
recollection
of
her
high-born
pride
,
and
higher
because
God-born
innocence
.
How
she
wept
,
and
blushed
,
and
trembled
;
trembled
,
blushed
,
and
wept
again
;
and
then
vouchsafed
one
more
entrancing
kiss
,
to
atone
for
the
unwitting
treason
.
Even
thus
I
would
not
be
content
.
I
wanted
words
as
well
.
"
Do
you
love
me
,
my
own
Lily
,
with
every
atom
of
your
heart
?
"
"
I
have
not
left
one
drop
of
blood
for
all
the
world
besides
.
"
And
it
was
true
.
And
so
it
was
with
me
.
I
told
her
father
that
same
night
.
And
now
in
the
heaven
of
gladness
and
wild
pleasure
,
beyond
all
dreams
of
earth
,
opened
the
hell
of
my
wickedness
and
crime
;
which
but
for
mercy
and
long
repentance
would
sever
me
from
my
Lily
in
the
world
to
come
.
To
some
the
crime
may
seem
a
light
one
,
to
me
it
is
a
most
atrocious
sin
,
enhanced
tenfold
by
its
awful
consequences
.
By
my
crime
,
I
do
not
mean
my
sinful
adoration
,
as
cold
men
may
call
it
,
of
a
fellow
mortal
.
Nature
has
no
time
to
waste
,
and
unless
she
meant
my
Lily
to
be
worshipped
,
she
would
not
have
lavished
all
her
skill
in
making
her
so
divine
.
No
,
I
mean
my
black
deceit
,
in
passing
for
my
brother
.
Oh
,
Clara
,
do
n't
go
from
me
.
Like
many
another
ruinous
sin
,
it
was
committed
without
thought
,
or
rather
without
deliberation
.
No
scheme
was
laid
,
not
even
the
least
intention
cherished
;
but
the
moment
brought
it
,
and
the
temptation
was
too
great
.
Who
could
have
that
loving
pet
gazing
at
him
so
,
and
not
sell
his
soul
almost
to
win
her
to
his
arms
?
Laurence
Daldy
was
a
lazy
ass
.
I
do
not
want
to
shift
my
blame
to
him
,
but
merely
state
a
fact
.
If
he
had
not
been
a
lazy
ass
,
your
father
would
be
living
now
—
ay
,
and
my
Fiordalisa
.
When
he
chose
,
he
could
write
very
good
Italian
,
and
a
clear
,
round
hand
,
and
oh
,
rare
accomplishment
for
an
officer
,
he
could
even
spell
.
But
his
letter
to
Signor
Dezio
,
scrawled
betwixt
two
games
of
pool
,
was
a
perfect
magpie
's
nest
of
careless
zigzag
,
wattles
,
and
sand
slap-dash
.
In
those
days
a
hasty
writer
used
to
flick
his
work
with
sand
,
which
stanched
but
did
not
dry
the
ink
.
The
result
was
often
a
grimy
dabble
,
like
a
child
's
face
blotched
with
blackberries
.
Lily
and
I
had
quite
arranged
how
we
should
present
ourselves
.
Like
two
children
we
rehearsed
it
under
the
twilight
trees
.
"
And
then
,
you
know
,
"
my
sweet
love
whispered
,
"
I
shall
give
you
a
regular
kiss
beneath
the
dear
father
's
beard
,
and
you
will
see
what
an
effect
it
will
have
.
Thence
he
will
learn
,
oh
sweetest
mine
,
that
there
is
no
help
for
it
;
because
we
Corsican
girls
are
so
chary
of
our
lips
.
"
"
Are
you
indeed
,
my
beautiful
Lily
?
I
must
teach
you
liberality
,
to
me
,
and
to
me
alone
.
"
"
Sweetest
mine
,
"
she
always
called
me
from
the
moment
she
confessed
her
love
;
and
so
,
no
doubt
,
she
is
calling
me
now
in
heaven
.
The
curtain
hung
in
heavy
folds
across
the
narrow
doorway
of
the
long
dark
room
.
The
hospitable
board
was
gay
with
wine
and
dainty
fruit
,
melons
,
figs
,
and
peaches
,
plums
of
golden
and
purple
hue
,
pomegranates
,
pomi
d'oro
,
green
almonds
,
apricots
,
and
muscatels
from
the
ladders
of
Cape
Corso
.
Through
them
and
upon
them
played
the
mellow
light
from
a
single
lamp
,
with
dancing
lustres
round
it
.
All
the
rest
of
the
room
was
dark
.
At
the
head
of
the
table
sat
Signor
Dezio
Della
Croce
,
waiting
for
his
guest
and
daughter
.
Posted
high
at
the
end
window
on
a
ledge
of
rough-hewn
board
,
stood
the
ancient
warder
,
who
had
lived
for
fifty
years
among
them
,
and
whose
great
fusil
commanded
the
only
approach
to
the
castle
.
As
we
entered
timidly
,
the
maiden
's
right
hand
on
my
neck
,
my
left
arm
round
her
ductile
waist
,
our
other
hands
clasped
firmly
,
I
glanced
toward
that
noxious
sentinel
.
"
Never
mind
him
,
sweetest
mine
.
Do
n't
believe
that
he
is
there
.
Grandpapa
,
I
call
him
,
and
he
knows
all
my
secrets
.
"
Signor
Dezio
looked
amazed
,
as
we
glided
towards
him
.
His
life
had
been
one
series
of
crushing
blows
from
heaven
.
Three
brave
sons
had
been
barbarously
murdered
in
Vendetta
,
and
his
graceful
loving
wife
had
broken
her
heart
and
died
.
The
sole
hope
of
his
house
,
his
petling
Fiordalisa
,
though
she
called
herself
a
woman
and
was
full
sixteen
,
he
looked
upon
her
still
in
his
trouble-torn
chronology
,
as
only
ripe
enough
to
be
dandled
on
his
lap
.
Still
he
called
her
his
"
Ninnina
,
"
and
sang
nannas
to
her
,
as
he
had
been
obliged
to
do
after
her
mother
's
death
.
As
he
sat
there
,
too
astonished
to
smile
,
or
frown
,
or
say
a
word
,
Lily
dropped
upon
her
knees
before
him
,
as
a
Grecian
maiden
would
.
We
English
are
not
supple-jointed
;
but
for
Lily
's
sake
,
I
could
not
stand
beside
her
.
Then
she
placed
her
soft
right
hand
in
the
centre
of
my
hard
palm
,
flung
the
other
arm
round
my
neck
,
and
with
her
eyes
upon
her
father
's
,
gave
me
a
long
affectionate
kiss
.
This
done
,
she
drew
her
father
's
head
down
,
and
kissed
his
snow-white
beard
.
Now
,
she
told
me
,
after
this
,
any
father
who
is
obdurate
,
must
according
to
institution
blame
himself
and
no
one
else
,
if
harm
befall
the
maiden
.
All
this
time
,
I
spoke
not
,
and
thought
of
nothing
except
to
screen
my
Lily
.
Signor
Dezio
kept
a
stately
silence
,
but
the
tears
were
in
his
eyes
,
and
the
long
white
beard
was
quivering
.
Lily
bent
her
head
,
and
waited
for
his
words
.
"
Mother
of
God
!
My
little
child
,
what
are
you
thinking
of
?
"
"
Only
thinking
of
being
married
,
father
.
"
"
And
set
another
Vendetta
afoot
,
and
be
killed
yourself
!
Signor
"
—
turning
haughtily
to
me
—
"
this
lady
is
betrothed
,
from
her
early
infancy
,
to
her
cousin
Lepardo
Della
Croce
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
hate
him
,
"
cried
Fiordalisa
,
clasping
her
hands
piteously
.
"
Ah
,
Madonna
,
I
hate
him
so
;
and
thank
our
Lady
,
no
one
has
seen
him
for
six
years
.
He
is
dead
no
doubt
in
some
Cannibal
Island
.
Saints
of
mercy
,
keep
him
.
I
saw
it
in
the
Spalla
,
in
the
Shepherd
's
Spalla
,
and
I
saw
my
own
love
there
,
the
eve
before
he
came
.
"
"
Grace
of
Holy
Mary
!
Who
read
the
Spalla
for
you
?
"
"
The
hoary
goatherd
from
Ghidazzo
.
"
And
up
sprang
Fiordalisa
,
flew
to
an
inner
room
,
and
fetched
from
the
dark
niche
in
the
wall
the
box
of
holy
relics
.
With
these
she
knelt
before
her
father
,
and
placed
her
right
hand
on
the
box
.
"
My
child
,
it
is
not
needful
.
I
believe
you
without
an
oath
.
Never
yet
have
you
passed
the
boundary
of
truth
.
"
The
old
chief
bowed
his
head
in
thought
.
He
had
lost
his
last
surviving
son
by
neglecting
the
Spalla
's
decree
.
The
Spalla
is
the
shoulder
blade
of
a
goat
,
polished
,
and
used
for
divination
;
upon
it
had
been
read
Sampiero
's
death
,
and
the
destiny
of
Napoleon
.
The
old
man
who
had
forecast
the
latter
was
still
alive
,
and
of
immense
renown
,
and
traversed
the
island
now
like
an
ancient
prophet
.
He
was
the
hoary
goatherd
of
Ghidazzo
.
Lily
saw
that
she
was
conquering
;
she
leaped
upon
her
father
's
knee
and
hugged
him
;
and
her
triumph
was
complete
.
While
she
wept
upon
his
breast
,
and
told
him
all
her
little
tale
,
and
whispered
in
his
ear
,
and
while
he
kissed
,
and
comforted
her
,
and
thought
of
her
dear
mother
,
I
rushed
out
and
leaped
the
Vinea
,
and
wept
beneath
the
olive-trees
.
At
last
the
old
man
rose
and
called
me
,
he
durst
not
venture
from
the
door
;
but
he
did
what
was
far
better
,
he
sent
my
own
love
after
me
.
At
length
when
we
returned
,
and
we
found
cause
not
to
hurry
,
—
"
Signor
Vogheno
,
"
he
began
,
"
I
have
observed
you
well
.
I
am
a
man
of
very
keen
observation
"
—
Lily
's
eyes
gave
me
a
twinkle
full
of
fun
—
"
or
I
should
not
be
alive
this
moment
.
I
have
observed
you
,
sir
,
and
I
approve
your
character
.
I
cannot
say
as
much
,
sir
,
of
all
the
Englishmen
I
have
been
privileged
to
meet
.
There
is
about
them
very
much
of
the
nature
of
a
dog
.
Forgive
me
,
sir
;
pray
interrupt
me
not
.
I
only
judge
by
what
I
have
seen
.
God
forbid
that
I
should
say
so
to
you
,
while
you
were
my
guest
.
Now
you
are
one
of
my
family
,
and
entitled
to
the
result
of
my
observations
.
Of
the
little
island
itself
I
know
nothing
at
all
,
though
I
am
informed
that
its
institutions
are
of
a
barbarous
character
.
"
"
Vendetta
for
instance
,
"
was
on
my
lips
,
but
Lily
's
glance
just
saved
it
.
And
I
thought
of
his
three
brave
sons
.
"
But
,
Signor
beloved
,
you
are
different
from
them
;
indeed
you
have
the
nobility
of
the
Corsican
nature
.
And
what
is
most
of
all
,
my
little
child
has
fixed
her
heart
upon
you
.
But
she
is
very
young
,
sir
,
quite
a
child
you
see
.
"
I
saw
nothing
of
the
sort
,
but
a
blooming
maiden
figure
,
growing
lovelier
every
day
.
Poor
Lily
dropped
her
long
eyelashes
,
and
smiled
through
a
glowing
blush
.
So
blushed
Lavinia
under
the
eyes
of
Turnus
.
"
This
darling
child
is
now
the
heiress
to
these
lands
of
mine
.
And
if
her
cousin
Lepardo
,
whose
death
she
has
seen
on
the
Spalla
,
be
indeed
removed
from
us
,
she
is
the
very
last
of
all
the
Della
Croce
.
I
cannot
easily
read
the
billet
of
your
brother
.
He
does
not
write
good
Corsican
of
our
side
of
the
mountains
,
but
some
outlandish
Tuscan
.
There
is
something
first
which
I
cannot
well
decipher
,
and
then
I
see
your
name
Signor
Valentine
Vogheno
,
and
that
you
are
the
lord
of
very
large
estates
,
in
some
district
called
Gloisterio
?
"
He
looked
at
me
inquiringly
.
Instead
of
explaining
that
I
was
only
the
brother
of
the
great
Signor
Valentino
,
I
bowed
,
alas
I
bowed
with
a
hot
flush
on
my
cheeks
.
What
could
it
matter
,
and
why
should
I
interrupt
him
,
if
he
chose
to
deceive
himself
?
Lily
charmed
away
all
hesitation
,
by
clapping
her
little
hands
,
and
crying
,
"
Sweetest
mine
,
I
am
so
glad
.
"
"
Then
,
upon
two
conditions
I
will
give
you
my
daughter
.
The
first
,
that
you
leave
this
island
,
and
do
not
see
our
Lily
,
write
to
,
or
even
hear
from
her
,
for
a
period
of
six
months
.
If
she
has
not
outgrown
her
love
,
she
will
then
be
almost
old
enough
to
wed
.
I
mean
,
of
course
,
if
Lepardo
does
not
appear
.
The
other
condition
is
that
you
shall
promise
on
the
holy
relics
,
and
you
as
well
,
my
flower
,
never
to
part
with
these
old
estates
,
but
keep
them
for
Lily
while
she
lives
,
and
transmit
them
to
her
second
child
.
"
A
load
of
terror
was
off
my
heart
—
I
thought
he
was
going
to
bind
me
to
the
accursed
Vendetta
.
Even
for
my
Lily
,
I
could
hardly
have
taken
that
pledge
.
So
I
assented
readily
to
the
last
stipulation
,
though
it
was
based
upon
a
virtual
lie
of
mine
.
But
with
Lily
's
eyes
upon
me
,
brimming
as
they
were
with
tears
at
the
first
condition
,
and
her
round
arms
trembling
to
enfold
me
,
could
I
stick
at
anything
short
of
downright
murder
?
The
first
proviso
I
fought
against
in
vain
.
Even
Lily
coaxed
and
cried
,
without
any
good
effect
.
When
at
last
we
yielded
to
the
stern
decree
,
the
venerable
father
,
as
we
knelt
before
him
,
joined
our
hands
together
,
and
poured
a
blessing
on
us
,
which
I
did
not
lack
.
He
had
given
me
my
blessing
.
After
this
we
sat
down
to
supper
,
and
the
trusty
musketeer
,
who
had
watched
the
whole
scene
grimly
,
and
without
hearing
all
,
knew
what
the
result
was
,
he
,
I
say
,
upon
his
perch
began
to
improvise
,
or
haply
to
adapt
,
and
sing
to
a
childish
air
,
some
little
verses
upon
the
glad
occasion
.
Having
exhausted
his
stock
,
down
he
leaped
without
permission
,
and
drank
our
health
in
a
bumper
of
Luri
wine
.
Lily
was
now
in
due
course
of
promotion
.
No
longer
was
she
the
handmaid
,
whose
eyes
created
and
rejoiced
in
countless
mistakes
of
mine
.
Now
she
was
sitting
by
my
side
,
as
she
had
good
right
to
be
,
and
was
lost
in
pretty
raptures
at
my
gallant
attentions
.
They
were
very
nice
,
she
owned
,
but
thoroughly
un-Corsican
.
How
I
wished
her
father
and
the
old
fusileer
away
!
CHAPTER
XI
.
"
Six
long
months
to
be
away
from
Lily
!
And
perhaps
forget
her
,
and
find
some
lovelier
maiden
.
"
"
By
Lily
's
side
,
all
maids
are
burdocks
.
And
yet
what
if
I
do
?
"
She
showed
a
small
stiletto
toy
with
a
cross
upon
the
handle
,
and
ground
her
pearly
teeth
together
.
"
Will
it
be
for
me
,
or
her
?
"
"
Both
;
and
Lily
afterwards
.
"
"
Oh
you
wholesale
little
murderer
!
Three
great
kisses
directly
,
one
for
every
murder
.
"
"
Only
if
you
promise
,
on
the
relics
,
never
to
look
twice
at
a
pretty
maiden
.
"
And
so
we
spent
the
precious
time
,
—
ten
days
allowed
me
to
prepare
my
yacht
—
in
talking
utter
nonsense
,
and
conning
fifty
foolish
schemes
,
to
make
us
seem
together
.
I
was
for
departing
at
once
,
that
the
period
might
begin
to
run
;
but
Lily
was
for
keeping
me
to
the
last
possible
moment
,
and
of
course
she
had
her
way
.
It
was
fixed
that
I
should
sail
on
the
10th
day
of
September
.
My
little
boat
,
now
called
the
"
Lily
flower
,
"
was
brought
from
Calvi
,
and
moored
in
a
secluded
cove
,
where
my
love
could
see
it
from
her
bedroom
window
.
It
was
no
longer
Corsican
law
that
I
should
live
in
the
castle
.
The
privileges
of
a
guest
were
gone
;
and
the
rigorous
code
of
suitorship
began
.
But
to
me
and
my
own
darling
it
made
very
little
difference
.
I
never
left
Vendetta
tower
,
as
I
lightly
named
it
,
until
my
pet
was
ordered
off
to
bed
;
and
every
morn
I
climbed
the
heights
,
after
a
long
swim
in
the
sapphire
ripple
,
and
met
my
own
sweet
Lily
sparkling
from
the
dew
of
her
early
toilet
.
How
she
loved
me
,
how
I
loved
her
;
which
more
than
other
let
angels
say
;
for
we
could
not
decide
.
That
ancient
Corsican
her
father
,
albeit
little
versed
in
books
,
was
as
upright
and
downright
a
gentleman
as
ever
knew
when
his
presence
was
not
required
.
Therefore
he
took
my
word
of
honour
for
his
Lily
's
safety
;
and
left
her
to
her
own
sweet
will
;
and
her
sweet
will
was
to
spend
with
me
all
her
waking
hours
.
For
her
as
yet
there
was
no
fear
of
the
blood-avenger
.
According
to
their
etiquette
they
cannot
shoot
the
daughter
,
until
they
have
shot
the
father
.
As
to
the
sons
the
restriction
does
not
hold
.
The
feud
we
were
concerned
in
had
lasted
now
120
years
,
and
cost
the
lives
of
130
people
.
It
lay
between
the
ancient
races
of
Della
Croce
,
and
De
Gentili
,
and
owed
its
origin
to
the
discovery
of
a
dead
mule
on
the
road
to
church
.
The
question
was
which
family
should
be
exterminated
first
.
For
many
years
the
house
of
Della
Croce
had
been
in
the
ascendant
,
having
produced
a
long
succession
of
good
shots
and
clever
bushmen
.
At
one
time
all
the
hopes
of
the
De
Gentili
hung
upon
one
infant
life
,
which
was
not
thought
worth
the
taking
.
Fatal
error
—
that
one
life
had
proved
a
mighty
trump
.
One
after
one
the
Della
Croce
fell
before
that
original
artist
,
who
invented
a
patent
method
of
trunking
himself
in
olive
bark
and
firing
from
a
knot-hole
.
Many
a
story
Lily
told
me
of
his
devilish
wiles
;
and
in
those
stories
I
rejoiced
,
because
she
clung
around
my
neck
,
and
trembled
so
that
I
must
hold
her
.
Happily
now
this
olive-branch
was
dead
,
having
received
his
death-wound
while
he
administered
one
to
Lily
's
youngest
brother
.
Ever
since
that
,
the
feud
had
languished
,
and
strict
etiquette
required
that
the
Della
Croce
should
perpetrate
the
next
murder
.
But
her
father
,
said
my
Lily
,
with
her
sweet
head
on
my
breast
and
her
soft
eyes
full
of
fire
,
her
father
did
not
seem
to
care
even
to
shoot
the
cousin
of
the
man
who
had
shot
her
brothers
.
Darling
Lily
,
my
blood
runs
cold
,
even
with
your
beauty
in
my
arms
,
to
hear
you
talk
of
murder
so
.
Own
pet
,
I
shall
change
you
.
You
heaven
meant
for
love
,
and
softness
,
and
delight
:
human
devilry
has
tainted
even
you
.
It
was
not
an
easy
task
to
change
her
.
Of
all
human
passions
revenge
is
far
the
strongest
.
Clara
,
how
your
eyes
flash
.
You
ought
to
have
been
a
Corsican
.
It
was
not
an
easy
task
;
but
love
loves
difficulties
.
In
my
ten
short
days
of
delicious
wretchedness
,
almost
I
taught
Fiordalisa
to
despise
revenge
.
And
what
do
you
think
availed
me
most
?
Not
the
Bible
.
No
,
her
mind
and
soul
were
swathed
by
Popery
in
the
rags
of
too
many
saints
.
What
helped
me
most
,
and
the
only
thing
that
helped
me
at
all
,
except
caresses
,
was
the
broad
and
free
expanse
of
the
ever
changing
sea
.
Her
nature
was
all
poetry
,
her
throbbing
breast
an
Idyl
.
Upon
my
little
quarter-deck
I
had
a
cushioned
niche
for
her
,
and
there
we
sat
and
steered
ourselves
while
the
sailors
slept
below
.
Alone
upon
the
crystal
world
,
pledged
for
life
or
death
together
,
drinking
deepest
draughts
of
passion
and
thirsting
still
for
more
,
what
cared
we
for
petty
hatreds
,
we
whose
all
in
all
was
love
?
How
she
listened
as
I
spoke
,
how
her
large
eyes
grew
enlarged
.
At
last
those
eyes
,
pure
wells
of
love
,
were
troubled
with
hot
tears
.
The
fatal
day
was
come
.
Tokens
we
had
interchanged
,
myriad
vows
,
and
countless
pledges
,
which
even
love
could
scarce
remember
.
With
all
the
passion
of
her
race
,
and
all
the
fervour
of
the
clime
,
she
bared
her
beautiful
round
arm
,
the
part
that
lay
most
near
the
heart
and
touched
it
with
the
keen
stiletto
,
then
she
threw
her
breast
on
mine
,
and
I
laid
the
crimsoned
ivory
on
my
lips
.
How
the
devil
—
excuse
me
,
Clara
—
how
the
devil
I
got
away
,
only
phlegmatic
Englishmen
can
tell
.
No
Frenchman
,
or
Italian
,
would
have
left
that
heavenly
darling
so
.
We
put
it
off
to
the
last
moment
,
till
it
was
quite
dangerous
to
pass
the
rocky
jaws
.
As
my
bad
luck
would
have
it
,
there
was
a
purpling
sunset
breeze
.
My
own
love
on
the
furthest
point
,
her
white
feet
in
the
water
,
growing
smaller
and
smaller
yet
,
and
standing
upon
tiptoe
to
be
seen
for
another
yard
;
my
own
darling
love
of
ages
,
she
loosed
her
black
hair
down
her
snowy
vest
,
for
me
to
know
her
from
the
rocks
behind
;
then
she
waved
and
waved
her
sweet
palm
hat
,
fragrant
of
my
Lily
,
—
I
had
kissed
every
single
inch
of
it
,
—
until
she
thought
I
could
not
see
her
;
and
then
,
as
my
telescope
showed
me
,
back
she
fell
upon
a
ledge
of
rocks
,
and
I
could
see
or
fancy
her
delicious
bosom
heaving
to
the
fury
of
her
tears
.
We
glided
past
the
cavern
mouth
,
and
the
silver
beach
beyond
it
,
whence
we
had
often
watched
the
sunset
;
and
then
a
beetling
crag
took
from
me
the
last
view
of
Lily
.
However
long
the
schoolboy
may
have
bled
from
some
big
coward
's
bullying
,
or
the
sway
of
the
rustling
birch
and
the
bosky
thrill
that
follows
,
however
sore
he
may
have
wept
while
hung
head-downwards
through
the
midnight
hours
,
with
a
tallow
candle
between
his
teeth
,
or
in
the
pang
of
nouns
heteroclite
and
brachycatalectic
dinners
;
yet
despite
these
minor
ills
,
his
fond
heart
turns
through
after
life
to
the
scene
of
foot-ball
and
I-spy
,
to
the
days
when
he
could
jump
or
eat
any
mortal
thing
.
And
so
it
is
with
bygone
love
.
Even
the
times
of
separation
or
of
bitter
quarrel
,
the
aching
heart
whereon
the
keepsake
lies
,
the
spasms
of
jealousy
,
the
tenterhooks
of
doubt
;
remembrance
looks
upon
them
all
as
treasures
of
a
golden
age
.
Over
the
darkening
sea
,
we
bore
away
for
Sardinia
.
Hours
and
hours
,
I
gazed
upon
the
cushions
,
where
my
own
pet
darling
used
to
lean
and
love
me
.
To
me
they
were
fairer
than
all
the
stars
,
or
the
phosphorescent
sea
.
From
time
to
time
our
Corsican
pilot
kept
himself
awake
,
by
chanting
to
strangely
mournful
airs
some
of
the
voceros
or
dirges
,
the
burden
of
many
ages
in
that
lamenting
land
.
Fit
home
for
Rachel
,
Niobe
,
or
Cassandra
,
where
half
a
million
gallant
beings
,
twice
the
number
of
the
present
population
,
have
fallen
victims
to
the
blood-revenge
.
So
Corsican
historians
tell
;
a
thousand
violent
deaths
each
year
,
for
the
last
five
centuries
.
Sometimes
the
avenger
waits
for
half
a
lifetime
,
lurking
till
his
moment
comes
.
Before
his
victim
has
ceased
to
quiver
,
or
the
shot
to
ring
down
the
rocky
pass
,
he
is
off
for
the
bush
or
the
mountains
,
and
leads
thenceforth
a
bandit
's
life
.
They
tell
me
,
Clara
,
that
things
are
better
now
,
and
this
black
stain
on
a
chivalrous
race
is
being
purged
by
Christian
civilization
.
Be
it
as
it
may
,
I
love
the
island
of
my
Lily
still
;
and
hope
,
please
God
,
to
see
it
once
more
,
before
I
go
to
her
.
Banished
though
I
was
,
for
the
present
,
from
the
only
place
I
cared
for
,
it
seemed
still
greater
severance
to
go
further
than
I
could
help
.
Therefore
instead
of
returning
to
England
,
I
spent
the
winter
in
cruising
along
the
western
coast
of
Italy
,
and
the
south
of
Spain
;
and
coasted
back
to
Genoa
.
To
Seville
,
and
other
places
famed
for
beautiful
women
,
I
made
especial
trips
,
to
search
for
any
fit
to
compare
with
my
own
maiden
.
Of
course
I
knew
none
could
be
found
;
but
it
gave
me
some
employment
,
and
bitter
pleasure
,
to
observe
how
inferior
were
all
.
To
my
eyes
,
bright
with
one
sweet
image
,
no
other
form
had
grace
enough
to
be
fit
pillow
for
my
charmer
's
foot
.
How
I
longed
and
yearned
for
some
fresh
token
of
her
:
all
her
little
gifts
I
carried
ever
in
my
bosom
,
but
never
let
another
's
eyes
rest
one
moment
on
them
.
Not
even
would
I
tell
my
friends
one
word
about
my
love
;
it
seemed
as
if
it
would
grow
common
by
being
talked
about
.
To
Peter
Green
I
wrote
,
resigning
my
commission
,
although
I
did
not
tell
him
that
I
had
found
the
olives
.
No
,
friend
Peter
,
those
olives
are
much
too
near
my
Lily
;
and
I
wo
n't
have
you
or
any
other
stranger
there
.
I
know
she
would
not
look
at
you
;
still
I
would
rather
have
you
a
thousand
miles
away
.
Free
trade
,
if
you
like
,
when
I
have
made
my
fortune
;
which
by
the
bye
is
somewhat
the
maxim
of
that
school
.
My
fortune
,
not
in
olives
,
oil
,
or
even
guineas
—
all
that
rubbish
you
are
welcome
to
—
but
my
fortune
where
my
heart
and
soul
are
all
invested
,
and
now
,
no
more
my
fortune
,
but
my
certain
fate
in
Lily
.
At
length
and
at
last
my
calendar
—
like
a
homesick
pair
at
school
,
we
had
made
one
for
each
other
,
thanking
God
that
it
was
not
a
leap-year
—
my
calendar
so
often
counted
,
so
punctually
erased
,
began
to
yield
and
totter
to
the
stubborn
sap
of
time
.
My
patience
long
ago
had
yielded
,
my
blood
was
in
a
fever
.
Another
thing
began
to
yield
,
alas
it
was
my
money
.
Green
,
Vowler
,
and
Green
had
behaved
most
liberally
;
but
of
course
the
expenses
of
my
vessel
had
been
heavy
on
me
;
and
now
my
salary
had
ceased
.
Peter
Green
wrote
to
me
in
the
kindest
and
most
handsome
manner
,
pressing
me
,
if
tired
(
as
he
concluded
)
of
those
murderous
Corsicans
,
to
accept
another
engagement
in
Sardinia
.
Even
without
imparting
my
last
discovery
,
I
had
done
good
service
to
the
firm
.
I
smiled
at
the
idea
of
my
being
weary
of
Corsicans
:
even
now
the
mere
word
sends
a
warm
tide
to
my
heart
.
It
was
not
for
the
beauty
of
the
scene
,
or
the
works
of
art
,
that
I
remained
in
Genoa
;
but
because
it
was
the
likeliest
place
to
see
the
Negro
's
head
.
As
we
lay
at
the
end
of
the
mole
,
my
glass
commanded
all
that
entered
;
and
every
lugger
or
xebec
that
bore
the
sacred
emblem
—
off
my
little
dingy
pushed
from
our
raking
stern
,
and
with
one
man
,
now
my
friend
because
a
thorough
Corsican
,
I
boarded
her
,
at
all
hazards
of
imprisonment
;
and
craved
for
tidings
of
the
sacred
land
.
Although
,
of
course
,
I
would
not
show
the
nest
of
all
my
thoughts
,
yet
by
beating
about
the
bush
,
I
got
some
scraps
of
news
.
The
great
Signor
was
flourishing
,
and
had
harvested
an
enormous
crop
of
olives
:
his
lovely
daughter
,
now
becoming
the
glory
of
the
island
,
had
been
ill
of
something
like
marsh-fever
,
but
was
now
as
blooming
as
the
roses
.
They
did
say
,
but
the
captain
could
not
at
all
believe
it
,
that
she
had
been
betrothed
to
some
foreign
olive-merchant
.
What
disgrace
!
The
highest
blood
and
the
sweetest
maid
in
Corsica
,
to
be
betrayed
to
an
oilman
!
Plenty
of
other
news
I
gathered
—
the
good
people
are
great
gossips
—
but
this
was
all
I
cared
for
.
Meanwhile
your
father
,
Clara
dear
,
replied
most
warmly
to
my
letter
,
sending
me
a
sum
on
loan
,
which
quite
relieved
me
from
cheese-paring
.
And
now
the
wind
was
in
the
north
,
and
it
was
almost
time
to
start
for
the
arms
of
Lily
.
If
I
waited
any
longer
,
I
should
be
too
mad
to
bear
the
voyage
.
At
the
break
of
day
we
left
the
magnificent
harbour
,
and
the
cold
wind
from
the
maritime
Alps
chilled
all
but
the
fire
of
love
.
Up
and
down
the
little
deck
,
up
and
down
all
day
and
night
;
sleep
I
never
would
again
,
until
I
touched
my
Lily
.
On
the
evening
of
the
8th
of
March
,
we
were
near
Cape
Corso
;
next
day
we
coasted
down
the
west
to
the
lively
breeze
of
spring
,
and
so
upon
the
9th
we
moored
to
the
tongue
of
Calvi
.
At
midnight
we
were
under
way
,
and
when
the
sun
could
reach
the
sea
over
the
snowy
peaks
,
we
glided
past
the
mountain
crescent
that
looks
on
the
Balagna
.
In
the
early
morning
still
,
when
the
dew
was
floating
,
we
rounded
the
gray
headland
of
Signor
Dezio
's
cove
,
and
I
climbed
along
the
bowsprit
to
glance
beyond
the
corner
.
What
is
that
white
dress
I
see
fluttering
at
the
water
's
edge
?
Whose
is
that
red-striped
mandile
tossed
on
high
and
caught
again
?
And
there
the
flag-staff
I
erected
,
with
my
colours
flying
!
Only
one
such
shape
on
earth
—
only
two
such
arms
—
out
with
the
boat
or
I
must
swim
,
or
run
the
yacht
ashore
.
The
boat
has
been
towing
alongside
for
the
last
six
hours
:
Lily
ca
n't
wait
for
the
boat
any
more
than
I
can
.
From
rock
to
rock
she
is
leaping
;
which
is
the
nearest
one
?
Into
the
water
she
runs
,
then
away
in
blushing
terror
—
she
forgot
all
about
the
other
men
.
But
I
know
where
to
find
her
,
she
has
dropped
her
little
shoe
,
she
must
be
in
my
grotto
.
There
I
press
her
to
my
heart
of
hearts
,
trembling
,
weeping
,
laughing
,
all
unable
to
get
close
enough
to
me
.
"
Sweetest
mine
,
ten
thousand
times
,
I
have
been
so
wretched
.
"
Her
voice
is
like
a
silver
bell
.
"
My
own
,
I
am
so
glad
to
hear
it
.
But
how
well
you
look
!
"
If
she
were
lovely
when
I
left
her
,
what
shall
I
call
her
now
?
There
is
not
one
atom
of
her
but
is
pure
perfection
.
I
hold
her
from
me
for
one
moment
,
to
take
in
all
her
beauties
.
She
has
a
most
delicious
fragrance
that
steals
upon
my
senses
.
Toilet
bottles
she
never
heard
of
;
what
she
has
is
nature
's
gift
,
and
unperceived
except
by
love
.
I
have
often
told
her
of
it
,
but
she
wo
n't
believe
it
.
It
is
not
your
breath
,
you
darling
;
your
breath
is
only
violets
;
it
comes
from
every
fibre
of
you
,
even
from
your
hair
;
it
is
as
when
the
wind
has
kissed
a
lily
of
the
valley
.
The
ancient
Signor
being
a
man
of
very
keen
observation
,
did
not
delay
our
wedding
any
longer
than
could
be
helped
.
That
evening
we
hauled
down
the
family
fusileer
,
gave
him
a
goblet
of
wine
,
and
sent
him
about
his
business
:
for
one
night
we
would
take
our
chance
even
of
Vendetta
.
At
supper-time
the
Signor
was
in
wonderful
spirits
,
and
drank
our
health
with
many
praises
of
our
constancy
and
obedience
.
One
little
fact
he
mentioned
worth
a
thousand
propinations
;
his
daughter
's
fever
had
been
cured
by
some
chance
news
of
me
.
He
even
went
away
to
fetch
a
bottle
of
choicest
Rogliano
,
when
he
saw
how
I
was
fidgetting
to
get
my
arm
round
Lily
.
Then
after
making
his
re-entrance
,
with
due
clumsiness
at
the
door
,
he
quite
disgraced
himself
,
while
drawing
the
cork
,
by
even
winking
at
me
,
as
he
said
abruptly
,
"
Fiordalisa
,
when
would
you
like
to
be
married
?
"
My
Lily
blushed
,
I
must
confess
,
but
did
not
fence
with
the
question
.
"
As
soon
as
ever
you
please
,
papa
.
That
is
,
if
my
love
wishes
it
.
"
But
she
would
not
look
at
me
to
ask
.
In
the
porch
she
whispered
to
me
,
that
it
was
only
from
her
terror
of
the
bad
Lepardo
coming
.
Did
the
loving
creature
fancy
that
I
would
believe
it
?
Once
more
we
sailed
together
over
the
amethyst
sea
;
she
was
as
fond
of
the
water
as
a
true-born
Briton
.
In
her
thoughts
and
glances
was
infinite
variety
.
None
could
ever
guess
the
next
thing
she
would
say
.
Thoroughly
I
knew
her
heart
,
because
I
lived
therein
,
and
sweeter
lodgings
never
man
was
blessed
with
.
But
of
her
mind
she
veiled
as
yet
the
maiden
delicacies
,
strictly
as
she
would
the
glowing
riches
of
her
figure
.
What
amazed
me
more
than
all
,
was
that
while
most
Corsican
girls
are
of
the
nut-brown
order
,
no
sun
ever
burned
the
snowy
skin
of
Lily
:
she
always
looked
so
clear
and
clean
,
as
if
it
were
impossible
for
anything
to
stain
her
.
Clara
,
you
are
always
talking
of
your
lovely
Isola
.
I
wonder
where
she
got
her
name
:
it
is
no
stranger
to
me
.
Something
in
your
description
of
her
reminds
me
of
my
Lily
.
I
long
to
see
the
girl
:
and
you
must
have
some
reason
for
so
obstinately
preventing
me
.
CHAPTER
XII
.
Though
Lily
and
I
were
most
desirous
to
keep
things
as
quiet
as
possible
,
by
this
time
our
engagement
was
talked
of
in
every
house
of
the
Balagna
.
That
paternal
fusileer
and
my
merry
yachtsmen
,
although
they
looked
the
other
way
whenever
we
approached
,
would
not
permit
the
flower
of
Corsica
,
as
she
was
now
proclaimed
,
to
blush
with
me
unseen
.
My
sailors
attended
to
her
far
more
than
to
their
business
,
and
would
have
leaped
into
the
water
for
one
smile
of
Lily
.
It
is
the
fashion
of
the
island
to
make
a
wedding
jubilee
;
and
the
Signor
was
anxious
to
outdo
all
that
had
ever
been
done
.
We
,
absorbed
in
one
another
,
did
our
best
to
disappoint
him
;
but
he
scorned
the
notion
of
any
private
marriage
.
I
never
shall
forget
how
he
knit
his
silver
brows
when
I
made
a
last
attempt
to
bring
him
to
our
views
.
"
Signor
Vogheno
,
to
me
you
appear
to
forget
whose
daughter
it
is
that
loves
you
.
Perhaps
in
your
remote
,
but
well
regarded
island
maidens
may
be
stolen
before
their
fathers
can
look
round
.
Indeed
,
I
have
heard
that
they
leap
over
a
broomstick
.
That
is
not
the
custom
here
.
Fiordalisa
Della
Croce
is
my
only
child
—
the
child
of
my
old
age
;
and
not
altogether
one
to
be
ashamed
of
.
I
can
afford
to
be
hospitable
,
and
I
mean
to
be
so
.
"
The
Corsicans
are
a
most
excitable
race
,
and
,
when
affronted
,
seem
to
lash
their
sides
as
they
talk
.
By
the
time
the
good
Signor
had
finished
his
speech
,
every
hair
of
his
beard
was
curling
with
indignation
.
But
his
daughter
sprang
into
his
arms
and
kissed
away
the
tempest
,
and
promised
,
if
it
must
be
so
,
to
make
herself
one
mass
of
gold
and
coral
.
So
the
Parolanti
,
or
mediators
,
were
invoked
;
an
armistice
for
a
week
was
signed
,
and
honour
pledged
on
either
side
.
Free
and
haughty
was
the
step
of
the
Signor
Dezio
as
he
set
forth
for
the
town
to
order
everything
he
could
see
;
and
very
wroth
again
he
was
,
because
I
would
not
postpone
the
day
for
him
to
get
a
shipload
of
trumpery
from
Marseilles
.
This
time
I
was
resolved
to
have
my
way
.
Besides
the
fervour
of
my
passion
and
my
dread
of
accidents
,
the
one
thing
of
all
others
I
detest
is
to
be
stared
at
anywhere
.
And
it
is
far
worse
to
be
stared
at
by
a
foreign
race
.
The
Corsicans
are
gentlemen
by
nature
,
but
they
could
not
be
expected
to
regard
without
some
curiosity
the
lucky
stranger
who
had
won
their
Lily
.
I
will
not
weary
you
,
as
I
myself
was
wearied
,
with
all
the
ceremonies
of
the
wedding-day
.
All
I
wanted
was
my
bride
,
and
she
wanted
none
but
me
:
yet
we
could
not
help
being
touched
by
the
hearty
good-will
of
the
commune
.
The
fame
of
Lily
's
beauty
had
spread
even
to
Sardinia
,
and
many
a
handsome
woman
came
to
measure
her
own
thereby
.
Clever
as
they
are
at
such
