"Oh, no!"

"Will you go with us?"

"No, monsieur."

"We will go, if you assure us there is no danger."

"I do not say so," replied the fisherman, hastily. "I only say that he
who is there will say nothing to you, and do you no harm. He never so
much as moves from his place."

"Who is it?"

"A man."

Never were two syllables pronounced in so tragic a manner. At this
moment we were about fifty feet from the rocky eminence, which
extended a long reef into the sea. Our guide took a path which led him
round the base of the rock. We ourselves continued our way over it;
but Pauline took my arm. Our guide hastened his steps in order to meet
us on the other side, where the two paths came together again.

This circumstance excited our curiosity, which soon became so keen
that our hearts were beating as if with a sense of fear. In spite of
the heat of the day, and the fatigue caused by toiling through the
sand, our souls were still surrendered to the softness unspeakable of
our exquisite ecstasy. They were filled with that pure pleasure which
cannot be described unless we liken it to the joy of listening to
enchanting music, Mozart's "Audiamo mio ben," for instance. When two