Antonio was just reaching for his long oar to shove away the boat,
when suddenly he paused, and fixed his eyes upon the summit of the
steep path that leads down from Sorrento to the water. A tall and
slender girlish figure had become visible upon the heights, and was
now hastily stepping down the stones, waving her handkerchief She
had a small bundle under her arm, and her dress was mean and poor.
Yet she had a distinguished if somewhat savage way of throwing back
her head, and the dark tress wreathed around it was like a diadem.

"What have we to wait for?" inquired the curato.

"There is some one coming who wants to go to Capri--with your
permission, padre. We shall not go a whit the slower. It is a slight
young thing, but just eighteen."

At that moment the young girl appeared from behind the wall that
bounds the winding path.

"Laurella!" cried the priest; "and what has she to do in Capri?"

Antonio shrugged his shoulders. She came up with hasty steps, her
eyes fixed straight before her.

"Ha! l'Arrabiata! good-morning!" shouted one or two of the young
boatmen. But for the curato's presence, they might have added more;
the look of mute defiance with which the young girl received their
welcome appeared to tempt the more mischievous among them.

"Good-day, Laurella!" now said the priest; "how are you? Are you