The Italians are ordinarily good-natured, especially when they are paid
for it; and courteous to females, especially if they have any suspicion of
the influence of the belle passion. The vetturino's foresight had
supplied the deficiencies of her inexperience: he had reminded her of the
necessity of procuring her passport; and he undertook that all other
difficulties should solely devolve on him. And thus Lucilla was now under
the same roof with one for whom, indeed, she was unaware of the sacrifice
she made, but whom, despite of all that clouded and separated their
after-lot, she loved to the last, with a love as reckless and strong as
then--a love passing the love of woman, and defying the common ordinances
of time.

* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *

On the blue waters that break with a deep and far voice along the rocks of
that delicious shore, above which the mountain that rises behind Terracina
scatters to the air the odours of the citron and the orange--on that
sounding and immemorial sea the stars, like the hopes of a brighter world
upon the darkness and unrest of life, shone down with a solemn but tender
light. On that shore stood Lucilla and he--the wandering stranger--in
whom she had hoarded the peace and the hopes of earth. Hers was the first
and purple flush of the love which has attained its object; that sweet and
quiet fulness of content--that heavenly, all-subduing and subdued delight,
with which the heart slumbers in the excess of its own rapture. Care--the
forethought of change--even the shadowy and vague mournfulness of
passion--are felt not in those voluptuous but tranquil moments. Like the
waters that rolled, deep and eloquent, before her, every feeling within