66 the oar, reddened with blood, at the same time impelling forward the boat with powerful strokes. They were both pale and silent. As they approached the land, they were met by the fishermen going out to lay their nightnets. They shouted to Antonino, and jeered at Laurella; but neither looked up or replied with a word. The sun still stood tolerably high over Procida when they reached the shore. Laurella again shook out her dress, which was by this time almost dry, and sprang to land. said in a more subdued voice. "I cannot bottom of the boat, and she now first perhelp it, my child," he continued almost sad-ceived the blood. She cast a rapid glance ly, and as though in a dream; "but we towards the hand with which, as though must both go down - both together and unwounded, he was using the oar. now!" he shouted, and clasped her suddeniy Here! she said, and extended her in his arms. But the next moment he drew handkerchief to him. He shook his head, back his right hand, and the blood spurted and rowed on. At length she stood up, out she had bitten him severely. went to him, and bound the handkerchief "Must I do as you will?" she cried, tightly round the deep wound. She then, pushing him away with a sudden movement. notwithstanding his opposition, took one of "We shall see if I am in your power!" the oars herself, sat down opposite, but With these words, she sprang over the side without looking at him, and fixed her eyes on of the boat, and disappeared for a moment beneath the water. She came up again immediately, her dress clinging tightly round her, her hair, loosened by the water, hanging heavily round her neck; and she threw out her arms energetically, and swam on without another syllable towards the distant shore. The sudden alarm seemed to have bereft Antonino of his senses. He stood bent forward in the boat, with his eyes fixed rigidly on the girl, as though a miracle were passing before his sight. Then he shook himself, seized the oars, and followed her, with every The old spinner who had seen them start nerve distended, whilst the bottom of the boat in the morning was again upon the beach. was reddened with the stream of blood which" What is the matter with your hand, continued to flow forth. In a moment he 'Tonino?" she cried. "Holy Mary! the was by her side, fast as she swam. "In the boat is swimming in blood!" name of our holy Mother," he cried, into the boat. I have been a fool! Heaven knows what came over me. A flash of light seemed to dazzle my brain; I was mad, and did not know what I was saying or doing. I do not ask you to forgive me, Laurella; I only wish to save your life, by entreating you to get in again. She swam on as though she had heard nothing. 66 come "You can never reach the land; it is at least two miles off. Think of your mother: if anything were to happen to you, she would die of grief." Laurella measured the distance to the shore with her eye, then, without replying, she swam towards the boat, and grasped the side with her hands. He stood up to help her; his jacket, which had lain on the bench, slipped into the water as the boat was drawn on one side by the girl's weight. She swung herself up, and took possession of her former seat. When he saw her safe, he resumed the oars, whilst she tried to wring out her dripping garments, and to shake the water from her hair. Whilst thus engaged her eyes fell on ** "It is nothing, good mother," replied the young man. "I have razed the skin a little, but it will be well by to-morrow. That unlucky blood is always at the surface, ready to flow forth, and make things look worse than they are." "I will come and lay herbs on it, comrade. Wait; I shall be with you in a minute.” "Do not trouble yourself, Goody. It is all right now, and by to-morrow it will be well, and forgotten. I have a healthy skin, which heals up directly." "Addio!" said Laurella as she turned into the path up the ascent. "Good-evening," cried the young man, but without looking at her. He then removed his tackle and the baskets from the boat, and climbed up the little stonesteps to his hut. No one but himself inhabited the two rooms, through which he now began to pace up and down. There was more air than there had been in the morning, and it came in refreshingly through the open windows; the solitude, too, was delightful to him. He stood some time before the little ture of the Virgin, and gazed thoughtfully "It has bled a little," said he; "but a day or two will set it all right." She shook her head.. "It will be a week at least before you can go out to sea again." on the glory which surrounded it; but he she took his hand and removed the bandage. did not pray, for he knew not what petition She started when she saw the violent swellto make, now that all hope was gone. Time ing, and exclaimed: "Holy Virgin! had seemed to stand still to-day; he longed for night, for he was weary, and the loss of blood affected him more than he imagined. He felt a sharp pain in his hand, and seating himself on a chair, loosened the bandage. The blood, which had been repressed, burst "Nonsense. It will be well by the day after out again, and the hand all around the wound to-morrow at latest. Besides, what does it was much swollen. He washed it carefully, signify ?" Meanwhile, she had re-washed and strove to cool it. On examining it again, the wound, to which he submitted like a he could clearly trace the marks of Laurella's child. She then placed upon it the healing teeth. "She was right," he said; "I was herbs, which almost instantly relieved the a brute, and deserved no better. I will send back her handkerchief to-morrow by Giuseppe." When he had again bound up his hand as well as he could with the aid of his teeth, he threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes. The bright moon awoke him from a doze, and the hand seemed even more painful than before. He had just raised himself to soothe the beating pulses with water, when he heard a noise at the door. fever, and bound up the hand with strips of "I thank you, Laurella," said he. now- - listen! If you will favor me still further, forgive me for the madness which took possession of me to-day, and forget all I said or did. I do not myself know how it happened. You were not the cause, I can assure you; and you shall never again hear anything from me that can displease you." "It is I who have to ask your pardon," With-interrupted she. "I ought to have put things before you in another and a better light, and not irritated you with my nonchalant air; and then the wound " "Who is there?" cried he; and lifting the latch, Laurella stood before him! out a word, she walked in, threw off the covering she wore on her head, and placed a little basket on the table. Then she drew a long breath. "It was necessary, and quite time that I "You come to fetch your handkerchief," should be brought to my senses," he replied; said Antonino; "but you might have been" and, as I have before said, it is of no conspared the trouble, as to-morrow morning sequence. Do not speak of pardon: you early I should have requested Giuseppe to take it to you." "It is nothing about the handkerchief," she replied quickly. "I have been on the hillside to gather herbs for you, to stop the bleeding. There ;" and she raised the cover of the basket. Why did you give yourself so much trouble?" said he without any bitterness. "I am better already - much better; and if I were worse, it would be nothing but what I deserve. Why have you come at this hour? Suppose any one were to find you here! You know how they chatter even when they have no foundation." "I care for none ! "" she said hastily. "I will see your hand, and apply these herbs, for you can never manage it by yourself." "I tell you there is no necessity." "Then let me see it myself, that I may believe you." Hs could not resist her when have done me good, and I thank you for it. And now go home, and to bed; and there is your handkerchief- you can take it with you." He held it towards her, but she still stood there, and appeared struggling with herself. At last she said: "You lost your jacket, too, through my means, and I know the price of the oranges was in it. I thought of this only on my way home; and I cannot exactly make it up to you, for we have no money, and if we had, it would belong to my mother. But here is the silver cross the painter put on my table, the last time he was with us. I have not looked at it since then, and do not wish it to remain in my box any longer. If you sell it it is worth at least a couple of piasters, my mother said at the time—your loss will be almost replaced, and what remains I will try to earn by spinning at night after my mother is asleep." 66 said in a more subdued voice. "I cannot bottom of the boat, and she now first perhelp it, my child," he continued almost sad-ceived the blood. She cast a rapid glance ly, and as though in a dream; "but we towards the hand with which, as though must both go down - both together-and unwounded, he was using the oar. now!" he shouted, and clasped her suddeniy Here! she said, and extended her in his arms. But the next moment he drew handkerchief to him. He shook his head, back his right hand, and the blood spurted and rowed on. At length she stood up, out she had bitten him severely. went to him, and bound the handkerchief "Must I do as you will?" she cried, tightly round the deep wound. She then, pushing him away with a sudden movement. notwithstanding his opposition, took one of "We shall see if I am in your power!" the oars herself, sat down opposite, but With these words, she sprang over the side without looking at him, and fixed her eyes on of the boat, and disappeared for a moment the oar, reddened with blood, at the same beneath the water. She came up again im- time impelling forward the boat with powermediately, her dress clinging tightly round ful strokes. They were both pale and silent. her, her hair, loosened by the water, hang- As they approached the land, they were met ing heavily round her neck; and she threw by the fishermen going out to lay their nightout her arms energetically, and swam on nets. They shouted to Antonino, and jeered without another syllable towards the distant at Laurella; but neither looked up or replied shore. The sudden alarm seemed to have bereft Antonino of his senses. He stood bent forward in the boat, with his eyes fixed rigidly on the girl, as though a miracle were passing before his sight. Then he shook himself, seized the oars, and followed her, with every nerve distended, whilst the bottom of the boat was reddened with the stream of blood which continued to flow forth. In a moment he was by her side, fast as she swam. "In the name of our holy Mother," he cried, into the boat. I have been a fool! Heaven knows what came over me. A flash of light seemed to dazzle my brain; I was mad, and did not know what I was saying or doing. I do not ask you to forgive me, Laurella; I only wish to save your life, by entreating you to get in again.' She swam on as though she had heard nothing. 66 come "You can never reach the land; it is at least two miles off. Think of your mother: if anything were to happen to you, she would die of grief." Laurella measured the distance to the shore with her eye, then, without replying, she swam towards the boat, and grasped the side with her hands. He stood up to help her; his jacket, which had lain on the bench, slipped into the water as the boat was drawn on one side by the girl's weight. She swung herself up, and took possession of her former seat. When he saw her safe, he resumed the oars, whilst she tried to wring out her dripping garments, and to shake the water from her hair. Whilst thus engaged her eyes fell on the with a word. The sun still stood tolerably high over Procida when they reached the shore. Laurella again shook out her dress, which was by this time almost dry, and sprang to land. The old spinner who had seen them start in the morning was again upon the beach. "What is the matter with your hand, "Tonino?" she cried. "Holy Mary! the boat is swimming in blood!" "It is nothing, good mother," replied the young man. "I have razed the skin a little, but it will be well by to-morrow. That unlucky blood is always at the surface, ready to flow forth, and make things look worse than they are." "I will come and lay herbs on it, comrade. Wait; I shall be with you in a minute.” "Do not trouble yourself, Goody. It is all right now, and by to-morrow it will be well, and forgotten. I have a healthy skin, which heals up directly." "Addio!" said Laurella as she turned into the path up the ascent. "Good-evening," cried the young man, but without looking at her. He then removed his tackle and the baskets from the boat, and climbed up the little stonesteps to his hut. No one but himself inhabited the two rooms, through which he now began to pace up and down. There was more air than there had been in the morning, and it came in refreshingly through the open windows; the solitude, too, was delightful to him. He stood some time before the little picture of the Virgin, and gazed thoughtfully on the glory which surrounded it; but he she took his hand and removed the bandage. did not pray, for he knew not what petition She started when she saw the violent swell Time ing, and exclaimed: "Holy Virgin! "It has bled a little," said he; "but a day or two will set it all right." She shook her head.. "It will be a week at least before you can go out to sea again." to make, now that all hope was gone. had seemed to stand still to-day; he longed for night, for he was weary, and the loss of blood affected him more than he imagined. He felt a sharp pain in his hand, and seating himself on a chair, loosened the bandage. The blood, which had been repressed, burst "Nonsense. It will be well by the day after out again, and the hand all around the wound to-morrow at latest. Besides, what does it was much swollen. He washed it carefully, signify?" Meanwhile, she had re-washed and strove to cool it. On examining it again, the wound, to which he submitted like a he could clearly trace the marks of Laurella's child. She then placed upon it the healing teeth. "She was right," he said; "I was herbs, which almost instantly relieved the a brute, and deserved no better. I will send fever, and bound up the hand with strips of back her handkerchief to-morrow by Giu- linen which she had brought in her little seppe." basket. When she had finished "And When he had again bound up his hand as well as he could with the aid of his teeth, he threw himself on the bed and closed his eyes. The bright moon awoke him from a doze, and the hand seemed even more painful than before. He had just raised himself to soothe the beating pulses with water, when he heard a noise at the door. "Who is there?" cried he; and lifting the latch, Laurella stood before him! out a word, she walked in, threw off the covering she wore on her head, and placed a little basket on the table. Then she drew a long breath. "I thank you, Laurella," said he. now - listen! If you will favor me still further, forgive me for the madness which took possession of me to-day, and forget all I said or did. I do not myself know how it happened. You were not the cause, I can assure you; and you shall never again hear anything from me that can displease you." - "It is I who have to ask your pardon," With-interrupted she. "I ought to have put things before you in another and a better light, and not irritated you with my nonchalant air; and then the wound”. "It was necessary, and quite time that I "You come to fetch your handkerchief," should be brought to my senses," he replied; said Antonino; "but you might have been" and, as I have before said, it is of no conspared the trouble, as to-morrow morning sequence. Do not speak of pardon: you early I should have requested Giuseppe to take it to you.” "It is nothing about the handkerchief," she replied quickly. "I have been on the hillside to gather herbs for you, to stop the bleeding. There; " and she raised the cover of the basket. have done me good, and I thank you for it. And now go home, and to bed; and there is your handkerchief-you can take it with you." He held it towards her, but she still stood there, and appeared struggling with herself. At last she said: "You lost your jacket, too, through my means, and I know the price of the oranges was in it. I thought of this only on my way home; and I cannot exactly make it up to you, for we have no money, and if we had, it would belong to my mother. But here is the silver cross the painter put on my table, the last time he was with us. I have not looked at it since then, and do not wish it to remain in my box any longer. If you sell it it is worth at least a couple of piasters, my mother said at the time-your loss will be almost replaced, and what remains I will try to earn by spinning at night after my mother is asleep." 66 "I will take nothing!" answered he short- "Holy Mother! do you imagine all my heart's ly, and pushing away the bright cross which blood has run out of that little, wound? Do she had drawn from her pocket. "You must take it," said she. "Who knows how long it may be before you can earn anything with that hand. There it lies, and I will never look at it again." "Then throw it into the sea!" "Why, it is no gift I make you; it is nothing more than your right, and what you ought in justice to receive." you not feel it there beating in my breast, as though it would burst? If you only say this to try me, or out of pity for me, go away, and I will try to forget this also. You shall not think yourself guilty, because you know what I suffer about you." "No," she replied firmly, and looking up eagerly from his shoulder through her swimming tears. "I love you! and, lest I should Right? I have no right over anything let you see it, I have struggled strongly of yours. If, in future, you should meet me against it. But now I will behave differently', anywhere, do me the favor not to look at me, for I could not help looking at you if I met that I may not think you remember how you in the street. And now,' "added she wrongly I acted towards you. And now solemnly, "receive this kiss, that you may good-night, and let the subject drop." say to yourself if you doubt again: 'She kissed me, and Laurella kisses none but him she intends for her husband.' And now," concluded she, disengaging herself, "you must go to bed, and get your hand well. Goodnight! Do not go with me, for I fear no one -but you." She then tripped out of the door, and disappeared in the shadow of the walls. Antonino continued to gaze for some He laid her handkerchief in the basket, and the cross by its side; then closed the lid. When he looked up, he started. Large heavy drops were rolling down Laurella's cheeks. Holy Madonna!" he cried, are you You are trembling from head to foot! 66 ill? "It is nothing," she said. "I will go home;" and she turned towards the door; but her emotion overpowered her, and lean-time longer through the window over the ing her head against the door-post, she sobbed glorious sea, in which a thousand stars seemed aloud. He hastened towards her, but before to twinkle. he could take her hand, she threw herself into his arms. "I cannot bear it!" she cried, clinging to him like a dying creature to life. “I cannot bear your speaking so kindly, and bidding me leave you, when I am conscious of having done you so much injury. Strike me! tread me under your feet! curse me even! or if it be true that you love me still, after all I have done, here, take me, keep me, do with me what you will; only do not send me away from you thus!" Sobs again interrupted her. He held her for a time in his arms in silence. "If I still love you!" cried he at length. The next time the little priest came out of the confessional, in which La rolla had long been kneeling, he smiled quietly to himself. "Who would have thought," said he mentally, "that Heaven would so soon have shewn mercy to this poor strange heart? And there was I anticipating a hard struggle with that besetting sin of hers, pride. But how short-sighted are we mortals, where Heaven is so wise! Well! may the blessing of all the saints be upon her; and may I live to see the day when Laurella's eldest son can take his father's place in rowing me across the water. Ei, ei, ei! La Rabbiata!" THE BALLADS OF IRELAND. Collected and edited | Historical [quære, Political?] Ballads, " Oliby Edward Hayes. In two volumes. ver's Advice," by Colonel Blacker- an Orange WITH rare exceptions, and they mostly trans- homily on the text of " Keep your powder dry lations, these Ballads of Ireland" are of mod--and similar poems, appear along with "The ern date, Moore's Melodies being about the old-Wexford Massacre, "The Treaty Stone of Limest specimens; the most numerous belong to the erick," and similar patriotic themes. The genperiod when "Young Ireland" and the Nation eral impression is that which we noted in reviewnewspaper were in their meridian glory. The ing the poetry of the Nation newspaper years ballads are judiciously classed according to their ago the echo of "the Saxon," rather than the nature; notices of the writers or notes on the raciness of the Celt." It is an interesting col subject are given when necessary; and the selec-lection. Spectator. tion has been made with impartiality. In the |
