he suddenly halted.

Directly in front of him, not twenty paces from where he stood, was the
terrace, over which, in the stilly night air, the fountain threw a
light spray-like shower, rustling, as it fell upon the leaves, with a
murmuring sound. Lower down, was a little basin surrounded by a border
of white marble, and beside this two figures were now standing, whom,
by the clear starlight, he could easily recognize to be Roland and
Maritana.

The former, with folded arms, and head bent down as if in thought,
leaned against a tree, while Maritana stood beside the fountain,
moving her foot to and fro in the clear water, and, as though entirely
engrossed by her childish pastime, never bestowed a look upon her
companion. At last she ceased suddenly, and turning abruptly round, so
as to stand full in front of him, said, "Well, senhor, am I to hope
our pleasant interview is ended, or am I still to hear more of your
complaints,--those gentle remonstrances which sound, to my ears at
least, more wearisome than words of downright anger?"

"You have not heard me patiently," said the youth, advancing towards
her, while the slightly shaken tones of his voice contrasted strangely
with the assured and haughty accents in which he spoke.

"Patiently!" echoed she, with a scornful laugh. "And where was this same
goodly gift to be learned? Among the pleasant company we have quitted,
senhor? whose friendships of a night are celebrated by a brawl on
the morrow! From the most exemplary crew of the 'Esmeralda,' and, in
particular, the worthy lieutenant, Don Roland da Castel, who, if report
speaks truly, husbands the virtue so rigidly that he cannot spare the
smallest portion to expend upon his friends?"

"If my thrift had extended to other matters," said the youth, bitterly,
"mayhap I should not have to listen to language like this?"

"What say you, sir?" cried the girl, passionately, as she stamped upon
the ground with a gesture of violent anger. "Do you affect to say that
it matters to me whether you stood there as loaded with gold as on the
morning you brought back that Mexican prize, and played the hero with
such martial modesty; or as poor--as poor--as bad luck at cards can
make you? If I loved you, I 'd have as little care for one event as the
other!"

"You certainly thought more favorably of me then than now, Maritana!"
said Roland, diffidently.

"I know not why you say so!"

"At least you accepted my hand in betrothal--"