the Amphitrites"--we know that they could scarcely be
seen from the terrace of the temple--were two narrow, sharp-pointed
rocks, lying between the shore and the nearest lagoon island. They
scarcely rose above the level of the water; with the slightest wind,
the waves washed quite over them.

Athalaric knew the danger of the place, and had always easily avoided
it; but this time he had only looked into Camilla's eyes.

At one glance he saw their fearful position.

They could not be saved.

A plank in the bottom of the slightly-made boat had sprung; the water
rushed rapidly through the leak. The boat sank deeper and deeper every
moment.

He could not hope, with Camilla, to gain the nearest island or the
shore by swimming. On the narrow point of the rock scarcely the feet of
a sea-eagle could have found a moment's resting-place, and Rusticiana's
gondola had only just pushed off from the land.

All this he had seen with lightning-like rapidity, and he cast a
horrified look at Camilla.

"Beloved, thou must die!" he cried despairingly. "And through me!" He
embraced her passionately.

"Die?" she cried. "Oh no! not so young--not now! Let me live--live with
thee!" And she clung closely to his arm.

The tone, the words, cut him to the heart. He tore himself loose; he
looked about for rescue. In vain; in vain. The water rose higher and
higher; the boat sank more and more rapidly. He threw the oar away.

"It is over--all is over, beloved! Let us take leave!"

"No; we part no more! If we must die--oh! then, away with all the
restraints which bind the living!" And, glowing all over, she nestled
to his breast. "Oh! let me tell thee, let me confess to thee how much I
love thee; how long ago--since--since first I knew thee! All my hate
was only bashful love. Oh, God! I loved thee already when I thought I
ought to abhor thee! Yes, thou shalt know how I love thee!" And she
covered his eyes and mouth with hasty kisses. "Oh! now I will gladly
die. Rather die with thee than live without thee! But no"--and she
suddenly pushed him away--"thou shalt not die! Leave me here; go!
swim--you can easily reach the island alone. Try; and leave me."

"No," he cried, in an ecstasy of joy; "rather die with thee than live
without thee! After such painful doubt, at length joyous certainty!
From this hour we belong to each other for ever. Come, Camilla,
beloved, let us die together!"

A shudder of horror and delight, of love and death, shook