ered.
"Methought some demon came with lightning in his hand to blast the
lovely prospect which an angel had opened to my view."

He was silent--the sound of his own voice had the effect of restoring
him to his senses. He rose, though with difficulty, and stood before
her, supporting himself by a chair.

"Pardon me, lady," he said, his voice still faltering as he spoke; "I
have been weak, and have acted wrongly, madly, I own it. The words I
have uttered I should not have spoken till you were free, and had no
longer more to expect from me; but oh, forget them--learn to look upon
me as before I committed that fatal error. I ask no recompense for what
I have done, I ask none for what I may do. All I entreat you is, to
allow me to serve you faithfully--to obey your behests, whatever they
may be, even though to do so break my very heart-strings. Lady, for
your sake I would preserve my rival, even though the next instant I were
to see you clasped in his arms."

Ada was moved, and she held out her hand to the young man; for though to
English ears his language might appear overstrained, and his sentiments
exaggerated and unnatural, for an Italian she knew it was composed and
rational, and it gave her confidence in the sincerity of his
professions.

"I trust you, signor," she answered, struggling to keep down her own
emotion. "Believe me, you have my sincerest regard, and I were, indeed,
base not to feel the deepest gratitude. Remember, then, that I rely on
you to serve me whenever I may ask you, and place my safety and hope of
ultimate escape in your hands."

"And it shall not be misplaced," answered Paolo. "But, lady, I have
longed to banish from your mind the prejudice you must naturally
entertain against me, at seeing me in this island, with such company;
but believe me that it is sorely against my will. I am here by
compulsion, a prisoner like yourself, though with more apparent liberty.
To comprehend it I must tell you my unhappy history, which I would long
ago have done, had I had the opportunity; but I feared to do so in
presence of your attendant, on whose discretion I knew not if I could
rely; and I have also, lately, been so closely watched by my oppressor,
Zappa, that I have been unable to visit you when I thought you might be
alone. If you will now, lady, listen to me, it will serve to calm my
spirits, and will contribute towards placing me in the position I would
enjoy in your estimation."

Ada ass