rew near, the former touching the arm of Father Anselmo,
and pointing towards the distant dial.

"The moment is near," he whispered, more from habit than in any
tenderness to the prisoner.

The Carmelite turned instinctively towards the palace, forgetting in the
sudden impulse all but his sense of earthly justice. There were forms at
the windows, and he fancied a signal to stay the impending blow was
about to be given.

"Hold!" he exclaimed. "For the love of Maria of most pure memory, be not
too hasty!"

The exclamation was repeated by a shrill female voice, and then
Gelsomina, eluding every effort to arrest her, rushed through the
Dalmatians, and reached the group between the granite columns. Wonder
and curiosity agitated the multitude, and a deep murmur ran through the
square.

"'Tis a maniac!" cried one.

"'Tis a victim of his arts!" said another, for when men have a
reputation for any particular vice, the world seldom fails to attribute
all the rest.

Gelsomina seized the bonds of Jacopo, and endeavored frantically to
release his arms.

"I had hoped thou would'st have been spared this sight, poor Gessina!"
said the condemned.

"Be not alarmed!" she answered, gasping for breath. "They do it in
mockery; 't is one of their wiles to mislead--but they cannot--no, they
dare not harm a hair of thy head, Carlo!"

"Dearest Gelsomina!"

"Nay, do not hold me; I will speak to the citizens, and tell them all.
They are angry now, but when they know the truth they will love thee,
Carlo, as I do."

"Bless thee--bless thee!--I would thou hadst not come."

"Fear not for me! I am little used to such a crowd, but thou wilt see
that I shall dare to speak them fair, and to make known the truth
boldly. I want but breath."

"Dearest! Thou hast a mother--a father to share thy tenderness. Duty to
them will make thee happy!"

"Now I can speak, and thou shalt see how I will vindicate thy name."

She arose from the arms of her lover, who, notwithstanding his bonds,
released his hold of her slight form with a reluctance greater than that
with which he parted with life. The struggle in the mind of Jacopo
seemed over. He bowed his head passively to the block, before which he
was kneeling; and it is probable, by the manner in which his hands were
clasped, that he prayed for her who left him. Not so Gelsomina. Parting
her hair over her spotless forehead with both hands, she advanced
towards the fishermen, who were familiar to