ood neighbours. I will go and be with her.

"Two angels came down from heaven and bore her away on their wings. Mary
Magdalene came to meet her at the gate of heaven.

"Thanks, good neighbours. I will go and be with her.

"There, she was seated in a place of glory, a chaplet of rubies was given
to her, and she is singing her rosary with the Virgin.

"Thanks, good neighbours. I will go and be with her."

As he finished the last words of his melancholy refrain, he flung himself
from the top of his rock into the sea, as though he really desired to
engulf himself. Nisida and the other women gave a cry of terror, for
during some minutes the diver failed to reappear upon the surface.

"Are you out of your senses?" cried a young man who had suddenly
appeared, unobserved among the women. "Why, what are you afraid of? You
know very well that Bastiano is always doing things of this sort. But do
not be alarmed: all the fishes in the Mediterranean will be drowned
before any harm comes to him. Water is his natural element. Good-day,
sister; good-day, father."

The young fisherman kissed Nisida on the forehead, drew near to his
father, and, bowing his handsome head before him, took off his red cap
and respectfully kissed the old man's hand. He came thus to ask his
blessing every evening before putting out to sea, where he often spent
the night fishing from his boat.

"May God bless thee, my Gabriel!" said the old man in a tone of emotion,
as he slowly passed his hand over his son's black curls, and a tear came
into his eye. Then, rising solemnly and addressing the groups around
him, he added in a voice full of dignity and of gentleness. "Come, my
children, it is time to separate. The young to work, the old to rest.
There is the angelus ringing."

Everybody knelt, and after a short prayer each went on his way. Nisida,
after having given her father the last daily attentions, went up to her
room, replenished the oil in the lamp that burned day and night before
the Virgin, and, leaning her elbow on the window ledge, divided the
branches of jasmine which hung like perfumed curtains, began to gaze out
at the sea, and seemed lost in a deep, sweet reverie.

At this very time, a little boat, rowed silently by two oarsmen, touched
shore on the other side of the island. It had become quite dark. A
little man first landed cautiously, and respectfully offered his hand to
another individual, who, scorning that feeble support,