The morning sunbeams were shooting many a golden shaft among the orange-trees when Elsie returned and found Agnes yet kneeling at her prayers.

“Now, my little heart,” said the old woman, when their morning meal was done, “I am going to give you a holiday to-day.  I will go with you to the Convent, and you shall spend the day with the sisters, and so carry Saint Agnes her ring.”

“Oh, thank you, grandmamma! how good you are!  May I stop a little on the way, and pick some cyclamen and myrtles and daisies for her shrine?”

“Just as you like, child; but if you are going to do that, we must be off soon, for I must be at my stand betimes to sell oranges:  I had them all picked this morning while my little darling was asleep.”

“You always do everything, grandmamma, and leave me nothing to do:  it is not fair.  But, grandmamma, if we are going to get flowers by the way, let us follow down the stream, through the gorge, out upon the sea-beach, and so walk along the sands, and go by the back path up the rocks to the Convent:  that walk is so shady and lovely at this time in the morning, and it is so fresh along by the sea-side!”

“As you please, dearie; but first fill a little basket with our best oranges for the sisters.”

“Trust me for that!” And the girl ran eagerly to the house, and drew from her treasures a little white wicker basket, which she proceeded to line curiously with orange-leaves, sticking sprays of blossoms in a wreath round the border.

“Now for some of our best blood-oranges!” she said;—­“old Jocunda says they put her in mind of pomegranates.  And here are some of these little ones,—­see here, grandmamma!” she exclaimed, as she turned and held up a branch just broken, where five small golden balls grew together with a pearly spray of white buds just beyond them.

The exercise of springing up for the branch had sent a vivid glow into her clear brown cheek, and her eyes were dilated with excitement and pleasure; and as she stood joyously holding the branch, while the flickering shadows fell on her beautiful face, she seemed more like a painter’s dream than a reality.

Her grandmother stood a moment admiring her.

“She’s too good and too pretty for Antonio or any other man:  she ought to be kept to look at,” she said to herself.  “If I could keep her always, no man should have her; but death will come, and youth and beauty go, and so somebody must care for her.”

When the basket was filled and trimmed, Agnes took it on her arm.  Elsie raised and poised on her head the great square basket that contained her merchandise, and began walking erect and straight down the narrow rocky stairs that led into the gorge, holding her distaff with its white flax in her hands, and stepping as easily as if she bore no burden.