“I have been amata molto!!!"

Uttered, under a scaffold, as the Italian utters it, this line is a revelation of womanhood.

The English virgin of our humbler tale had a soul full of this feeling, only she had never learned to set the love of sex above other loves; but, mark you, for that very reason, a mortal insult to her heart from her beloved relatives was as mortifying, humiliating and unpardonable as is, to other high-spirited girls, an insult from their favored lover.

What could she do more than she had done to win their love?  No, their hearts were inaccessible to her.

“They wish to get rid of me.  Well, they shall.  They refuse me their houses.  Well, I will show them the value of their houses to me.  It was their hearts I clung to, not their houses.”

A tap came to Lucy’s door.

“Who is that?  I am busy.”

“Oh, miss!” said an agitated voice, “may I speak to you—­the captain!”

“What captain? “inquired Lucy, without opening the door.

“Knealys, miss.

“I will come out to you.  Now.  Has Captain Kenealy returned already?”

“La! no, miss.  He haven’t been anywhere as I know of.  He had them about him as couldn’t spare him.”

“Something is the matter, Jane.  What is it?”

Jane lowered her voice mysteriously.  “Well, miss, the captain is—­in trouble.”

“Oh, dear, what has happened?”

“Well, the fact is, miss, the captain’s—­took”

“I cannot understand you.  Pray speak intelligibly.”

“Arrested, miss.”

“Captain Kenealy arrested!  Oh, Heaven! for what crime?”

“La, miss, no crime at all—­leastways not so considered by the gentry.  He is only took in payment of them beautiful reg-mentals.  However, black or red, he is always well put on.  I am sure he looks just out of a band-box; and I got it all out of one of the men as it’s a army tailor, which he wrote again and again, and sent his bill, and the captain he took no notice; then the tailor he sent him a writ, and the captain he took no notice; then the tailor he lawed him, but the captain he kep’ on a taking no more notice nor if it was a dog a barking, and then a putting all them ere barks one after another in a letter, and sending them by the post; so the end is, the captain is arrested; and now he behooves to attend a bit to what is a going on around an about him, as the saying is, and so he is waiting to pay you his respects before he starts for Bridewell.”

“My fatal advice!  I ruin all my friends.”

“Keep dark,” says he; “don’t tell a soul except Miss Fountain.”

“Where is he?  Oh?”

Jane offered to show her that, and took her to the stable yard.  Arriving with a face full of tender pity and concern, Lucy was not a little surprised to find the victim smoking cigars in the center of his smoking captors.  The men touched their hats, and Captain Kenealy said:  “Isn’t it a boa, Miss Fountain? they won’t let me do your little commission.  In London they will go anywhere with a fellaa.”