“You have promised me that you will visit my native land with me after our marriage, dear Florinda.”

“O, nothing will delight me more than to see the American Republic; the cities and towns of the New World, its people and customs.  O, how I have ever wished to travel!  Only to think, Carlton, I have scarcely been out of Italy!  I once made a trip with uncle across the sea to Malaga and back, touching at the islands; that was years gone by.  Since then I have been at times to Milan, Genoa, Leghorn and Bologna, but never out of Italy.”

“America is not like thy sunny land, Florinda.”

“Ay, but it is the land of thy nativity, and I will love it for thy sake, And then it is a free, republican government; there are no serfs there-all are freemen.  How proud you should feel to belong to such a country.”

“I do indeed feel proud, dear one; and doubly so when thy eloquent tongue describes it so well.”

He touched the guitar lightly and gaily, while he thought of the happy tour they would make together.

“How proud I shall be of thee,” he continued.

“How proud I am of thee.”

“There is little pride in thee, Florinda, or thou wouldst never have consented to marry one of my humble pretensions.”

“Carlton,” said the lady, reproachfully.

“And thou wilt marry the humble painter?”

“Nay, the envied artist, and protege of the duke.”

“Ah, little have I coveted this advancement, but for the hope that it has given me concerning thee, Florinda!  The favored friend of the Grand Duke has dared boldly to ask for that which the poor artist could only hope for.”

Florinda and Carlton were happy in the anticipation of future joy, foreseeing for themselves a path of roses in the fairy future.

“But fortune is fickle, dearest, and even now I tremble.”

“You are ever suspicious, Carlton.”

“Not in most matters, but in those relating to thee, Florinda.”

“Now, I am ever looking on the sunny side of our life-picture.”

“It is good philosophy to do so, if one can but accomplish the purpose.”

“And yet, Carlton, one will sometimes be reminded that there is a shadowed side to the brightest scenes and hopes.”

“We will seek its bright side, dearest.”

“With all my heart.-Carlton, do you not remember that you left the heroine of that story you were last telling me in a most critical situation?”

“True, she was carried off by the banditti.  Shall I complete the story?”

“Yes, pray do.”

CHAPTER VI.

The Rhine legend completed.

They laugh that win.

-Othello.