"thepopeisnotallowedtomarry,"repliedthegentleman.

"idon'tlikethat,"wasthelady'sremark.

shecertainlymighthaveaskedmoresensiblequestions;butifshehadnotbeenallowedtosayjustwhatsheliked,wouldherdaughterhavebeenthere,leaningsogracefullyonhershoulder,andlookingstraightbeforeher,withasmilethatwasalmostmournfulonherface?

mr.alfredagainspokeofitaly,andofthegloriouscolorsinitalianscenery;thepurplehills,thedeepblueofthemediterranean,theazureofsouthernskies,whosebrightnessandglorycouldonlybesurpassedinthenorthbythedeep-blueeyesofamaiden;andhesaidthiswithapeculiarintonation;butshewhoshouldhaveunderstoodhismeaninglookedquiteunconsciousofit,whichalsowascharming.

"beautifulitaly!"sighedsomeoftheguests.

"oh,totravelthere!"exclaimedothers.

"charming!charming!"echoedfromeveryvoice.

"imayperhapswinahundredthousanddollarsinthelottery,"saidthenavalofficer'swidow;"andifido,wewilltravel-iandmydaughter;andyou,mr.alfred,mustbeourguide.wecanallthreetraveltogether,withoneortwomoreofourgoodfriends."andshenoddedinsuchafriendlywayatthecompany,thateachimaginedhimselftobethefavoredpersonwhowastoaccompanythemtoitaly."yes,wemustgo,"shecontinued;"butnottothosepartswheretherearerobbers.wewillkeeptorome.inthepublicroadsoneisalwayssafe."

thedaughtersighedverygently;andhowmuchtheremaybeinasigh,orattributedtoit!theyoungmanattributedagreatdealofmeaningtothissigh.thosedeep-blueeyes,whichhadbeenlitupthiseveninginhonorofhim,mustconcealtreasures,treasuresofheartandmind,richerthanallthegloriesofrome;andsowhenheleftthepartythatnight,hehadlostitcompletelytotheyounglady.thehouseofthenavalofficer'swidowwastheonemostconstantlyvisitedbymr.alfred,thesculptor.itwassoonunderstoodthathisvisitswerenotintendedforthatlady,thoughtheywerethepersonswhokeptuptheconversation.hecameforthesakeofthedaughter.theycalledherkaela.hernamewasreallykarenmalena,andthesetwonameshadbeencontractedintotheonenamekaela.shewasreallybeautiful;butsomesaidshewasratherdull,andsleptlateofamorning.

"shehasbeenaccustomedtothat,"hermothersaid."sheisabeauty,andtheyarealwayseasilytired.shedoessleepratherlate;butthatmakeshereyessoclear."

whatpowerseemedtolieinthedepthsofthosedarkeyes!theyoungmanfeltthetruthoftheproverb,"stillwatersrundeep:"andhishearthadsunkintotheirdepths.heoftentalkedofhisadventures,andthemammawasassimpleandeagerinherquestionsasonthefirsteveningtheymet.itwasapleasuretohearalfreddescribeanything.heshowedthemcoloredplatesofnaples,andspokeofexcursionstomountvesuvius,andtheeruptionsoffirefromit.thenavalofficer'swidowhadneverheardofthembefore.

"goodheavens!"sheexclaimed."sothatisaburningmountain;butisitnotverydangeroustothepeoplewholivenearit?"

"wholecitieshavebeendestroyed,"hereplied;"forinstance,herculaneumandpompeii."

"oh,thepoorpeople!andyousawallthatwithyourowneyes?"

"no;ididnotseeanyoftheeruptionswhicharerepresentedinthosepictures;butiwillshowyouasketchofmyown,whichrepresentsaneruptionioncesaw."

heplacedapencilsketchonthetable;andmamma,whohadbeenover-poweredwiththeappearanceofthecoloredplates,threwaglanceatthepaledrawingandcriedinastonishment,"what,didyouseeitthrowupwhitefire?"