Page:In Maremma, by Ouida (vol 3).djvu/83

 She lay still for many minutes; now and again her eyes looked for a moment up at the familiar shadows of the tomb and then closed with the dreamful pleasure of a child that lies half asleep and hears sweet music.

'I was afraid,' she murmured once, 'I was so afraid—for you!'

Then she lay still and seemed again to dream; her eyes closed, her lips parted with a faint glad smile.

The tears fell from the eyes of Este.

After awhile she raised herself quite suddenly, and a look of alarm and of fuller comprehension came upon her face.

'I was drowning,' she said aloud. 'I was thrown out of the boat and was drowning. What has happened? I was coming back and the storm broke. The wine and the oil were lost. I am sure that I swam, and the water threw me down and buried me. How am I here? Who helped me?'

'Do not ask that?' said he tenderly. 'It is enough that you are here. Be still—forget.'

She raised herself higher and leaned on the skins with one elbow, and so sat half erect and fastened her gaze on him.

'Tell me, tell me; I want to know! I