I shall soon be with you!'"
"Ah, may this dream but prove true!" sighed Marianne, Natalie's faithful
companion. She was standing, not far from her mistress, with Carlo, and
both were tenderly observing the young maiden, who now smilingly grasped
her guitar and commenced a song of joy for Paulo's expected return!
"I have no faith in our count's return!" whispered Marianne while
Natalie was singing. "It is a bad sign that no news, not a line, nor
even the shortest message, had yet come from him. Something unusual,
some great and uncontrollable misfortune, must have prevented his
writing!"
"You do not think they have imprisoned him?" asked Carlo.
"I fear it," sighed Marianne. "And if so, what fate then awaits our
poor princess? Helpless, alone, without means! For if the count is
imprisoned, he will no longer be in a condition to send money as he
promised. And we now possess only a thousand scudi, with double that
amount in diamonds!"
"Then we are still rich enough to keep off deprivations for a time!"
said Carlo.
"But when at length these last resources are exhausted?" asked
Marianne--"when we no longer have either money or diamonds--how then?"
"Oh, then," exclaimed Carlo, with a beaming face, "then will we labor
for her! That, also, will be a pleasure, Marianne!"
While the two were thus conversing, Natalie, with a happy smile and
cheerful face, was still singing her hymn of joy for Paulo's approaching
return to the accompaniment of the rustling trees, the murmuring
fountains, and the chirping birds in the myrtle-bush.
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