Page 608 of 1118

"Rise," said he to Lucy, who, at the noise of his step, and at

the sound of his voice, had been seized with new terror. She

buried her face in her hands, and remained silent and trembling

before him.

"Rise; I will not harm you; I can befriend you," said the signor.

"Rise!" repeated he, in a voice of thunder, irritated at having

spoken in vain.

As if alarm had restored her exhausted strength, the unfortunate

girl fell on her knees, clasped her hands on her breast, as if

before a sacred image, then with her eyes fixed on the earth,

exclaimed, "Here I am, murder me if you will."

"I have already told you that I will not harm you," replied the

Unknown, in a more gentle tone, gazing at her agonised and

altered features.

"Courage, courage," said the old woman. "He tells you himself

that he will not harm you."

"And why," resumed Lucy, in a voice in which indignation and

despair were mingled with alarm and dismay,-"why make me suffer

the torments of hell? What have I done to you?"