Another thought it was a cargo of priests, going from Corsica to Rome; but she was told that priests were not in sufficient favor just then in France, to get a vessel so obviously superior to the ordinary craft of the Mediterranean, to carry them about.

While a third, more imaginative than either, ventured to doubt whether it was a vessel at all; deceptive appearances of this sort not being of rare occurrence, and usually taking the aspect of something out of the ordinary way.
"_Si_," said Annina, "but that would be a miracle, Maria; and why should we have a miracle, now that Lent and most of the holidays are past?
_I_ believe it is a real vessel." The others laughed, and, after a good deal of eager chattering on the subject, it was quite generally admitted that the stranger was a _bona fide_ craft, of some species or another, though all agreed she was not a felucca, a bombarda, or a sparanara.

All this time Ghita was thoughtful and silent; quite as much so, indeed, as Tommaso himself, though from a very different motive.

Nothwithstanding all the gossip, and the many ludicrous opinions of her companions, her eyes scarcely turned an instant from the lugger, on which they seemed to be riveted by a sort of fascination.

Had there been one there sufficiently unoccupied to observe this interesting girl, he might have been struck with the varying expression of a countenance that was teeming with sensibility, and which too often reflected the passing emotions of its mistress's mind.