I am not a child, to tumble into the fire because the leading-strings are off; and le Feu-Follet shines or goes out, exactly as it suits her purposes.

The frigate, ten to one, will just run close in and take a near look, and then square away and go to Livorno, where there is much more to amuse her officers, than here in Porto Ferrajo.
This Sir Brown has his Ghita, as well as Raoul Yvard." "No, not a Ghita, I fear, Raoul," answered the girl, smiling in spite of herself, while her color almost insensibly deepened--"Livorno has few ignorant country girls, like me, who have been educated in a lone watch-tower on the coast." "Ghita," answered Raoul, with feeling, "that poor lone watch-tower of thine might well be envied by many a noble dame at Roma and at Napoli; it has left thee innocent and pure--a gem that gay capitals seldom contain; or, if found there, not in its native beauty, which they sully by use." "What know'st thou, Raoul, of Roma and Napoli, and of noble dames and rich gems ?" asked the girl, smiling, the tenderness which had filled her heart at that moment betraying itself in her eyes.
"What do I know of such things, truly! why, I have been at both places, and have seen what I describe.

I went to Roma on purpose to see the Holy Father, in order to make certain whether our French opinions of his character and infallibility were true or not, before I set up in religion for myself." "And thou _didst_ find him holy and venerable, Raoul," interposed the girl, with earnestness and energy, for this was the great point of separation between them--"I _know_ thou found'st him thus, and worthy to be the head of an ancient and true church.

My eyes never beheld him; but this do I _know_ to be true." Raoul was aware that the laxity of his religious opinions, opinions that he may be said to have inherited from his country, as it then existed morally, alone prevented Ghita from casting aside all other ties, and following his fortunes in weal and in woe.

Still he was too frank and generous to deceive, while he had ever been too considerate to strive to unsettle her confiding and consoling faith.