Volume I Part 56 (1/2)
Jacopo noticed her hesitation, and said with a smile that tore his heart into pieces:
”I have also asked Parlo to accoood coan to beam, and Jacopo suffered the pains of torment when he perceived it, but took heart and said coolly:
”I shall in the o to the shore to see whether the nets are all in proper condition”
He went, and when he returned after a while, and accidentally threw a glance at the , he found Parlo in Manuelita's ar knees the unfortunate remained almost petrified on the spot; and when he revived a little and caay, and nobody could guess what anguish of soul he suffered
”Are you ready?” he inquired quietly
”Yes,” nodded Manuelita
”Then let us go; the nets are all ready”
Like an autouilty pair; he mechanically answered questions, and when Manuelita offered her lips for a kiss after being helped into the boat, he had sufficient power over hilided through the blue waves of the ocean; Manuelita's dark curls played with the wind, and Parlo was intoxicated with joy as he looked at her Jacopo sat at the rudder and looked inquiringly at a small dark cloud which appeared on the horizon some distance off and quickly neared theo with full sail before the wind, and soon nothing but the sky and water could be seen
Parlo and Manuelita, engaged with each other, did not perceive the change in the weather, and when they heard in the distance a hollow, rolling sound they quickly arose to their feet
Manuelita tre her beautiful eyes to Jacopo she inquired anxiously:
”Jacopo, is there a storly, as he threw his net into the sea; ”it is of no importance”
Jacopo was an experienced seanify, you could depend on it that he was right Manuelita saw that Jacopo was quite unconcerned, and looking at the roaring, rising waves she again grew calhed and joked, and, behind Jacopo's back, stole htning came down; the thunder rolled, and the black, cloudy wall rose ever higher on the blue horizon Jacopo, however, did notand dipped his net into the sea That he always drew it out empty did not trouble hilance at the others and gnashed his teeth
Suddenly a heavy gale caught the foresail and tore it to shreds; the mainsail was also destroyed, then the foresail fell to the deck
With a loud cry Manuelita sank on her knees and Parlo cried out terrified:
”Jacopo, we are lost!”
”Save us, Jacopo,” sobbed the Catalonian; and then she n of the cross and muttered a prayer, while the storm increased in fury
Jacopo reh in his right hand, while the boat tossed like a nutshell and the noise of the storm deadened all other sounds
”The boat is too heavy,”his axe he cut off the mizzen-mast close to the deck Neither Parlo nor Manuelita said a word, and, engaged only with each other, believed that Jacopo was trying to save them, and only as the mast heavily struck the waves realized their peril
The storht boat and twisted her round here and there Jacopo lifted his axe again and cut down also the forely, ”save us--we drown!”
Parlo pretended that he did not hear these words, for Jacopo's curious fixed look had put hiot everything, and, clasping her hands around Parlo's neck, she sobbed out: