"Heaven delights to effect its wise intentions by natural means," thought Wagner within himself. "But surely it could not have been through the agency of Nisida that this boat was left upon the shore? No," he added aloud, after a still closer inspection; "the rope fastened to the prow has been snapped asunder! Doubtless the boat became detached from one of the ships which appeared off the island yesterday, and which," he said in a low murmuring voice, and with an ill-subdued sigh, "have afforded Nisida the means of departure hence." He sat down, exhausted; and as he found leisure for recollection--as his thoughts composed themselves and settled down into something like collected calmness--he felt a sensation of indescribable joy at having triumphed over the appalling temptations which had beset him. And in his soul a voice seemed to be singing an anthem of delight and gratitude; and he soon experienced a serenity of mind such as he had not known for many hours past! When man, having yielded to temptation, succeeds in escaping the perils of the consequences, he beholds a strong motive for self-gratulation;--but how ineffably more sweet is it to be able to reflect that the temptation itself has been avoided in the first instance, and that the dangers of the results have never even been risked. Thus thought Wagner:--but not for a moment did he attribute to any strength of mind on his own part, the escape which had just been effected from the snares set by the evil one. No; he acknowledged within himself, and with all due humility, that the hand of the Almighty had sustained him in his most trying moments of peril; and ere he thought of resuming his journey to that side of the island on which Nisida was not, he knelt in fervent prayer. Rising from his knees, his eyes accidentally swept the sea:--and he was riveted to the spot from which he was about to turn away--for the white sails of the Ottoman fleet met his astonished view. He remained gazing on those objects for some time, until he was convinced they were nearing the island. For a few moments a deep regret took possession of him:--he should lose his Nisida irrevocably! But his next impulse was to wrestle with this feeling--to combat this weakness. How could he have hoped ever to rejoin her without rendering himself again liable to the witchery of her siren tongue--the eloquence of her silver-toned voice--the persuasiveness of her graceful manners? No; it were better that she should depart; it were preferable that he should lose her and preserve his immortal soul. Thus reasoned he;--and that reasoning was effectual. He waited only long enough to assure himself that the fleet was positively approaching the island:--he then knew that she would depart;--and, without permitting himself to yield again to the weakness which had for a few moments threatened to send him back within the sphere of Nisida's fatal influence, he tore himself away from that point amongst the heights which commanded the