"To my mind, my dear," was all I said, "it is a very beautiful view." She fell silent again, and absorbed herself in her own thoughts.

We turned into a new winding of the valley--and there, walking towards us from the opposite direction, was a human figure at last--the figure of a solitary man! As we got nearer to each other I perceived that he was a gentleman; dressed in a light shooting-jacket, and wearing a felt hat of the conical Italian shape.

A little nearer--and I saw that he was young.

Nearer still--and I discovered that he was handsome, though in rather an effeminate way.

At the same moment, Lucilla heard his footstep.