It was the custom of Adrian and myself to go out each day in our skiff to

forage in the adjacent country. In these expeditions we were seldom

accompanied by Clara or her little charge, but our return was an hour of

hilarity. Evelyn ransacked our stores with childish eagerness, and we

always brought some new found gift for our fair companion. Then too we made

discoveries of lovely scenes or gay palaces, whither in the evening we all

proceeded. Our sailing expeditions were most divine, and with a fair wind

or transverse course we cut the liquid waves; and, if talk failed under the

pressure of thought, I had my clarionet with me, which awoke the echoes,

and gave the change to our careful minds. Clara at such times often

returned to her former habits of free converse and gay sally; and though

our four hearts alone beat in the world, those four hearts were happy.

One day, on our return from the town of Como, with a laden boat, we

expected as usual to be met at the port by Clara and Evelyn, and we were

somewhat surprised to see the beach vacant. I, as my nature prompted, would

not prognosticate evil, but explained it away as a mere casual incident.

Not so Adrian. He was seized with sudden trembling and apprehension, and he

called to me with vehemence to steer quickly for land, and, when near,

leapt from the boat, half falling into the water; and, scrambling up the

steep bank, hastened along the narrow strip of garden, the only level space

between the lake and the mountain. I followed without delay; the garden and

inner court were empty, so was the house, whose every room we visited.

Adrian called loudly upon Clara's name, and was about to rush up the near

mountain-path, when the door of a summer-house at the end of the garden

slowly opened, and Clara appeared, not advancing towards us, but leaning

568

The Last Man