Signor has introduced," remarked Mrs. Santon, endeavoring to draw him
out, when the Sea-flower had departed.

"I am perfectly amazed at her original rendering of the Italian,"
replied Delwood, "and I think I can safely say, that among all my
sojournings among their people, I have never met with one whose style is
more pure than that of Miss Grosvenor's. I should certainly say that
she is of Italian birth, though she tells me that she has never crossed
the Atlantic."

"She is evidently captivated with their people, or perhaps I may more
properly say, with the only person she has ever met of that nation,"
said Mrs. Santon, with a mysterious manner.

"To what or whom do you refer?" asked Delwood, in an altered tone of
voice.

"Mr. Delwood, I feel that it is my duty to inform you of a matter, which
has been a source of no little uneasiness, not only to myself, but to
every member of my family; and as you have shown a manifest interest in
Miss Grosvenor, it is not well that you should remain in ignorance of
what so deeply concerns your welfare."

"Speak! what can it be?" asked Delwood, pale with emotion.

"Do not allow yourself to be thus moved, I pray you; but what I have to
say is, that three months ago, we gave the Signor notice that we should
require his services no longer, as we had reason to believe his visits
were becoming something more than mere professional calls, and to our
great consternation, we found that Miss Grosvenor was not entirely