The strangest and most dramatic happenings have the knack of settling down into the commonplace,--and so in due course the days at the Palazzo d'Oro went on tranquilly,--Manella being established there and known as "la bella Signora Seaton" by the natives of the little surrounding villages, who were gradually brought to understand the helpless condition of her husband and pitied her accordingly. Lady Kingswood had agreed to stay as friend and protectress to the girl as long as Morgana desired it,--indeed she had no wish to leave the beautiful Sicilian home she had so fortunately found, and where she was treated with so much kindness and consideration.
There was no lack or stint of wealth to carry out every arranged plan, and Manella was too simple and primitive in her nature to question anything that her "little white angel" as she called her, suggested or commanded. Intensely grateful for the affectionate care bestowed upon her, she acquiesced in what she understood to be the methods of possible cure for the ruined man to whom she had bound her life.
"If he gets well--quite, quite well"--she said, lifting her splendid dark eyes to Morgana's blue as "love-in-a-mist" "I will go away and give him to you!"
And she meant it, having no predominant idea in her mind save that of making her elect beloved happy.
Meanwhile Morgana announced her intention of taking another aerial voyage in the "White Eagle"--much to the joy of Giulio Rivardi. Receiving his orders to prepare the wonderful air-ship for a long flight, he and Gaspard worked energetically to perfect every detail. Where he had previously felt a certain sense of fear as to the capabilities of the great vessel, controlled by a force of which Morgana alone had the secret, he was now full of certainty and confidence, and told her so.
"I am glad"--he said--"that you are leaving this place where you have installed people who to me seem quite out of keeping with it. That terrible man who shouts 'I am master of the world'!--ah, cara Madonna!--I did not work at your fairy Palazzo d'Oro for such an occupant!"
"I know you did not;"-=she answered, gently--"Nor did I intend it to be so occupied. I dreamed of it as a home of pleasure where I should dwell--alone! And you said it would be lonely!--you remember?"
"I said it was a place for love!" he replied.
"You were right! And love inhabits it--love of the purest, most unselfish nature--"