boldest　roisterers　of　the　place　would　have　preferred　to　fight　before
  the　parsonage　and　in　the　precincts　of　the　church　rather　than　in　front
  of　Solomon's　little　enclosure。　　Otherwise；　this　was　the　meeting　place
  of　the　whole　island。　　Every　evening；　precisely　at　the　same　hour；　the
  good　women　of　the　neighbourhood　came　to　knit　their　woollen　caps　and
  tell　the　news。　　Groups　of　little　children；　naked；　brown；　and　as
  mischievous　as　little　imps；　sported　about；　rolling　on　the　grass　and
  throwing　handfuls　of　sand　into　the　other's　eyes；　heedless　of　the　risk
  of　blinding；　while　their　mothers　were　engrossed　in　that　grave　gossip
  which　marks　the　dwellers　in　villages。　　These　gatherings　occurred
  daily　before　the　fisherman's　house；　they　formed　a　tacit　and　almost
  involuntary　homage；　consecrated　by　custom；　and　of　which　no　one　had
  ever　taken　special　account；　the　envy　that　rules　in　small　communities
  would　soon　have　suppressed　them。　　The　influence　which　old　Solomon　had
  over　his　equals　had　grown　so　simply　and　naturally；　that　no　one　found
  any　fault　with　it；　and　it　had　only　attracted　notice　when　everyone　was
  benefiting　by　it；　like　those　fine　trees　whose　growth　is　only　observed
  when　we　profit　by　their　shade。　　If　any　dispute　arose　in　the　island；
  the　two　opponents　preferred　to　abide　by　the　judgment　of　the　fisherman
  instead　of　going　before　the　court；　he　was　fortunate　enough　or　clever
  enough　to　send　away　both　parties　satisfied。　　He　knew　what　remedies　to
  prescribe　better　than　any　physician；　for　it　seldom　happened　that　he
  or　his　had　not　felt　the　same　ailments；　and　his　knowledge；　founded　on
  personal　experience；　produced　the　most　excellent　results。　　Moreover；
  he　had　no　interest；　as　ordinary　doctors　have；　in　prolonging
  illnesses。　　For　many　years　past　the　only　formality　recognised　as　a
  guarantee　for　the　inviolability　of　a　contract　had　been　the
  intervention　of　the　fisherman。　　Each　party　shook　hands　with　Solomon；
  and　the　thing　was　done。　　They　would　rather　have　thrown　themselves
  into　Vesuvius　at　the　moment　of　its　most　violent　eruption　than　have
  broken　so　solemn　an　agreement。　　At　the　period　when　our　story　opens；
  it　was　impossible　to　find　any　person　in　the　island　who　had　not　felt
  the　effects　of　the　fisherman's　generosity；　and　that　without　needing
  to　confess　to　him　any　necessities。　　As　it　was　the　custom　for　the
  little　populace　of　Nisida　to　spend　its　leisure　hours　before　Solomon's
  cottage；　the　old　man；　while　he　walked　slowly　among　the　different
  groups；　humming　his　favourite　song；　discovered　moral　and　physical
  weaknesses　as　he　passed　；　and　the　same　evening　he　or　his　daughter
  would　certainly　be　seen　coming　mysteriously　to　bestow　a　benefit　upon
  every　sufferer；　to　lay　a　balm　upon　every　wound。　　In　short；　he　united
  in　his　person　all　those　occupations　whose　business　is　to　help
  mankind。　　Lawyers；　doctors；　and　the　notary；　all　the　vultures　of
  civilisation；　had　beaten　a　retreat　before　the　patriarchal　benevolence
  of　the　fisherman。　　Even　the　priest　had　capitulated。
  On　the　morrow　of　the　Feast　of　the　Assumption；　Solomon　was　sitting；　as
  his　habit　was；　on　a　stone　bench　in　front　of　his　house；　his　legs
  crossed　and　his　arms　carelessly　stretched　out。　　At　the　first　glance
  you　would　have　taken　him　for　sixty　at　the　outside；　though　he　was
  really　over　eighty。　　He　had　all　his　teeth；　which　were　as　white　as
  pearls；　and　showed　them　proudly。　　His　brow；　calm　and　restful　beneath
  its　crown　of　abundant　white　hair；　was　as　firm　and　polished　as　marble；
  not　a　wrinkle　ruffled　the　corner　of　his　eye；　and　the　gem…like　lustre
  of　his　blue　orbs　revealed　a　freshness　of　soul　and　an　eternal　youth
  such　as　fable　grants　to　the　sea…gods。　　He　displayed　his　bare　arms　and
  muscular　neck　with　an　old　man's　vanity。　　Never　had　a　gloomy　idea；　an
  evil　prepossession；　or　a　keen　remorse；　arisen　to　disturb　his　long　and
  peaceful　life。　　He　had　never　seen　a　tear　flow　near　him　without
  hurrying　to　wipe　it；　poor　though　he　was；　he　had　succeeded　in　pouring
  out　benefits　that　all　the　kings　of　the　earth　could　not　have　bought
  with　their　gold；　ignorant　though　he　was；　he　had　spoken　to　his　fellows
  the　only　language　that　they　could　understand；　the　language　of　the
  heart。　　One　single　drop　of　bitterness　had　mingled　with　his
  inexhaustible　stream　of　happiness；　one　grief　only　had　clouded　his
  sunny　lifethe　death　of　his　wifeand　moreover　he　had　forgotten
  that。
  All　the　affections　of　his　soul　were　turned　upon　Nisida；　whose　birth
  had　caused　her　mother's　death；　he　loved　her　with　that　immoderate　love
  that　old　people　have　for　the　youngest　of　their　children。　　At　the
  present　moment　he　was　gazing　upon　her　with　an　air　of　profound
  rapture；　and　watching　her　come　and　go；　as　she　now　joined　the　groups
  of　children　and　scolded　them　for　games　too　dangerous　or　too　noisy；
  now　seated　herself　on　the　grass　beside　their　mothers　and　took　part
  with　grave　and　thoughtful　interest　in　their　talk。　　Nisida　was　more
  beautiful　thus　than　she　had　been　the　day　before；　with　the　vaporous
  cloud　of　perfume　that　had　folded　her　round　from　head　to　foot　had
  disappeared　all　that　mystic　poetry　which　put　a　sort　of　constraint
  upon　her　admirers　and　obliged　them　to　lower　their　glances。　　She　had
  become　a　daughter　of　Eve　again　without　losing　anything　of　her　charm。
  Simply　dressed；　as　she　usually　was　on　work…days；　she　was
  distinguishable　among　her　companions　only　by　her　amazing　beauty　and
  by　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　her　skin。　　Her　beautiful　black　hair　was
  twisted　in　plaits　around　the　little　dagger　of　chased　silver；　that　has
  lately　been　imported　into　Paris　by　that　right　of　conquest　which　the
  pretty　women　of　Paris　have　over　the　fashions　of　all　countries；　like
  the　English　over　the　sea。
  Nisida　was　adored　by　her　young　friends；　all　the　mothers　had　adopted
  her　with　pride；　she　was　the　glory　of　the　island。　　The　opinion　of　her
  superiority　was　shared　by　everyone　to　such　a　degree；　that　if　some
  bold　young　man；　forgetting　the　distance　which　divided　him　from　the
  maiden；　dared　speak　a　little　too　loudly　of　his　pretensions；　he　became
  the　laughing…stock　of　his　companions。　　Even　the　past　masters　of
  tarentella　dancing　were　out　of　countenance　before　the　daughter　of
  Solomon；　and　did　not　dare　to　seek　her　as　a　partner。　　Only　a　few
  singers　from　Amalfi　or　Sorrento；　attracted　by　the　rare　beauty　of　this
  angelic　creature；　ventured　to　sigh　out　their　passion；　carefully
  veiled　beneath　the　most　delicate　allusions。　　But　they　seldom　reached
  the　last　verse　of　their　song；　at　every　sound　they　stopped　short；
  threw　down　their　triangles　and　their　mandolines；　and　took　flight　like
  scared　nightingales。
  One　only　had　courage　enough　or　passion　enough　to　brave　the　mockery；
  this　was　Bastiano；　the　most　formidable　diver　of　that　coast。　　He　also
  sang；　but　with　a　deep　and　hollow　voice；　his　chant　was　mournful　and
  his　melodies　full　of　sadness。　　He　never　accompanied　himself　upon　any
  instrument；　and　never　retired　without　concluding　his　song。　　That　day
  he　was　gloomier　than　usual；　he　was　standing　upright；　as　though　by
  enchantment；　upon　a　bare　and　slippery　rock；　and　he　cast　scornful
  glances　upon　the　women　who　were　looking　at　him　and　laughing。　　The
  sun；　which　was　plunging　into　the　sea　like　a　globe　of　fire；　shed　its
  light　full　upon　his　stern　features；　and　the　evening　breeze；　as　it
  lightly　rippled　the　billows；　set　the　fluttering　reeds　waving　at　his
  feet。　　Absorbed　by　dark　thoughts；　he　sang；　in　the　musical　language　of
  his　country；　these　sad　words：
  〃O　window；　that　wert　used　to　shine　in　the　night　like　an　open　eye；　how
  dark　thou　art！　　Alas；　alas！　my　poor　sister　is　ill。
  〃Her　mother；　all　in　tears；　stoops　towards　me　and　says；　'Thy　poor
  sister　is　dead　and　buried。'
  〃Jesus！　　Jesus！　　Have　pity　on　me！　　You　stab　me　to　the　heart。
  〃Tell　me；　good　neighbours；　how　it　happened；　repeat　to　me　her　last
  words。
  〃She　had　a　burning　thirst；　and　refused　to　drink　because　thou　wast　not
  there　to　give　her　water　from　thy　hand。
  〃Oh；　my　sister！　　Oh；　my　sister！
  〃She　refused　her　mother's　kiss；　because　thou　wast　not　there　to
  embrace　her。
  〃Oh；　my　sister！　　Oh；　my　sister！
  〃She　wept　until　her　last　breath；　because　thou　wast　not　there　to　dry
  her　tears。
  〃Oh；　my　sister！　　Oh；　my　sister！
  〃We　placed　on　her　brow　her　wreath　of　orangeflowers；　we　covered　her
  with　a　veil　as　white　as　snow；　we　laid　her　gently　in　her　coffin。
  〃Thanks；　good　neighbours。　　I　will　go　and　be　with　her。
  〃Two　angels　came　down　from　heaven　and　bore　her　away　on　their　wings。
  Mary　Magdalene　came　to　meet　her　at　the　gate　of　heaven。
  〃Thanks；　good　neighbours。　　I　will　go　and　be　with　her。
  〃There；　she　was　seated　in　a　place　of　glory；　a　chaplet　of　rubies　was
  given　to　her；　and　she　is　singing　her　rosary　with　the　Virgin。
  〃Thanks；　good　neighbours。　　I　will　go　and　be　with　her。
  As　he　finished　the　last　words　of　his　melancholy　refrain；　he　flung
  himself　from　the　top　of　his　rock　into　the　sea；　as　though　he　really
  desired　to　engulf　himself。　　Nisida　and　the　other　women　gave　a　cry　of
  terror；　for　during　some　minutes　the　diver　failed　to　reappear　upon　the
  surface。
  〃Are　you　out　of　your　senses？〃　cried　a　young　man　who　had　suddenly
  appeared；　unobserved　among　the　women。　　〃Why；　what　are　you　afraid　of？
  You　know　very　well　that　Bastiano　is　always　doing　things　of　this　sort。
  But　do　not　be　alarmed：　all　the　fishes　in　the　Mediterranea