"
San Miniato started. There was a sudden change in Ruggiero's face.
"Land me!" cried the Count in a commanding tone.
"In hell!" answered the sailor's deep voice.
At the same moment he dropped the torch, and seizing the bags of
ballast that lay between his feet, hove them overboard, springing across
the thwarts towards San Miniato as he let them go. The line slipped to
the side as the heavy weight sank and the boat turned over just as the
strong man's terrible fingers closed round his enemy's throat in the
darkness. San Miniato's death cry rent the still air--there was a little
splashing, and all was done.
* * * * *
So I have told my tale, such as it is, how Ruggiero of the Children of
the King gave himself body and soul to free Beatrice Granmichele from a
life's bondage. She wore mourning a whole year for her affianced
husband, but the mourning in her heart was for the strong, brave,
unreasoning man, who, utterly unloved, had given all for her sake, in
this world and the next.
But when the year was over, Bastianello married Teresina, and took her
to the home he had made for her by the sea--a home in which she should
be happy, and in which at least there can never be want, for Beatrice
has settled money on them both, and they are safe from sordid poverty,
at all events.
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