"Gaspare! Is it you?"
She saw a dark figure standing up in the boat.
"Gaspare, is it you?" she cried, more loudly.
"Si."
Was it Gaspare's voice? She did not recognize it. Yet the voice had answered "Yes." The boat still remained motionless on the water midway between shore and shore. She did not speak again; she was afraid to speak. She stood and stared at the boat and at the motionless figure standing up in it. Why did not he row in to land? What was he doing there? She stared at the boat and at the figure standing in it till she could see nothing. Then she shut her eyes.
"Gaspare!" she called, keeping her eyes shut. "What are you doing? Gaspare!"
There was no reply.
She opened her eyes, and now she could see the boat again and the rower.
"Gaspare!" she cried, with all her strength, to the black figure. "Why don't you row to the shore? Why don't you come to me?"
"Vengo!"