Part 32 (2/2)
Francis laughed merrily.
”It is terrible, is it not, signora? But if I manage to get into any sc.r.a.pe, and have time to summon you to my a.s.sistance, be sure I will do so. But, you see, one cannot get into a sc.r.a.pe when one chooses, and I must be content, while I am away, in knowing that I have the good wishes of you and your sister.”
”Do not trouble yourself, Maria,” her father said. ”Some day an opportunity may come for our paying our debts, and in the meantime Francis is content that we should be his debtors.”
”And now, what are you going to do, papa?”
”I shall sail with you for Venice tomorrow. The governor will be sending one of the galleys with the news of the capture of the pirate, and doubtless he will give us all a pa.s.sage in her. I shall order steps to be taken at once for rebuilding the villa, and will get it completed by the spring, before which time you will be off my hands, young lady; and I shall not be altogether sorry, for you have been a very troublesome child lately.”
”It has not been my fault,” Maria pouted.
”Not at all, my dear. It has been your misfortune, and I am not blaming you at all.”
”But the trouble is now over, father!”
”So much the better for Rufino,” the merchant said. ”It will be good news to him that you are freed from the persecution of Ruggiero. And now, I must leave you, for I have arranged to ride over with the governor to the other side of the island. He has to investigate the damage which took place last evening. I hear that upwards of a score of villas were sacked and destroyed, and that many persons were killed; and while he is doing that I shall see what has to be done at our place. I don't know whether the walls are standing, or whether it will have to be entirely rebuilt, and I must arrange with some builder to to go over from here with me, and take my instructions as to what must be done.”
On the following day the party set sail for Venice, where they arrived without adventure. Preparations were at once begun for the marriage of Maria with Rufino Giustiniani, and six weeks later the wedding ceremony took place. Francis did not go to sea until this was over, for when he spoke of a fresh voyage, a short time after their return, Maria declared that she would not be married unless he remained to be present.
”You have got me out of all my sc.r.a.pes. .h.i.therto, Francisco, and you must see me safely through this.”
As Signor Polani also declared that it was not to be thought of, that Francis should leave until after the marriage, he was obliged to remain for it. He was glad, however, when it was over, for he found the time on sh.o.r.e more tedious than usual. The girls were taken up with the preparations for the ceremony, and visitors were constantly coming and going, and the house was not like itself.
But even when the marriage was over, he was forced to remain some time longer in Venice. The Genoese fleets were keeping the sea, and Pisani had not, since the battle of Antium, succeeded in coming up with them. The consequence was that commerce was at a standstill, for the risk of capture was so great that the merchants ceased to send their s.h.i.+ps to sea.
”The profit would not repay us for the risk, Francisco,” the merchant said one day when they were talking over it. ”If only one cargo in ten fell into their hands the profit off the other nine would be swept away; but as I see that you are longing to be afloat again, you can, if you like, join one of the state galleys which start next week to reinforce Pisani's fleet.
”The last time Pisani wrote to me he said how glad he should be to have you with him; and after your service at Antium, I have no doubt whatever that I could procure for you a post as second in command in one of the s.h.i.+ps. What do you say?”
”I should certainly like it, signor, greatly; but, as you said before, it would be a mere waste of time for me to take service with the state, when I am determined upon the vocation of a merchant.”
”I did say that, Francis, and meant it at the time; but at present trade is, as you see, at a standstill, so you would not be losing time, and, in the next place, it is always an advantage, even to a trader, to stand well with the state. Here in Venice all the great merchants are of n.o.ble family, and trade is no bar to occupying the highest offices of the state. Many of our doges have been merchants; while merchants are often soldiers, diplomatists, or governors, as the state requires their services.
”You have already, you see, obtained considerable benefit by the action at Antium. I do not say that you would derive any direct benefit, even were you to distinguish yourself again as highly as on that occasion. Still, it is always well to gain the consideration of your fellows, and to be popular with the people. Therefore, if you would like to take service with the state until this affair is decided with Genoa, and the seas are again open to our s.h.i.+ps, I think it will be advantageous to you rather than not.”
”Then, with your permission I will certainly do so, signor,” Francis said. ”Of course I should prefer to go as an officer on board one of the s.h.i.+ps; but if not, I will go as a volunteer.”
”You need not fear about that, Francis. With my influence, and that of the Giustiniani, and the repute you have gained for yourself, you may be sure of an appointment. Rufino would have commanded one of the s.h.i.+ps had it not been for his marriage.”
Rufino Giustiniani had indeed been most warm in his expressions of grat.i.tude to Francis, to whom the whole family had shown the greatest attention, giving him many presents as a proof of their goodwill and grat.i.tude.
”I am quite jealous of your English friend,” Rufino had said one day to Maria. ”I do believe, Maria, that you care for him more than you do for me. It is lucky for me that he is not two or three years older.”
Maria laughed.
”I do care for him dearly; and if he had been, as you say, older and had fallen in love with me, I can't say how it would have been. You must acknowledge, it would be very hard to say no to a man who keeps on saving you from frightful peril; but then, you see, a girl can't fall in love with a man who does not fall in love with her.
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