Part 44 (1/2)
”But how did you manage to pa.s.s through their galleys?”
”I landed on this side of Pelestrina, and had the gondola carried across, and launched in the channel inside their cordon; and it was not until we entered the last pa.s.sage--that by Brondolo--that we were noticed. Then there was a sharp chase for a bit, but we outstripped them, and got safely across to Pelestrina. One of the galleys, in the excitement of the chase, ran fast into the mud; and Matteo, with some of his men, waded out and captured the officer and crew. So there is every prospect of our succeeding tomorrow.”
”All that is good,” Polani said; ”but to me, just at present, I own that the princ.i.p.al thing is that you have got safely back. Now I will not keep you from your bed, for I suppose that you will not be able to lie late in the morning.”
Francis certainly did not intend to do so, but the sun was high before he woke. He hurriedly dressed, and went downstairs.
”I have seen the admiral,” Polani said as he entered, ”and told him that you were sound asleep, and I did not intend to wake you, for that you were looking worn and knocked up. He said: 'Quite right! The lad is so willing and active, that I forget sometimes that he is not an old sea dog like myself, accustomed to sleep with one eye open, and to go without sleep altogether for days if necessary.' So you need not hurry over your breakfast. The girls are dying to hear your adventures.”
As he took his breakfast, Francis gave the girls an account of his expedition.
”And so, you saw Rufino!” Maria said. ”Did he inquire after me? You told him, I hope, that I was fading away rapidly from grief at his absence.”
”I did not venture upon so flagrant an untruth as that,” Francis replied.
”Is he very uncomfortable?”
”Not very, signora. He has a good tent, some excellent wine, an allowance of bread, which might be larger, and occasionally fish. As he has also the gift of excellent spirits, I do not think he is greatly to be pitied--except, of course, for his absence from you.”
”That, of course,” Maria said. ”When he does come here, he always tells me a moving tale of his privations, in hopes of exciting pity; but, unfortunately, I cannot help laughing at his tales of hards.h.i.+p. But we were really anxious about you last night, Francisco, and very thankful when we heard you had returned.
”Weren't we, Giulia?”
Giulia nodded.
”Giulia hasn't much to say when you are here, Francisco, but she can chatter about you fast enough when we are alone.”
”How can you say so, Maria?” Giulia said reproachfully.
”Well, my dear, there is no harm in that. For aught he knows, you may be saying the most unkind things about him, all the time.”
”I am sure he knows that I should not do that,” Giulia said indignantly.
”By the way, do you know, Francisco, that all Venice is in a state of excitement! A proclamation has been issued by the doge, this morning, that all should be in their galleys and at their posts at noon, under pain of death. So everyone knows that something is about to be done, at last.”
”Then it is time for me to be off,” Francis said, rising hastily, ”for it is ten o'clock already.”
”Take your time, my lad,” the merchant said. ”There is no hurry, for Pisani told me, privately, that they should not sail until after dark.”
It was not, indeed, until nearly eight o'clock in the evening, that the expedition started. At the hour of vespers, the doge, Pisani, and the other leaders of the expedition, attended ma.s.s in the church of Saint Mark, and then proceeded to their galleys, where all was now in readiness.
Pisani led the first division, which consisted of fourteen galleys. The doge, a.s.sisted by Cavalli, commanded in the centre; and Corbaro brought up the rear, with ten large s.h.i.+ps. The night was beautifully bright and calm, a light and favourable breeze was blowing, and all Venice a.s.sembled to see the departure of the fleet.
Just after it pa.s.sed through the pa.s.sage of the Lido, a thick mist came on. Pisani stamped up and down the deck impatiently.
”If this goes on, it will ruin us,” he said. ”Instead of arriving in proper order at the mouth of the pa.s.sages, and occupying them before the Genoese wake up to a sense of their danger, we shall get there one by one, they will take the alarm, and we shall have their whole fleet to deal with. It will be simply ruin to our scheme.”
Fortunately, however, the fog speedily lifted. The vessels closed up together, and, in two hours after starting, arrived off the entrances to the channels. Pisani anch.o.r.ed until daylight appeared, and nearly five thousand men were then landed on the Brondolo's sh.o.r.e, easily driving back the small detachment placed there. But the alarm was soon given, and the Genoese poured out in such overwhelming force that the Venetians were driven in disorder to their boats, leaving behind them six hundred killed, drowned, or prisoners.