Part 6 (1/2)
Ada listened to the softly-flowing expressions of the voluble prince, and believed him to be a perfect patriot Had she known a little ht otherwise, and yet, who can say, that while the prince was speaking to her, he did not feel all he expressed New hopes, feelings, and aspirations rushed into his ht yet be in store for his country and himself--and while he remained by her side, the force of those sensations continued It ith unwillingness, and even pain, that he was obliged to yield her up again to Captain Fleetwood, as naturally on the watch to lish Captain--for he soon saw that, though Miss Garden listened to his own honeyed words with pleasure, her heart was in the safe keeping of one whom he, all of a sudden, chose to consider as his rival
”No et him”
He sauntered about the roo little attention to the fair ladies who surrounded him, and it must be owned, was sadly indifferent to the charht Colonel Gauntlett, whoe in conversation It was certainly of a peculiar nature, and the leaned s to the colonel in return A other pieces of advice, he recoold as he could with hi hily advised him also to keep it in his trunks, as they, in case of shi+pwreck, would s It is extraordinary how very attentive and full of forethought he was
The ball was at length over Jack Raby and Jemmy Duff vowed that they had never enjoyed theereement to introduce one another to each other's partners, and, at the same time, to puff off each other's wealth and connections, which plan they found answer very satisfactorily
The Prince Caramitzo, as he threw a sea-cloak over his shoulder in front of the hotel, took the arm of Captain Dunnup, and warmly pressed his hand
”I have much reason to thank you for your politeness, sir, and shall be glad to welcome you to Greece”
The captain expressed his satisfaction at having been useful to hireat probability there was of his shortly having to pay a visit to that country, at all events, of having to leave Malta
They then parted with mutual expressions of esteem
The Greek then took the arether they sauntered down the street, every now and then stopping to ascertain whether any person fro where they went
Captain Fleetalked to his lodgings in an unusually s of disaster, which even his strong h he knew they arose froued and worried
To-morrow he must take his farewell of his beloved Ada for an indefinite period; for, though he intended to hurry back froland as soon as possible, he knew that nuht occur to delay him He had also ventured to speak to Colonel Gauntlett, for the first time, of his love for his niece; and the reception he had ht be expected,hoether: she had not spoken, for she could not trust her voice
”Niece,” said the colonel, stae, as if to arouse her, ”you were talking and dancing a great deal toonaval man--that Captain Fleetwood--and after what I said to you at the cohly reprehensible”
”I confess I spoke to hiirl, in a tremulous voice ”I hoped that you would not blame me, as he said that he would speak to you and explain everything”
”Well, young lady, he did speak tohe said, too He had the folly--the outrageous, unconscionable folly--to ask me to allow you to ain ale ”He had the folly; but I was not fool enough to accede to it--I refused hi woain”
With a sad heart Ada placed her head on her pillow, and, with a sadder still, she rose on the following e
CHAPTER SIX
The crew of the Sicilian speronara were busily engaged the whole fore part of the day in discharging the s chiefly of corn and other provisions, hich their vessel was laden
When this was done she immediately cleared out at the custo even visited the shore, she got up her anchor, and co yard of her foresail was first hoisted, and its folds of white canvas let fall, and when her head paid round, her ot on her, and sheeted ho out of the harbour, as it at first appeared she was about to do, after she had gone a little distance, just between Fort Saint Angelo and Fort Ricasoli, she hauled her foresail to ard, and hove to The probable cause of this was soon explained, for a small boat was seen to dart out from beneath the fortifications of Valetta, and to take its way across the harbour towards her, carrying a person in the stern-sheets, wrapped up in a cloak, with a broad-bri his features The hat uise, for the rays of the sun, striking down full upon the water, were very ardent, and there was good reason for its being worn to protect him from their fury; but there was not quite sothe Italian fashi+on, he carried that also over his shoulders for the saside the speronara, when the person, whoever he was, stepped out, and the foresail being let draw, the beautiful little craft stood out of the harbour The boat on its return was found to belong to the boat questioned as to the person he had conveyed on board the speronara, declared that he had not the slightest notion who he was--that he had never before seen his face, and that he could not tell whether he was an Englishht the former He said, all he kneas, that he had coed his boat, and as he had paid him well for the job, it was not his business to eneral opinion was, that he was so his escape from his creditors; but by the time the proper authorities were informed of the supposed fact, and the necessary measures taken to ascertain its truth, the delinquent was far beyond their reach
The as about north-west--there was a nice fresh breeze, and supposing that the speronara was bound for Syracuse, she could, hauling as close to the wind as she was able to do, easily lay her course for that port Either, however, she was carelessly steered, or she was bound to so round Saint Elmo, she fell off considerably froht have been supposed to have got beyond the range of observation of those on shore, ere not likely to take nificant a little craft, and of so ordinary a rig, she eased off both her sheets, and, with the wind on her larboard quarter, indeed, al By this course she crossed in a short tih at a considerable distance, she was enabled to watch any vessel co out
Her movements, however, were not totally unobserved, for Captain Fleetwood, who had called at the house of Colonel Gauntlett, early in thein a disconsolatein ay his duty should direct him to proceed, when his eye fell on the speronara, hove-to directly below hi her side
As he had, like lass in his pocket, he directed it towards the little vessel, and auished the figure of the stranger who had paid soNow, as he understood that that gentleman was about to sail immediately for Greece, he was naturally surprised, indeed so unlikely did it appear, that he thought heof a suspicious disposition, yet coone on board, and the doubtful character of the craft herself, he determined to watch her movements
Another cause also combined to create very extraordinary suspicions in his er, who had made his appearance so suddenly in Malta On his way to Colonel Gauntlett's residence, that , he had passed the office of the chief of the harbour police, and on looking in to speak a ith Captain S--, he found hi three Greek merchants, who stated that the vessel in which they were e from Athens to Sicily, had been plundered by a well-known pirate of the name of Zappa, and that he had appeared on board their vessel; that they had spoken to him, and that they felt almost confident that they had seen the sauise, in a coffee-house in Valetta on the previous evening They acknowledged, that though at first they had no doubt of his identity, yet that when he caered in their belief; but that after he had disappeared it again occurred to thereater force than ever, that he ht When convinced of this they i in with hi him over to the police; but they were unsuccessful in their search, and when, after many inquiries, they learned before whom they should make their depositions, it was too late in the day to see any one After sleeping on the subject, they were as strong in their opinion as on the previous night, and the first thing in thethey had come, they said, to make their statement Captain S-- listened attentively He told theht they must be mistaken as to the identity of the person, as he could not believe that a pirate would have the audacity to venture into Valetta; particularly just after he had coed their shoulders, but asserted that from what they had heard of Zappa, they believed him capable of any act of hardihood
”At all events,” observed Captain S--, ”I will take your description of the gentlee and anifellow for a cut-throat, at all events I will order the police instantly to go in search of him, and if he can be found, of which I have no doubt, ill examine hinor Zappa, he will, probably, before side Captain Delano and his shi+pht, and on their retiring, officers were instantly despatched in search of the supposed pirate