Part 26 (1/2)
As Zappa was speaking, Nina rose, and as she stood in the recess of the window, with the beams of the pale moon lighting up her countenance, which would otherwise have been cast in shadow, her figure appeared to grow more pure and ethereal, even to the eyes of the fierce and lawless pirate. Her fair and slender hands were clasped on her bosom, while she turned on him a look in which pain and reproach were mingled, as she answered--
”I would gladly do your will in all things; I would willingly afford aid to one in distress, to one who undeservedly suffers, who is torn from her kindred and friends; but speak not to me of jealousy, Zappa, I have trusted you too much, I love you too devotedly, as you well know, to be influenced by such a feeling. Let the lady arrive when she may she is welcome.”
Poor girl! even as she spoke, the first pangs of the deadly poison had shot through her heart, though she knew not what was the cause of the feeling which oppressed her. She thought it was the indifference of his tone, the light carelessness of his words which gave her pain, yet he was always accustomed to speak in that way, for to things serious or sacred he paid little regard.
”I will not, then, suppose you jealous, Nina, since you like it not to be suspected that you are even capable of the feeling,” answered the pirate, throwing himself back on the divan, and laughing; ”I shall not, however, yet put you to the test, but when the lady arrives you will treat her as one to whom all courtesy is due.”
”I have promised to do so,” replied the Italian girl, still standing in the position she had a.s.sumed at a distance from him.
”Then do not look so cold, and glance your eye repulsively on me,”
exclaimed Zappa; ”one might suppose that I were a monster unfit for one so fair and pure as you to gaze on.”
Nina burst into tears.
”You are unkind and I am weak,” she exclaimed pa.s.sionately. ”You confess to me that you are a pirate and a robber, that your hand is stained with the blood of your fellow-men--of men not slain because they are the enemies of your country, but because they attempted to guard the treasure committed to their charge, and I ought to loathe and detest you, and yet I cannot--I love, I love you still.”
And she sank down on her knees at his feet, and hiding her face in the cus.h.i.+ons of the divan, gave way to a flood of tears, while her bosom heaved as if she were struggling for existence.
Zappa gazed at her for some minutes without speaking, till the paroxysm of the fit had pa.s.sed away, when compunction, or it might have been a less amiable feeling, seized him, and stooping down, he raised her in his arms.
”I was but trying you, lovely one,” he said, in a soft tone. ”I am not the blood-stained monster I painted myself. My hand has never slain a fellow-man except in self-defence; and is not so unworthy as you would believe to be clasped in yours. Besides, Nina, you are, as far as your church makes you so, my wedded wife--for good or for evil, for wealth or for poverty, and must not, sweet one, play the tyrant over me. But a truce with this folly--I am weary of it,” he cried, starting up; ”I have many directions to give about my brave barque, which I must not forget-- even for your sake,--and I must see old Vlacco, and consult with him about improving the fortifications of our island--for, with enemies on all sides, these are not times when we can trust to our remote position as before, and to such old defences as nature has provided. Farewell; and when I return, let me see the accustomed smile resting on those sweet lips.”
He kissed her as he spoke; and, without waiting for an answer, he quitted the chamber, and she heard him descending the steps of the tower. She hid her face in her hands, and there seemed but little prospect of her having the power to obey his commands.
CHAPTER TWENTY.
We left Ada Garden virtually a prisoner on board a vessel which she believed a Greek man-of-war. Day after day the voyage continued without the anchor being dropped. Sometimes the vessel was steered in one direction, sometimes in another; but, as she judged by the appearance of the sun, as it was seen from the cabin windows at sunset, they were verging towards the east and north. Fortunately the weather continued fine, and they were able to have the ports open the whole of the day, which in a slight degree made her amends for being deprived of the free air of the deck. Generally, also, the wind was fair, when it came in cool and refres.h.i.+ng through the ports; but some days it blew more ahead, and then Ada could feel the vessel heel over as the canvas felt its force; and, at times, she judged that they were beating along some coast, or through a narrow pa.s.sage, as the continuation of the same land was seen on every alternate tack.
Signor Paolo had visited the cabin every day; but he was silent and reserved as at first, and she failed to obtain any information from him--though, latterly, she thought he appeared as if he would have spoken more; but, each time he was about to do so, fear seemed to make him hesitate, and he said nothing.
Her health, under his judicious treatment, had gradually improved till she had recovered as much of her accustomed strength as she could expect to do, without the benefit of more air and exercise than she could enjoy in the cabin. But her spirits remained much depressed at the uncertainty of her own future fate, of that of her uncle, and with the thoughts of the anguish she knew Fleetwood would endure at her loss.
”Could I but let him know,” she thought, ”that I am alive, and am suffering no great inconvenience, oh, how it would relieve my heart!”
She little thought that at that very time her lover was scouring the seas on board his s.h.i.+p in search of her.
At last the vessel was once more before the wind, slowly gliding through the water. There seemed to her more bustle and animation than usual on deck. The faint sound of a gun came off from the sh.o.r.e--it was answered by a loud report from on board, accompanied by a wild cheer from those on deck; and, a short time afterwards she felt that the anchor was let go; strange voices were heard alongside--and looking out of the stern-ports, high cliffs arose before her eyes. She and Marianna continued gazing out of their prison at the strange scent before them, and at the number of boats filled with uncouth, savage-looking beings pulling in boats round the s.h.i.+p. Among others, one appeared to leave the vessel and take a direct course towards the sh.o.r.e.
”Oh! signora, look there--look there!” cried Marianna. ”There is Signor Paolo going to leave us.”
Ada did look, but her eye scarcely rested on Paolo, for it caught sight of one who sat next to him in the boat. She grasped her attendant's arm as she whispered, ”My worst fears are realised. There goes the pirate Zappa, and we are his prisoners.”
”Oh! don't say such a thing, signora,” cried Marianna, trembling; ”I shall die of fright. Yet, surely he could not have had any command on board such a quiet, well-ordered vessel as this has been?”
”I fear that I am not mistaken in his ident.i.ty--and his appearance explains everything,” said Ada. ”What can he intend now by leaving the vessel? Try the doors and see if we are still prisoners in the cabin.”
Marianna found the door closed as before, and she and her mistress sat down more alarmed than they had been hitherto; Ada feeling that her last hope of escape had vanished.
They remained thus for some time, till they were startled by the abrupt entrance of Paolo into the cabin. He apologised, on seeing Ada's look of surprise.
”Pardon me, signora; I have been sent by the captain of the s.h.i.+p to express his regret that your apartments on sh.o.r.e are not arranged, and to regret that you will have to remain some time longer on board.”