Part 4 (1/2)
”Why impossible? Have you not enough of money?”
”Oh yes, plenty of that, but I fear she is already bespoken, and I should not like to interfere--”
”Bespoken! do you mean sold?” cried Maraquita, seizing her father's hands, ”not sold to that man Marizano?”
”I think she must be by this time, for he's a prompt man of business, and not easily thwarted when he sets his mind to a thing.”
The Senhorina clasped her hands before her eyes, and stood for a moment motionless, then rus.h.i.+ng wildly from the room she pa.s.sed into another apartment the windows of which commanded a view of a considerable part of the road which led from the house along the sh.o.r.e. There she saw the Arab and his friend walking leisurely along as if in earnest converse, while Azinte followed meekly behind.
The Senhorina stood gazing at them with clenched hands, in an agony of uncertainty as to what course she ought to pursue, and so wrapt up in her thoughts that she failed to observe a strapping young lieutenant of H.M.S. steamer `Firefly,' who had entered the room and stood close to her side.
Now this same lieutenant happened to be wildly in love with Senhorina Maraquita. He had met her frequently at her father's table, where, in company with his captain, he was entertained with great hospitality, and on which occasions the captain was a.s.sisted by the Governor in his investigations into the slave-trade.
Lieutenant Lindsay had taken the romantic plunge with all the charming enthusiasm of inexperienced youth, and entertained the firm conviction that, if Senhorina Maraquita did not become ”his,” life would thenceforth be altogether unworthy of consideration; happiness would be a thing of the past, with which he should have nothing more to do, and death at the cannon's mouth, or otherwise, would be the only remaining gleam of comfort in his dingy future.
”Something distresses you, I fear,” began the lieutenant, not a little perplexed to find the young lady in such a peculiar mood.
Maraquita started, glanced at him a moment, and then, with flas.h.i.+ng eyes and heightened colour, pointed at the three figures on the road.
”Yes, Senhor,” she said; ”I am distressed--deeply so. Look! do you see yonder two men, and the girl walking behind them?”
”I do.”
”Quick! fly after them and bring them hither--the Arab and the girl I mean--not the other man. Oh, be quick, else they will be out of sight and then she will be lost; quick, if you--if--if you really mean what you have so often told me.”
Poor Lindsay! It was rather a sudden and severe test of fidelity to be sent forth to lay violent hands on a man and woman and bring them forcibly to the Governor's house, without any better reason than that a self-willed girl ordered him so to do; at the same time, he perceived that, if he did not act promptly, the retreating figures would soon turn into the town, and be hopelessly beyond his power of recognition.
”But--but--” he stammered, ”if they won't come--?”
”They _must_ come. Threaten my father's high displeasure.--Quick, Senhor,” cried the young lady in a commanding tone.
Lindsay flung open the cas.e.m.e.nt and leapt through it as being the shortest way out of the house, rushed with undignified speed along the road, and overtook the Arab and his friend as they were about to turn into one of the narrow lanes of the town.
”Pardon me,” said the lieutenant laying his hand on Yoosoof's shoulder in his anxiety to make sure of him, ”will you be so good as to return with me to the Governor's residence?”
”By whose orders?” demanded Yoosoof with a look of surprise.
”The orders of the Senhorina Maraquita.”
The Arab hesitated, looked somewhat perplexed, and said something in Portuguese to Marizano, who pointed to the slave-girl, and spoke with considerable vehemence.
Lindsay did not understand what was said, but, conjecturing that the half-caste was proposing that Azinte should remain with him, he said:--”The girl must return with you--if you would not incur the Governor's displeasure.”
Marizano, on having this explained to him, looked with much ferocity at the lieutenant and spoke to Yoosoof in wrathful tones, but the latter shook his head, and the former, who disliked Marizano's appearance excessively, took not the least notice of him.
”I do go,” said Yoosoof, turning back. Motioning to Azinte to follow, he retraced his steps with the lieutenant and the slave--while Marizano strode into the town in a towering rage.
We need scarcely say that Maraquita, having got possession of Azinte, did not find it impossible to persuade her father to purchase her, and that Yoosoof, although sorry to disappoint Marizano, who was an important ally and a.s.sistant in the slave-trade, did not see his way to thwart the wishes of the Governor, whose power to interfere with his trade was very great indeed, and to whom he was under the necessity of paying head-money for every slave that was exported by him from that part of the coast.
Soon after Azinte had been thus happily rescued from the clutches of two of the greatest villains on the East African coast--where villains of the deepest dye are by no means uncommon--Lindsay met Captain Romer of the `Firefly' on the beach, with his first lieutenant Mr Small, who, by the way, happened to be one of the largest men in his s.h.i.+p. The three officers had been invited to dine that day with the Governor, and as there seemed no particular occasion for their putting to sea that night, and a fresh supply of water had to be taken on board, the invitation had been accepted, all the more readily, too, that Captain Romer thought it afforded an opportunity for obtaining further information as to the movements of certain notorious slavers who were said to be thereabouts at that time. Lieutenant Lindsay had been sent ash.o.r.e at an earlier part of the day, accompanied by one of the sailors who understood Portuguese, and who, being a remarkably intelligent man, might, it was thought, acquire some useful information from some of the people of the town.
”Well, Mr Lindsay, has Jackson been of any use to you?” inquired the captain.