Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 151: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ~ 171 who-had been cast ashore - to his ‘ship, and, tepay “those who had;taken charge of OT ces aes ove This.officer, speaking Portugnese,. made. | signs. to | “te Englishwoman, who was unacquainted , with his language, that she must accompany, him, and -pre- pare to leave her present home for one prepared for -her at Tidore,..... .(; Any, change was preferable. to. staying where. she was, and Violet followed her new companens to float along the smooth seas. ; »/) The; next | day they, gained. the place of. their | odestination, and she was led up to the, Portuguese Se ae pLomimess? roftee ot hanatsbeoo vew olf. . 9 Lhe, curiosity,, of, those who: were. stationed at that stupendous, stronghold were ab, once rouse io This,was-not to be wondered at, since the history | ‘of her escape, given by the natives, appeared nothing ‘short, of miraculous, in'the eyes of the spectat ors, ., From-the: commandant, to the IBY, SHER one was waiting to receive her,. * .» Her beauty, herform, her grace, astonished ‘each beholder. ‘9 The commandant addregsed. her, when, anes gave | this.explanation'to his questioning,; _;., _o(Sbe, was. by: birth _amEnglishwoman,,. ana had hee | abducted from her home. by. the - nefarious artifices of a-notorions band,,of pirates, against whom her | lover had ever waged war. >», In following in her.pursuit, he bad unfortunately been',taken. prisoner by, his) enemies, who, im- | mediately on his capture, found means of escaping | from the ship he, had commanded, and which was | then engaging them, She then recounted the treachery. of the daring | adventurers-with regard to the raft upon. which she | had been found, and her subsequent. entire REPAA tion from the buccaneers. At the end of the narrative, she was atormed by | the commandant, of the colony, that. she would, — after so much suffering and misery, find a retreat on/its shoresj,and that, its inhabitants, remarkable for their hospitality, would be sure to giye her a cordial welcome. , .(That everything should be, Hine £0 ‘make ‘her | apy during. her. residence in, the island, And that, in a short period,’ they expected'a vessel | that on its return would land the fair Violet on her | native soil— England, the home of the happy, the brave, and the free, After the ‘interview, Violetswas: escorted by a guard to; the Portuguese fortress, ., Here arrived, the. attendants conducted her to the chamber allotted to her use. °. ts ~ Of this chamber it is necessary to Se nin _ Jt. was Gothic in design., . % _, Magsiye in structure... ite was antiquely, furnished, and Yihty fatale, while the arms of the royal house of Portugal were | suspended from. eyery corner. _ .. , Over the enormous mantel- -piece “was a reiharkable portrait. j », Lhis, picture represented a_refigious yotaress, i a loose sable robe holding a rosary and missal in her hang,,and her head concealed by the wimple, . =” _,As Violet entered the gloomy apartment, it be- came so. dark that it was found necessary to illu- minate, the great lamp that was suspended from ‘the centre of the roof, ._ Scarcely had this been accomplished when a ter- tific storm, came on, _, Vivid flashes of lightning dazzled and blinded the gaze, . Heaven’s artillery, majestic and appalling, broke : overhead. Suddenly a peal jouder than ever rumbled through the illumined firmament, followed by a crash’as if the vast building had been struck by a thunder- bolt, At _ that moment the picture ‘that surmounted ‘the mantel-piece fell, disclosing an’\ aperture, from which a flight of steps descended to the floor of the apartment. Down from, this recess ‘came a tall personage, -attired in the dark habiliments of a monk. He issued forth,-or rather glided towards the terrified inmates of the chamber. * His face was cadaverous, livid his lips, and his black eye. seemed to flash. with fire. But his countenance was hid from’ view by the _ample folds of his drawn hood. His gaiments, mouldering and faded, contributed “greatly: to his spectre-like appearance. . The two negresses appointed to attend upon Violet “startled # the sight they witnessed, and ran away, leaving their mistress alone in the presence of the _Inysterious visitor... - On 2 sudden, as if by magic, the gloom disap- peared, and a silvery light shed over the scene. The moon ‘had broken through the thick, black clouds,” and illumed, as bright as day, the region “around, With the figtit the dark figure became more visible to the excited maiden. __, “Why do you thus trouble, me, unhappy vision ?”’ ‘she cried, faintly.. “Leave me, I conjure you. feel I have not long to live, and would die in peace.” ‘ Daughter,” replied the monk, ‘‘ thou sare young, fair,, and itis not .yet thine appointed hour of death.’’ 7; Ha! 199 “My intention is not to trouble but to serve ie Thou hast enemies abroad.” - Amazed and, startled at. the strange encounter, Violet trembled in every limb. “Take this phial. PES = and thy strength will sreturn.to thee,”’ “How, do I know you are not an emissary af the foes of whom you have spoken 2” - At-this remark the monk raised the liquid he had produced to his own lips in order to showy that his assertion,wasin accordance with truth, when, Violet took. the, little; vessel. from_ his hand, and with assurance drained the contents, saying, “TJ will drink, and fear nothing.” The moment she. had swallowed . the potent draught, she ,became restored, and recovered her wontéd vigour, ... are Now, daughter,” exclaimed the monk, ‘‘ I will avert, the. danger that threatens, Let. not thy courage, fail thee, for that, which I- shall; tell.will require thy utmost fortitude to withstand.” “ What can.this mean ?” “ Hast thou followed up, the precepts which thou hast been taught? Has thou reverenced the sub- lime. mystery,.which has been unfolded to thee?” pe T haye done my best, father.’ -* Hast thou called upon the Holy Virgin, and upon the saints, those intercessors for mortals erring like thyself (a ‘‘Wather, you speak enigmatically.. Tell me, I pray you, why you put these questions to me ?”’ - “*T will answer, you,” replied the monk...“ You will shortly. be arrested by the holy inquisition.” _,' On. what, charge ?” exclaimed. Violet, after: a pause, for the sudden intelligence had, for the moment, seemed to deprive her of the power of speech. “There must be some grayve.error, and how is it possible that I who have reached your