Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 240: what you’re looking at

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

os en eS ECO ——- JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 227 containing ammunition—all these gave a terribly ;at the humpback, showed me that he was no warlike appearance to the vessel. I could not help | longer paying any attention to me, but was slowly stopping short as my eye wandered over the for- | pursuing his way towards the head of the vessel. midable arrangements; and I thought to myself, | On turning again in my walk, I noticed that Mr. “Is it possible that the Athene would fight the | Lanover was now standing on the point where the Tyrol if they happened to encounter P” bulwarks met just above the figure-head ; and that My eyes met those of the second lieutenant at| with one hand shading his eyes, he was intently the moment. He was lounging in a negligent | gazing towards that same part of the coast which way against the bulwark on the opposite side :| the second lieutenant had been sweeping with his but I felt convinced that he fathomed what was| glass. Thitherward I also imstinctively looked; passing in my mind—for a slight smile of what! and now methought I could perceive a black spot might be termed playful haughtiness and scorn,| upon the sea in the distance and in that same mingled with a sense of confidence, for an instant | direction. A few miuutes afterwards I looked wreathed his lips. It was only transient, howe again; andI had no longer any difficulty in dis- ever: and when I glanced, at him again, he had a cerning that it was a boat propelled rapidly by telescope to his eye, and was sweeping the coast! several rowers. I felt convinced that this boat beyond the lower pier, and therefore to the south | was the object for which the lieutenant and of Civita Vecchia. This was the direction from | Lanover were looking; and thinking that it which the Tyrol might be expected to come ; and | might probably involve some new phase in the my first impression was that the lieutenant was | proceedings of the pirates, I hoped that I should looking to ascertain if any sail were visible which | be allowed to remain on deck to observe the re- might at all correspond with the Austrian frigate. | sult. But another moment’s reflection told me that such| To avoid however having the appearance of a could not be his object: for he never once swept | curiosity that might displease, I affected to be the glass seaward—it was along the shore in the| gazing about me in every other direction. I now direction which I have named that he continued | noticed that the younger officer whom I had seen looking. on the first oceasion of my visit to the Athene— I perceived about a dozen of the common sea-| and who, as I subsequently learnt, was the mate men loitering silently on the deck, chiefly in the | of the vessel—ascended the rigging of the fore- fore part of the ship; and as I was well aware| mast; and with a telescope he gazed for some that the crew consisted of double this number, I| minutes in the direction of that boat of which I fancied that if the remainder were not below,| have spoken. On descending from the foretop, he they must be absent on some service. I paced | accosted the second lieutenant, and made some re- to and fro, inhaling the fresh breeze, which still| port, which evidently produced considerable satis- blew steadily from the north, and consequently in| faction. Lanover immediately afterwards joined a completely adverse direction from that which| them; and the stealthy look which I bent upon the Tyrol had to take to come up from Ostia, and} his countenance, showed me that his features were likewise against that which the schooner would] animated with a kindred glow, but far more have to pursue gn order to reach Leghorn. hideously expressed—for the two officers, on the “Heaven grant,’ I thought to myself, “that | other hand, were exceedingly well-looking men. the wind may continue in this adverse quarter: I continued pacing to and fro, without receiving for even though it keep back the Tyrol from | any hint that it was time my walk should end. I advancing to the capture of the Athene, it will} observed that the Athene had several anchors, all likewise prevent the Athene from running on to| of which were carefully stowed in their proper Legborn—and who knows what the chapter of | places; and I saw likewise that the vessel was accidents may turn up if only the delay of a few | riding at only a single anchor, though it was at days be gained ?” the mouth of the harbour—and the current, driven Scarcely had i thus mused within myself, when| by the wind, was running in with amazing on turning to retrace my way along the deck, I| strength, as I could tell by the strain upon the suddenly encountered the looks of Mr. Lanover.| cable. For be it understood that it is quite a He was on the opposite side, and was advancing | mistake to suppose that over the entire surface of slowly in the contrary direction—his hands behind | the Mediterranean there are no perceptible tides. him, and his hideous countenance animated with}In a word, from every indication about the the expression of a sardonic joy. Obedient to an| Athene, I could comprehend, with even a lands- irresistible impulse, I was rushing across the deck | man’s eye, that she was ready to run out of the to upbraid him for his manifold villanies—when a | harbour at a minute’s warning, as she was equally hand was laid upon my shoulder—I stopped short— | ready from her warlike aspect to offer a terrible and the voice of the second lieutenant, speaking in | resistance if assailed. my ear, said, “ Mr. Wilmot, it is one of the restric- Gazing upward—still though with only a lands- tions placed upon you that you are not to enter | man’s eye—I could not possibly help admiring the into discourse with any one on board this vessel | exquisite nicety of the rigging, the graceful beaut unless first spoken to.’ of the tall raking masts, and the symmetry of the “TI feel in every sense that I am a prisoner, sir,” | long tapering spars,—all in such perfect keeping I answered bitterly. with the admirable model of the vessel’s hull itself, “ Ahd your imprisonment may be rendered in- | as it lay motionless there, like a bird upon the finitely worse,” rejoined the officer calmly, “ unless | water. The Greek ensign was flying: but I well you pursue that same quiet, gentlemanly conduct| knew that the Athene would hoist any other which you have hitherto adopted.” colours that might suit her purpose. Looking { made no reply—but walked onward. A | again upon the deck, I could not help admiring its glance however which I threw across the deck | extreme cleanliness; to use a common expression, eCoOnmmcaooolks GO