Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

— ni ee JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 229 board the pirate-vessel. Durazzo was therefore already in Civita Vecchia; and the last chance of his capture being effected by means of the projects of Signor Portici and Cosmo, seemed to be all in an instant scattered to the winds. I remained on deck, the armed seaman follow- ing me at a short distance; and immediately after that scene with the Austrian officer, it struck me that Lanover, whose looks I happened to en- counter, leered upon me with a triumphant ma- lignity. But I affected not to perceive him: in- deed, throughout that scene I had carefully ayoided any betrayal of the painful interest with which it had inspired me. And now, as I con- tinued to pace to and fro upon the deck, I had leisure to reflect on this new phase in the progress of circumstances which so nearly concerned myself. I was stricken with a species of consternation at what I might term the omniscience of the pirates. They were evidently acquainted with everything that could in any way prove dangerous to their security ; and step by step had they baffled and were still baffling every detail of the arrange- ments made by the Judge, Cosmo, and myself. There was I, instead of being on my way to Leghorn, a captive on board the Athene:—there was Lanover, instead of waiting until the evening for embarkation, already under the protection of the pirates and safe from the ambush that was to be laid for him:—there was the Austrian officer a captive in the corsairs’ hands, instead of proceed- ing to the Portici Villa to place the personal de- scription of Durazzo in the hands of the Judge; —and as for Durazzo himself, instead of there being the faintest probability that he would now fall into the power of the authorities of Civita Vecchia, there was every likelihood of his coming in safety on board his vessel at whatsoever hour he might think fit. Though tortured with the in- tensest anxiety in respect to Annabel, her mother, and her grandfather—and though bitterly deplor- ing the failure of all Cosmo’s fine schemes—it was impossible to avoid admiring the skill and inge- nuity with which the pirates had step by step baffled those projects in detail and scattered them as chaff is dispersed to the winds of heaven. I remained walking upon deck for several hours, until about one o’clock, when the elegantly attired page came to inform me that refreshments were served in my state-room; and though I experienced not the faintest appetite, yet I deemed it prudent to submit in all respects to the arrangements that were made on my behalf. I accordingly descended to my cabin, where I found an excellent luncheon served up; avd an hour passed before my solitude was broken in upon. Then the page re-appeared, with a respectfully conveyed intimation that I was at liberty, if I thought fit, to ascend to the deck ugain until dusk. I availed myself of this license ; and, still followed by the armed seaman, walked about the deck until the shades of evening began to close in around,—when I was again accosted by the page, who informed me that my dinner was now in readiness. During all this time, since the morning, nothing fresh at all worthy of note had taken place: nor did I again see the Austrian officer. He was kept a close prisoner in his cabin: or else he declined to avail himself of the per- mission to walk on deck. A chuice repast was served in my state-room; and the youthful page remained in waiting while I partook of it. He did not speak a single unne- cessary word; and I forbore from questioning him on any point, for fear that by a display of undue curiosity I should only be bringing down on my- self the curtailment of the little privileges I was enjoying. It was my policy to retain all the freedom possible while on board the Athene, so as to acquire an insight into everything that happened, in the hope that favourable circumstances might yet turn up. After dinner I remained seated in my cabin, endeavouring to while away the time by the aid of a book: but it is scarcely necessary to observe that I had little inclination for reading, and that my thoughts kept travelling to subjects far different from those involved in the printed page before me. Slowly enough passed the time; and my watch showed me that it was only ten o’clock when I had expected it must be near midnight. I did not think of going to bed, at least for the present. It was at midnight that Captain Durazzo, aecording to previous arrangement, was to come on board; and immediately afterwards the schooner was to set sail. There was just the faint hope in my mind,—yet scarcely a hope—it was only a sense of a very distant probability,—that Durazzo might be arrested, and that in this one instance the Judge and Cosmo might triumph. I was there- fore most anxious for midnight to come that I might see the result. I will not dwell upon the reflections which occupied me during the tediously passing hours: suffice it to say that my watch at length showed me it was close upon midnight. All appeared still within the ship: but I had not as vet heard Lanover retiring to his state-room which adjoined my own. Precisely as the hands of my watch marked the hour of midnight, the boatswain’s shrill whistle rang through the schooner; and almost immediately afterwards the noise of the capstan heaving up the anchor reached my ears. These sounds were followed by the quick trampling of feet upon every part of the deck overhead, as the sailors were busily and actively preparing for the Athene to put out to sea. Two or three per- sons descended into the large cabin, from which the state-rooms opened; and they conversed to- gether in voices so low that I eould scarcely catch their tones. Then, after a brief interval, some one tapped at the door of my cabin; and I started up from my seat, with the idea that [ was about to receive a visit from the terrible Captain Durazzo. For that he had eome safely on board—that the last scintillation of hope was extinct—and that every one of Cosmo’s schemes had now been frus- trated, [ could not possibly shut out from my own conviction. I bade the person enter—the door epened—and a wild cry of joy thrilled from my lips as I sprang forward to welcome Constantine Kanaris. The handsome young Greek was dressed in a travelling-costume, and his countenance was flushed with a glow of triumph, which methought was the unalloyed happiness he now at length experieneed on being enabled to call the beauteous Leonora his own. And the cold breeze of night, too, had probably enhanced that glow with its healthful briskness. Certain it is that never had Constan- tine Kanaris seemed so remarkably handsome—so —— —_ ~ ‘ — eee ElO@QO) SS (CO