Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

| | | | | NL OPE nf eR ee er SL eee 230 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. ———_—— -— -—- Apollo-like in his exquisite personal beauty, than flung along the whole range of the deck, showed at this moment. My impression was that by | me that the sailors were full of all the bustle, ac- some means or another he had come to save me: for he looked not as if he were there as a prisoner and to share my captivity. | tivity, and life which are wont to prevail on board a ship proceeding to sea; and then a third glance, flung hastily around the spot where Kanaris and “My dear Kanaris,” I exclaimed, bounding for- | myself were standing, had the lightning-flash how welcome are you to your persecuted friend ! But let me not be so selfish as to think of my own affairs before congratulating you—as I hope I may >? . : “Yes— you may congratulate me,” answered Constantine in a tone of exultation: “ Leonora is mine !” “ And now, Kanaris, you are completely happy ?” [ said, pressing his hand warmly; “and I rejoice unfeignedly! But tell me—how learnt you of my captivity P have you the power to save meP—or may I even hope that the authorities are at length in possession m “Of the Athene?” he exclaimed. “It is by no means probable, my dear Wilmot, that such will ever be the case. You have fared well on board P” he added, glancing around the state-room: “every attention has been shown you?” “Yes,” I ejaculated: “but such politeness be- comes a hideous mockery when offered to a captive. The sense of the wrongs I experience, is not to be alleviated by the presence of dainties served upon silver rity “ Your captivity need not be of long duration,” interrupted Kanaris. “Of this you may be assured.” . “ Ah!” T said, the chill of disappointment smit- ing me, “then you have not the power to rescue your unfortunate friend? Nevertheless, my dear Kanaris, it is most kind of you to incur so tre- mendous a risk by visiting me here !”—and then, as a sudden thought struck me—for I fe!t that the vessel was in motion, I exclaimed, “ But, good heavens! how will you get away in order to pro- secute your journey in obedience to your uncle’s summons ?” | “Think not of me, my dear Wilmot?” re. sponded Kanaris. “If I can read your thoughts arigii, you are anxious to see Captain Du- razzo Pe “ He is on board, then?” I exclaimed. “ But yes—I thought as much !” “ He is on board,” rejoined Kanaris; “and he will doubtless give such explanations as you may seek. Come with me! You shall speak to him on the quarter-deck of his own gallant vessel——” ‘But I may not leave. this cabin without per- mission,” I hastily observed. «Yes—you already have Captain Durazzo’s leave and license,” answered Kanaris, “to ascend to the deck. Come quick! You will know him at once from the profound respect which all will tes- tify towards him: for Durazzo is a king on board the Athene! Come quick, I say !” I had not leisure for a moment’s reflection—but hastened to follow Kanaris from the state-room. We found the large cabin unoccupied as we traversed it: we ascended the stairs, Kanaris leading the way. On reaching the deck, the first glance thrown upward, showed me that the snowy white canvass was bent to the spars, and that the beauti- ful schooner was gliding away from the mouth of ward, as I have above said, “most welcoome—Ob! | effect of a thrilling revelation. Every look on the part of the grouped officers was bent with pro- foundest respect upon my companion; and the sailing-master of the Athene stood, hat in hand, awaiting orders. For Constantine Kanaris and the formidable corsair-chief Durazzo were one and the same ! | a CHAPTER CXXV. DURAZZO. T¥ a bomb-shell had suddenly exploded at my feet —if I had felt the schooner herself soaring up into the air like a balloon—or if the whole town of Civita Vecchia had come across the waves to sur- round us,—indeed if the wildest impossibility had taken place, I could not have been more com- pletely seized with mingled wonderment, conster- nation, and dismay, than I was on the abrupt re- vealing of that astounding mystery. I remained ~ absolutely rooted to the spot—riveted statue-like to the deck—petrified—and with my looks fixed upon the form of him whom I must now call Captain Durazzo. On his part there was the glow of the proudest triumph: his figure was drawn up —not stifly—but with an elegant hauteur and a graceful dignity: there was nothing pompous, nor arrogant, nor vain-glorious in his appearance—it was a species of chivalric pride which thus ani- mated him as he stood revealed to me the com- mander of that beautiful vessel. Nor was there anything in his look or manner that seemed in- dicative of exultation over myself: neither was there a diminution of the friendliness of the way in which he regarded me. I remember full well that in the consternation and surprise which first seized upon me, all other feelings were lost: but when I gradually began to emerge forth, as it were, from that stupefying sensation, I was smit- ten with a wild horror on Leonora’s behalf, and with a profound sadness to think that one so handsome and so elegant, so accomplished in mind and so fascinating in manners asthis young Greek could possibly be the chieftain of a lawless horde! “Ina few minutes,” said Constantine Durazzo —for that Christian name was really his own,— “we will discourse together: for the present I have a few orders to execute. Remain here, or go below, just as you think fit—you are your own master in everything excepting your freedom.” I stood aside in melancholy and sadness; and just at that instant, by the light of a lantern which was flaring on the deck of the vessel, I en- countered the hideous mocking looks of Mr. Lan- over. The keen eye of Durazzo fell upon those features at the same instant; and never shall I forget the lofty pride—indeed the Apollo-like dig- nity with which the young pirate-chief addressed the humpback. “Look you, Mr. Lanover,” he said ; “ it is no thé harbour of Civita Vecchia. A second glance | reason because there is a compact existing between ‘ome GOmiGvooks (C(O)