Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 258: what you’re looking at

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

ee JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. 245 sank within me—the hope which had led me upon deck gradually died out of my breast, while the corsair-chief was addressing himself‘in such audible tones and with such measured precision to the humpback. For a few instants I was utterly dis- couraged: but as the image of the beloved Annabel rose up before me, I resolved to try one last effort. “ Captain Durazzo,’ I said, approaching the pirate-chief, “‘ may I without a single syllable of preface express the hope ' *“ Mr. Wilmot,” interrupted Constantine, “ I am willing and delighted to converse with you on any subject, save that one which admits of no far- ther argument. You have heard,’ he continued significantly and impressively, “ what I have just said to Mr. Lanover; and I can assure you that I have spoken the truth. It is therefore my wish” he paused for an instant, and said, “ You will not compel me to use the word command, that this topic be no more touched upon between us.” I knew not what further to advance: I was a prisoner and powerless. Had I been in a different situation—free and unshackled—I should have burst forth in violent denunciation of the false notion of honour which seemed to prompt Durazzo to keep faith with the detestable humpback. But, alas! I was not in a position thus to give vent to my feelings—while policy forbade me from coming to a useless rupture with the corsair in whose pre- sence I was. In the evening I had another conversation with Constantine Durazzo on the deck ot his vessel; and some portion of which it may be necessary to lay before the reader. * You see, Mr. Wilmot,” observed the young corsair-chief, after some discourse on indifferent topics, “ the accidents of battle have singularly favoured my views, and the events of a few brief hours have swept away many obstacles from my path. The Tyrol which menaced me in more ways than one, has ceased to exist: those who on board might be enabled to give a description of the ter- rible pirate-captain, are no longer denizens of this world. The Austrian officer who was on board the Athene, and whom I should have been compelled to retain my prisoner for several months, until my cruise was completed, and also until 1 had been back to Italy to fetch my bride and bear her far away—that officer has gone down into the deep. Cosmo—who, if set at large, could equally have done me a mischief—is likewise numbered with the dead : and who now can tell the tale of what Iam or what I have been to the ears of Signor Portici and Leonora, unless it be yourself ?” I remained silent: I knew not what response to give; but I confess that I was much tempted to propose a compromise and swear to inviolable secresy with respect to his antecedents, if he on the other hand would renounce the cause of Lan- over. ‘To this proceeding I was all the more in- clined after the narrative I had heard from the lips of the young page, and which had certainly tended to place Durazzo in the more favourable light of society’s victim instead of in that of a wilful offender against society’s laws. But still there was the damning fact that Durazzo was a corsair— ard though perhaps a glorious one, yet embellished only with a tarnished renown! ’ “TT am not pressing you for a decision, Mr. Wilmot,” continued Durazzo, “ with respect to the conduct you may hereafter pursuc in reference to myself. I have merely sought to direct your attention to the facts which I have enumerated, in order that you may include them amongst the sub- jects for your deliberation when the time shall come that your decision must be given.” ** You are resolved, therefore, Captain Durazzo,” IT said, thinking to make a new appeal to him through the medium of his pride,—“ you are re- solved that the great, and I may even add the bril- liant exploit which you have this day achieved, shall be followed up by an enterprise of the meanest, the paltriest, and the most cowardly description ?” * Mr. Wilmot!” ejaculated Constantine, stop- ping suddenly short, and fixing his burning regards upon me, while his face was as pale as a sheet, and his lips were quivering—“ you are the first person who has ever dared to address the pirate- chief in such terms as these upon his own quarter- deck !” “Tf the time should ever come, Captain Durazzo,” I responded, firmly yet calmly, “ when you would have to tell to Leonora the history of the past, would you include amongst its details the exploit of carrying off a feeble old man and two innocent inoffensive ladies ? Would you confess this, I ask, to your Leonora at a moment when circumstances might possibly render all explana- tions necessary, and when you would doubtless wish to stand before her in a light as little un- favourable as possible ?” “You have put the hypothesis to me,” an- swered Durazzo: “let me in my turn put one to you. If by accident you were led in your wander- ings to a habitation where dwelt a happy and a loving couple—and if you were in possesion of some secret relative to the husband which was un- known to the wife, but the knowledge of which would suddenly destroy the fabric of her bliss, and perchance deal her a death-blow—would you, L ask, Mr. Wilmot, be guilty of such useless cruelty as to reveal that secret ?” “ Assuredly not !” I unhesitatinely exclaimed. “But permit me to remind you that the case you have supposed is not a fair parellei with your own. You should have asked me what I would do if L beheld a young and confiding woman about to quit the happy home of her relative, to mate herself with one whose real character was unknown to her ——” “ But what if this one,’ suddenly interrupted Durazzo, “intended, as soon as circumstances would permit, to renounce his lawless proceedings and endeavour by all the rest of his life to atone for the past?—what if it were his purpose to devote himself to the sole duty of ensuring the happiness of a beloved and loving one in this case, Mr. Wilmot, what would you do?” I gave no response: but I again confess that my inclinations urged me to propose a compro- mise with Durazzo. I walked silently by his side—my looks bent down upon the deck—my mind absorbed in its reflections. Darkness had gathered around the vessel—a lamp was flaming above the cabin skylight ; and as we were passing it, I happened to raise my eyes towards Durazzo’s countenance, as I was about to make some obser- vation. 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