"He wants his servant, the ship's corporal, sir," said the surgeon.
"Well," replied Captain Wilson, "he had better have him: he is a
faithful fellow, and will nurse him well. When you go on board, Mr
Daly, desire the first lieutenant to send Mesty on shore with Mr
Gascoigne's and Mr Easy's chests, and his own bag and hammock. Good
heavens! I would not for a thousand pounds that this accident had
occurred. Poor foolish boys--they run in couples, and if one's in a
scrape the other is sure to share it. Gentlemen, I return you many
thanks for your kindness, and I must accept of your promised care for my
unfortunate officers. I sail to-morrow at daylight. You will oblige me
by informing their friends, the Rebieras, of their mischance, as I am
sure they will contribute all they can to their comfort." So saying,
Captain Wilson bowed and quitted the room, followed by the surgeon.
As soon as the door was closed the two midshipmen turned their heads
round and looked at each other, but they were afraid to speak at first,
in case of the return of the surgeon. As soon as it was announced to
them that Captain Wilson and Mr Daly were outside the barrack gates our
hero commenced--"Do you know, Ned, that my conscience smites me, and if
it had not been that I should have betrayed those who wish to oblige us,
when poor Captain Wilson appeared so much hurt and annoyed at our
accident, I was very near getting up and telling him of the imposition,
to relieve his mind."
"I agree with you, Jack, and I felt much the same--but what's done
cannot be undone. We must now keep up the imposition for the sake of
those who, to help us, have deceived him."
"I don't think that you would find an English surgeon who would have
consented to such an imposition."
"No, that is certain; but after all, it is an imposition that has hurt
nobody."
"Oh, I do not wish to moralise--but I repent of my share in the deceit;
and had it to be done over again I would not consent to it."
"Not even for ---? but I won't mention her name in barracks."
"I don't know," replied Jack; "but let's say no more about it, and thank
these gentlemen for their kindness."
"Yes, but we must keep it up until we see the _Aurora_ under all sail."
"And longer too," replied Jack; "we must not let the affair get wind
even on shore. We must not recover quickly, but still appear to
recover. Don Rebiera and his wife must be deceived. I have a plot in
my head, but I cannot work it out clear until I see Mesty."
Don Philip now came in. He had seen Captain Wilson, who had requested
him to look after the two invalids, and stated his intention to sail the
next morning. They consulted with him, and it was agreed that no one
should be acquainted with the real fact but his brother Martin, and that
all Palermo should be as much deceived as Captain Wilson, for if not, it
would put Father Thomaso on the _qui vive_, and make him fulminate more
than ever. Our midshipmen ate an excellent dinner, and then remained in
bed conversing till it was time to go to sleep; but long before that,
Mesty had made his appearance with their clothes. The eyes of the
Ashantee said all that was necessary--he never spoke a word, but
unlashed his hammock and lay down in a corner, and they were soon all
three asleep.
The next morning Captain Wilson called to ascertain how our hero and his
companion were, but the room had been darkened, and he could not see
their faces plainly. Easy thanked him for his kindness in allowing
Mesty to attend them, and having received his orders as to their joining
the ship as soon as they recovered, and having promised to be very
cautious in their behaviour and keep out of all scrapes, he wished them
a speedy recovery, and departed.
In little more than half an hour afterwards, Mesty, who had been peeping
out of the shutters, suddenly threw them open with a loud laugh.
The _Aurora_ was under way, with studding sails below and aloft,
standing out of the roads. Jack and Gascoigne got up, threw off the
splints, and danced about in their shirts. As soon as they were quiet
again, Mesty said in a grave tone, "Den why you stay at sea, Massa
Easy?"
"Very true, Mesty, I've asked myself that question often enough lately;
because I'm a fool, I suppose."
"And I, because I can't help it," replied Gascoigne; "never mind, we are
on shore now, and I look for a famous cruise."
"But first we must see what the ground is we are to cruise on," replied
Jack; "so, Mesty, let us have a palaver, as they say in your country."
The two midshipmen got into their beds, and Mesty sat on the chest
between them, looking as grave as a judge. The question was, how to get
rid of the padre Thomaso. Was he to be thrown over the molehead to the
fishes--or his skull broke--was Mesty's knife to be resorted to--was he
to be kidnapped or poisoned--or were fair means to be employed--
persuasion, bribery? Every one knows how difficult it is to get rid of
a priest.
As our hero and Gascoigne were not Italians, they thought that bribery
would be the more English-like way of doing the thing; so they composed
a letter, to be delivered by Mesty to the friar, in which Jack offered
to Father Thomaso the moderate sum of one thousand dollars, provided he
would allow the marriage to proceed, and not frighten the old lady with
ecclesiastical squibs and crackers.
As Mesty was often on shore with Jack, and knew the friar very well by
sight, it was agreed that the letter should be confided to his charge;
but, as it was not consistent that a person in such a state as our hero
was represented to be should sit up and write letters, the delivery was
deferred for a few days, when, after waiting that time, Mesty delivered
the letter to the friar, and made signs that he was to take back the
answer. The friar beckoned him that he was to accompany him to his
room, where he read the letter, and then again made signs to him to
follow him. The friar led the way to his monastery, and as soon as
Mesty was in his cell, he summoned another who could speak English to
act as interpreter.
"Is your master recovering?"
"Yes," replied Mesty, "he is at present doing well."
"Have you served him long?"
"No," replied Mesty.
"Are you very fond of him? does he treat you well, give you plenty of
money?"
At these questions, the artful black conceived that there was something
in the wind, and he therefore very quietly replied, "I do not care much
for him."
The friar fixed his keen eye upon Mesty, and perceived there was a
savage look about the black, from which he augured that he was a man who
would suit his purpose.
"Your master offers me a thousand dollars; would you wish to gain this
money for yourself?"
Mesty grinned and showed his sharp-filed teeth.
"It would make me a rich man in my own country."
"It would," replied the friar; "now you shall have it, if you will only
give your master a small powder."
"I understand," replied Mesty; "hab those things in my country."
"Well--do you consent?--if so, I will write the letter to get the
money."
"Suppose they find me out?" replied Mesty.
"You will be safe, and you shall be sent away as soon as possible--say,
will you consent?"
"The whole thousand dollars?"
"Every one of them."
"Den give me the powder?"
"Stay a little," replied the friar, who went out of the cell, and, in
about ten minutes, returned with an answer to our hero's letter and a
paper containing a grayish powder.
"Give him this in his soup or anything--spread it on his meat, or mix it
up with his sugar if he eats an orange."
"I see," replied Mesty.
"The dollars shall be yours. I swear it on the holy cross."
Mesty grinned horribly, took his credentials, and then asked, "When I
come again?"
"As soon as you have received the money bring it to me at Don
Rebiera's--then give the powder: as soon as it is given you must let me
know, for you must not remain in Palermo. I will myself conduct you to
a place of safety."
Mesty then quitted the cell and was shown out of the monastery.
"By de holy poker he one damn rascal!" muttered Mesty, as he was once in
the open air. "But stop a little."
The Ashantee soon arrived at the barracks, and repeated the whole of the
conference between him and the Friar Thomaso.
"It must be poison, of course," observed Gascoigne; "suppose we try it
upon some animal?"
"No, Massa Gascoigne," replied Mesty, "I try it myself, by-and-bye. Now
what we do?"
"I must give you the order for the thousand dollars, Mesty," replied
Jack. "The rascal here writes to me that for that sum he will consent
not only not to oppose me, but agrees to assist my cause; but the great
question is, whether he will keep his word with you, Mesty; if not, I
shall lose my money. So therefore we must now have another palaver and
argue the point."
The point was argued between Jack and Gascoigne. A thousand dollars was
a large sum, but Jack's father was a philosopher. After many _pros_ and
_cons_, it was as last decided that the money should be given to Mesty;
but that Mesty should state, when he took the money to the friar, that
he had administered the powder, and claim it when he presented it.
The next day the order for the money was given to Mesty, and he went to
the Friar Thomaso with it. The friar hastened with Mesty to the
monastery and sent for the interpreter.
"You have given it?" inquired the friar.
"Yes--not one hour ago. Here de order for de money."
"You must run for the money before he is dead, for the powder is very
rapid."
"And me," replied Mesty, apparently much alarmed, "where am I to go?"
"As soon as you bring the money here, you must go back to the barracks.
Remain there till he is dead, and then return here. I will have all
ready, and take you, as soon as it is dusk, to a monastery of our order
in the mountains, where no one will think of looking for you till the
affair is blown over; and then I will find you a passage in some vessel
out of the island."
Mesty hastened for the money, and taking it in a large bag to the
monastery, delivered it to the friar's charge, and then returned to the
barracks to Easy and Gascoigne. It was agreed that he should go with
the friar, who would probably remain away some time; indeed, Mesty
insisted upon so doing. Mesty stayed two hours, and then returned about
dusk to the monastery, and reported the death of our hero. He remained
there until it was dark, and then the friar ordered him to tie the bag
of dollars to his saddle-bow. They mounted two mules, which stood
already caparisoned, and quitted Palermo.
In the morning, Don Philip, as usual, made his appearance, and told our
hero that the friar had been summoned away by the abbot, and would not
return for some time.
"I came to tell you this news," said Don Philip, "as I thought it would
please you; the sooner you are now well, the better. I mean to propose
your both being removed to my father's palazzo, and then you can recover
your lost ground during the confessor's absence."
"And I have the means," replied Jack, showing the friar's letter. Don
Philip read it with astonishment, but was still more surprised when he
heard the whole story from Jack. He was for a time silent: at last he
said:
"I am sorry for your poor black."
"Why so?" replied Jack.
"You will never see him again, depend upon it. A thousand dollars would
sign the death-warrant of a thousand blacks; but there is another
reason--they will put him out of the way that he may not give evidence.
Where is the powder?"
"Mesty has it; he would not part with it."
"He is a shrewd fellow, that black; he may be too much for the friar,"
replied Don Philip.
"He means mischief, I'm sure," replied Gascoigne.
"Still I feel a great deal of alarm about him," replied Easy; "I wish
now that I had not let him go."
"Are you sure that he went?"
"No, I am not; but the friar told him that he should take him to the
mountains as soon as it was dark."
"And probably he will," replied Don Philip, "as the best place to get
rid of him. However, the whole of this story must be told both to my
father and my mother; to the former that he may take the right measures,
and to my mother that it may open her eyes. Give me the copy of the
letter you wrote to the friar, and then I shall have it all."
The report of the accident which had occurred to Easy and Gascoigne had
been spread and fully believed throughout Palermo. Indeed, as usual, it
had been magnified, and asserted that they could not recover. To Agnes
only had the case been imparted in confidence by Don Philip, for her
distress at the first intelligence had been so great that her brother
could not conceal it.
Two days after Don Philip had made his parents acquainted with the
villainy of the friar, the midshipmen were transported to the palazzo,
much to the surprise of everybody, and much to the renown of the
surgeons, who were indemnified for their duplicity and falsehood by an
amazing extension of their credit as skilful men.
After their arrival at the palazzo, Don Rebiera was also entrusted with
the secret, but it went no further. As now there was no particular
hurry for our hero to get well, he was contented and happy in the
society of Agnes and her parents; the old lady, after she had been
informed of the conduct of Friar Thomaso, having turned round in our
hero's favour, and made a vow never to have a confessor in the house
again. Jack and Gascoigne were now as happy as could be; all their
alarm was about Mesty, for whose return they were most anxious.
To Don Rebiera Jack made known formally his intentions with regard to
Agnes. He fully satisfied him as to his qualifications and his
property, and Don Rebiera was fully aware of his debt of gratitude to
our hero. But all he required was the consent of Jack's father, and
until this was obtained, he would not consent to the marriage taking
place. Jack attempted to argue the point; his father, he said, had
married without consulting him, and therefore he had a right to marry
without consulting his father. But Don Rebiera, not having any
acquaintance with the rights of man and equality, did not feel the full
force of Jack's argument, and made it a _sine qua non_ that his parents
should write and consent to the alliance before it took place.