"And so, signora, you would show your gratitude for the attention and
respect with which I have treated you, by endeavouring to escape from my
care, and by bringing your countrymen to attempt my destruction."
These words, uttered in a deep, stern voice, were the first Ada heard
with sufficient distinctness to comprehend their meaning, since the
termination of the conflict, in which she had seen her lover, over whom
she still hung, cast down wounded by her side. The tone and accent told
her, too clearly, who was the speaker ere she raised her head, and,
looking round, beheld the pirate Zappa, steering the boat. Whether or
not it was fancy, she could scarcely tell; but, as she gazed at him
through the gloom, his dress appeared disordered, and stained with
blood, and his countenance seemed to her to wear an expression even of
unusual ferocity. Dread, lest in his savage mood he should wreak his
vengeance on Fleetwood, kept her silent.
"Speak, signora," he repeated. "Why have you done this?"
"I have done nothing to injure you, nothing of which you have a right to
complain," said Ada, lifting up her head, though still remaining on her
knees by Fleetwood's side. "You unjustly deprived me of my liberty, and
that I have attempted to regain. Of no other crime towards you can you
accuse me."
She said this with as firm a voice as she could command, remembering the
effect her courage had had on the pirate, on a former occasion; and she
now felt that it was, if possible, of still greater importance to her to
retain her presence of mind; not only her own life, but that of
Fleetwood; might depend on her behaviour.
"But you are mistaken, signora. I accuse you of instigating some
strangers, to whom hospitality had been shown, to run off with the
property of my people, and of inducing that unhappy youth, Paolo
Montifalcone, treacherously, to assist in your flight," returned the
pirate firmly. "I will not, however, barter words with you. If I and
my people escape from the attack your countrymen appear about to make on
us, I may overlook your crime; but if any of them suffer through your
means, you shall not escape my vengeance."
"I am defenceless and in your power," replied Ada. "I repeat that I
have not instigated my countrymen to attack you, and if you suffer, it
is through no fault of mine. But if you add a cold-blooded murder to
your other crimes, you will bring down the vengeance of all civilised
nations on your head, as instruments of the God whom you have offended."
"My resolution is fixed, signora. What I do depends on the result of
this night's business," said the pirate, in the same stern voice; and,
without paying her any further apparent attention, he urged on his
people to renewed exertions at their oars.
This conversation took place exactly as the British boats were first
discovered through the darkness, coming up astern; and as they happened
to be just there in line, and looming large in the gloom, Zappa could
not tell what force was now being brought against him; and it was the
belief that he was about to be attacked by overwhelming numbers, before,
perhaps, he could get within shelter of the harbour, and make
arrangements for his defence, which had stirred up all the devil within
him. One of his remarks gave Ada some gleam of comfort, for it made her
fancy that the pirate did not suspect that the wounded man at his feet
was Captain Fleetwood, the enemy from whom he had most to dread, and she
hoped that he still believed him to be simply the Maltese sailor he
appeared. Hope, however slight, will, as the light branch keeps a
drowning man above the surface of the treacherous waters, support a
person amid present distress and difficulty, who would otherwise sink
overwhelmed beneath them; and this idea, which had happily occurred to
Ada, prevented her giving way to the wretchedness she felt at the
failure of her lover's gallant attempt to rescue her, and the too
probable destruction he had brought on himself and those associated with
him. The pirate every now and then turned his head to watch the
advancing boats, expecting them each instant to fire on him; but seeing
that they did not do so, he grew calmer as he approached the harbour,
knowing that he should soon be in safety within it.
Though trembling lest her care should evince her interest in Fleetwood,
Ada, as soon as Zappa's attention had been withdrawn from her, again
employed herself in endeavouring to staunch the blood which flowed from
his wound. As she bent over him she found he breathed; and as she held
his hand in hers, she felt that his pulse was still beating, though slow
and faint. It had at last occurred to her, that it would be wiser to
call Marianna to her assistance, though, with the natural jealousy of
love, she was unwilling that any one but herself should tend, while she
was able, the object of her affection, but the poor girl was little in a
condition to render her any aid; as, overcome with her fears, and the
continued excitement in which she had been kept, she had gone off in a
fainting fit, from which she was only just recovering. She heard the
voice of her mistress, and it served to revive her, and raising her
head, she dragged herself towards her.
"Oh, holy Mary, and is the brave captain killed!" she exclaimed, as she
saw Fleetwood's rigid, death-like appearance, though the dark colour
with which his skin was tinged concealed the ghastly pallor of his
countenance. "Oh, holy mother, is he dead?"
Ada grasped Marianna's arm, to make her keep silent, as she
whispered--"He is your countryman, a seaman of Malta. You must attend
to him." And she trusted that Zappa had not overheard her maid's
indiscreet exclamation. Whether he had or not, his attention was again
attracted towards them.
"You appear to take great interest in that wounded man, signora," he
observed, in a less angry tone than before.
"I do, signor," she replied, in a firm voice, without waiting for his
saying any thing further. "I perform but a woman's part towards a
wounded man, in endeavouring to alleviate his suffering. I do as I
would towards any one in a like situation; and as I would towards you,
were a shot, from the guns of my countrymen, this instant to lay you
low, and were I again carried into captivity by your orders. We are
taught by our religion, signor, not to distinguish our enemies from our
friends, when they are in affliction." Ada made this last observation
as the genuine feeling of her heart, without any hypocrisy, however
excusable some might think it, under the circumstances, and,
doubtlessly, would have staunched the wounds of her greatest enemy, to
the best of her power, had she been called on to do so; though the
anxiety and tenderness which animated her, as she watched over
Fleetwood, would have, of necessity, been wanting.
"Well, well, signora," returned Zappa. "You and your attendant are
welcome to do your best to prevent the man from dying, though he
deserves nothing at my hands; but whatever men may say of me, they shall
not justly accuse me of being a murderer in cold blood. Your countrymen
do not appear to be in a fighting mood. Perhaps they are afraid of
firing, lest they should hurt you. Is it not so, lady? I know more of
their plans than you suspect. The expedition is led by the captain of
the _Ione_, in person, and he was on the look out for you, when we so
inopportunely came up, and spoilt your arrangements."
"Can it be so?" thought Ada. "Is he really ignorant that Fleetwood is
close to him? Alas, he may be deceiving me, and if I pretend to agree
to his assertions, he will but use it as a weapon against me. The right
and best plan is to refuse to give an opinion on the subject."
"I am your prisoner, signor," she said, aloud; "and as such I claim
every right to endeavour to escape as I best can. It would therefore be
folly in me to acknowledge by what means I have communicated with my
countrymen, even if I had done as you suppose, lest you should prevent
my doing so another time."
"_Per bacco_, you are a brave girl!" exclaimed the pirate, in a tone in
which Ada felt that admiration was too much mingled with a familiarity
she had endeavoured to avoid. "I would rather be your friend than your
enemy, if you would let me. Faith, you deserve your liberty, or
anything else that you desire; but it would tax my generosity too much
to give it to you."
What he said further, Ada did not hear; for the noise of the firing,
which then commenced from the cliffs above, as well as from the boats,
drowned his words. She trembled for the fate of the _Tone's_ crew, who
were coming to her assistance; for she was sufficiently acquainted with
the nature of military defences, to know the impracticable character of
the harbour into which the pirates, she was afraid, would try to draw
them.
The firing increased; and she judged, by the gestures of the Greeks, who
were rowing, that her countrymen were close upon them. Again the hope
revived that, even then, Fleetwood might be rescued. The shouts of the
British seamen rang in her ears. She could scarcely refrain from rising
and waving to them to urge them on to the succour of their captain; but,
just as she fancied they would be alongside, she saw the cliffs, at the
entrance of the harbour, towering above her, and the boat shooting in;
directly after, the _Sea Hawk_ opened her fire, and her ears were
deafened with the reverberating reports of the guns, and the shouts and
shrieks of the pirates. The moment the boat touched the shore, Zappa
and his companions sprang out, he shouting,--"To the castle--to the
castle! We will give them the guns as they retreat."
And Ada found herself left alone with Pietro and Marianna. In vain she
endeavoured to arouse her lover to a state of consciousness--the same
frightful torpor continued which the wound had caused; and her heart
almost broke with anguish, as she began to fear he might die before he
could receive any proper assistance.
"The pirate talks of his generosity. Would he allow him to be sent on
board the _Ione_ with a flag of truce?" she thought. "No, no; it were
vain to hope it; and the very entreating him to do so would betray
Charles to him."
She then remembered the medical knowledge possessed by Paolo
Montifalcone, and the great assistance he had been to her; but she had
no means of testing his surgical skill, though she understood that Zappa
had, at first, detained him, that he might be useful to any of his
followers who were wounded--but then the idea occurred to her--though,
perhaps, she did not express it in so many words,--"Can I trust him? He
has confessed his unhappy attachment to me. I told him that, if no
other circumstance prevented my marrying him, my heart was another's,
and can I dare to place that favoured rival in his power? He is,
apparently, generous, and possesses many excellent qualities; but he is
an Italian; and if the tales I have heard of Italians are true, they are
less scrupulous than other persons of ridding themselves of those they
hate. Perhaps he would not contemplate such a deed--he might now
shudder at the thought of it; but if the temptation were thrown in his
way, could he withstand it? I might, were I to trust him, be guilty of
my Charles's death, and of causing that unhappy youth to commit a
murder. Oh! God help me! What shall I do?"
Just then, some rapid steps were heard of a person running along the
sands. They attracted the attention of Marianna, who had begun to
recover from her fright; and looking over the side of the boat, she
screamed out,--"Is it you, Mr Raby? Oh, come here--come here! We want
you very much."
She was right in her supposition; and the next instant the midshipman
had sprung into the boat.
"What, Miss Garden! Are you left here alone? And, good heavens! is
that the captain?" he exclaimed, in a tone of voice which showed how
deeply he felt, joyous and careless as he was on ordinary occasions.
"Oh, Miss Garden, he is not dead!"
"I trust in Heaven he is not, Mr Raby," replied Ada. "He has been
stunned and severely wounded, and, had no one been with him, would have
bled to death; even now, I know not what may happen if he does not
speedily receive assistance. Had we the strength to do so, we might
convey him up to the tower, where I suppose I shall be again shut up,
and his wounds might thus be properly dressed."
"I am afraid that you, and Marianna, and I, should never be able to
carry him all that way without hurting him," returned Jack Raby. "If I
could find our companions, we could easily do it; but I don't know what
became of them. I was dragged into a boat by myself, and knocked down,
and told to be quiet; out, as soon as we got in here, the rascals went
off to man their guns, and quite forgot me, I suppose; so, directly I
found that they were gone, I felt to see if my head was hurt, and
feeling it all right, I jumped out and set off, determined to try and
find out what had become of you and the rest. If I could not succeed, I
thought about going up to the Italian lady, and getting her to make
interest for us all. I was in a great hurry, because I did not know
when the pirates might come back; and they will, probably, shut me up
somewhere, so that I cannot get to speak to her."
"Your suggestion, Mr Raby, affords much hope that we may obtain
assistance for Captain Fleetwood," said Ada. "Oh! hurry up to the
tower, and I am certain that the Signora Nina will exert herself to the
utmost in our favour. Tell her all that happened--tell her that the
life of one very dear to me depends on her sending us aid; and she will
find some one who will come and assist to carry your captain to a place
of safety. I need scarcely advise you to take every precaution to avoid
being stopped on your way."
"Never fear me, Miss Garden," answered the midshipman, as he leaped on
shore. "If I hear any one coming near me, I'll stow myself away under
the rocks, or climb right up the cliffs over their heads. It's
fortunately so dark, that there's very little chance of my being seen,
and I'll be back again as fast as I can."
Nina Montifalcone was sitting, solitary and sad, at the window of her
tower, gazing out on the sea, and watching the scene enacting below her.
She had risen from her couch on hearing the firing and noise, and had
gone to where she now was, to learn the cause of it. The rapid
discharge of the guns from the brig and fort told her that fighting was
going on, and the British boats in full retreat explained what else had
happened. So interested was she on what was going on without, that she
did not hear the sound of the footsteps of a person who entered the
room.
"Signora, signora," said a voice near her; she started on hearing
herself addressed, and saw Jack Raby standing at her elbow. "I have
come in a great hurry, and have not a moment to spare, to tell you that
Signora Garden, your friend, is on the shore of the bay in a boat, and
that there is a person very badly wounded in it, who will die if you
cannot send him assistance; and also that, if you do not intercede for
us with the pira--I mean with the chief of this island,--I and my
companions shall, very likely, to-morrow morning, be hung, or shot, or
have our throats cut, or be thrown over the cliffs, or, at all events,
sent out of the world."
"The Signora Garden, and one in whom she is interested, wounded,"
repeated Nina. "Ah! I see how it is. Tell me, frankly, boy. Is it
the captain of the English brig who is wounded?"
"_Signora, si_, I will not deny it," said the midshipman. "There is,
therefore, you will see, still greater necessity for you to interfere in
his favour."
"I tell you, boy, if it were known who he was, and for what purpose he
came here, I could not preserve his life for one instant," replied Nina.
"He must not be brought up here on any account, for he would be
certainly recognised in the morning. Have you met my brother, Signor
Paolo. He alone can assist us."
"What, the Italian gentleman? No, signora. I took too much care in
coming up here to fall in with anybody," said Jack.
"Then I must go in search of him. We shall probably find him among the
spectators of the fight. I will send him down to the boat. Tell the
signora that there is a cottage close to the shore on the other side of
the bay, to the inhabitants of which my brother has been of great
service, by preserving the lives of their children in a dire sickness,
and thither the wounded man shall be conveyed. If they have any
gratitude in their nature, they will perform any service Paolo may
require; and the English captain will be safe with them, even should
they discover who he is. Now, hasten back to the bay with the message,
and entreat Signora Garden to return to her tower, and to appear to take
no further interest in him. It will betray him, to a certainty, if she
does, and it can do him no good. I will, however, endeavour to arrange
that you shall remain with him to attend on him. Tell her that, as soon
as I have dispatched Paolo, I will go myself to meet her."
While Nina was speaking, she took out of a chest the _capote_ she had
worn on the previous occasion, and, throwing it over her shoulders, led
the way down the steps. While Jack Raby hurried off down the ravine,
she took her way towards the edge of the cliffs, where she saw a number
of people, some of them still firing in the direction where the boats
were supposed to be, though they must by that time have been beyond the
range of the guns; it served, however, to occupy their attention, so
that no one perceived her. She wandered among them for some time in
vain, looking for her brother, till, at last, she found him, leaning
against a part of the ruins on a high spot, from where he could overlook
the whole scene. Twice she called him, but so absorbed was he in his
own thoughts that he did not answer her, till she climbed up over the
broken fragments at his feet, and touched his arm.
"Paolo, my brother," she said, "I come to ask you to perform a generous
and a noble work, from which you must not shrink. You love the English
lady who has been held captive here. I knew it from the first, and I
know that she cannot return your love, for her heart is another's. Now
listen: the man to whom her heart is given, your rival if you will, lies
now in the island, wounded almost to death, and on your skill depends,
probably, whether he lives or dies. Promise me, then, as you hope for
salvation in another world, for peace of mind in this, to exert that
skill to the utmost to preserve his life, to conceal his real character
from my husband, and to aid him to escape from the island. Say you will
do this, my brother, and I believe, from what I have seen of that fair
girl, you are far more likely to win her regard by such conduct, and
ultimately, perhaps, even her love, than were her lover to die without
an attempt on your part to save him."
Paolo listened without interrupting her, and did not immediately answer.
"Her love! Do you think it possible that I should gain her love?" he at
length exclaimed, as if he had not heard anything else she had said. "I
would sacrifice life itself for that bright jewel."
"It would be wrong were I to hold hope out to you to induce you to act
as I could wish, Paolo," said Nina. "Think not of any other reward than
such as your own heart will afford you. Her love I do not believe that
you will attain, even were her lover to die. One of her nature places
her heart on one object, and when that is torn from her, it never again
finds a resting-place. All you may expect, and that, be assured, she
will give you, is her gratitude and esteem. With that you must be
content."
"It is bitter to think so, and yet I have long ceased to hope," murmured
Paolo. "Tell me though, Nina, what would you have me do?"
His sister told him of the arrangement she had already made with Jack
Raby.
"Come, my brother, decide what part you will take--there is no time to
be lost; oh! let it be that one worthy of your generous nature."
"Nina, I will do as you wish," Paolo gasped forth, after a long silence.
"I will endeavour to save the life of this man, even though my heart
break when I see him united to her he loves."
"Swear it, then, Paolo--swear it by the Holy Apostles--swear it, as you
hope for Heaven's mercy hereafter," exclaimed Nina. "Not only for your
own sake do I impose this oath, but for the sake of the sweet girl
herself, that she may know that, though her lover is in his rival's
power, he is as safe as in the hands of his dearest friend."
Paolo took the oath his sister prescribed, and leaping off the ruins,
hurried, at headlong speed, down to the bay.
Nina followed at a slower pace.
The flight of the fugitives had been discovered by old Vlacco, even
before they had quitted the bay. He had awoke in the night, he stated,
and had taken it into his head, that he would go to see if they were
safe in their prison. He was so astonished and confused on finding they
were not there, that, at first, he could not decide what course to take.
He then bethought him that his duty required him to inform his chief,
and as soon as Zappa was made aware of the fact, the whole island was in
commotion, and the pursuit was commenced.
It was with very great satisfaction that Nina heard of Ada's flight, and
most earnestly did she pray that she might not be overtaken. For the
fair girl's sake, she wished this, and for her own, even still more so.
She admired her beauty, she was inclined to love her as a sister--and
yet she could not conceal from herself that she greatly feared her as a
rival in her husband's affections. She had lately learned, too surely
to doubt it, that his love was waning, and that he himself was far
different from the character she had supposed him.
By his own acknowledgment, he was a blood-stained pirate; and she had
already too many proofs of the fact, even had he not, now that he was
indifferent to her love, boasted to her of his deeds. Sometimes, alas,
the dreadful thought would occur to her, that even her life would not be
safe, if it stood between him and his wishes; and yet, woman-like, she
still loved on. She tried to shut her eyes to his faults, to forget his
unkindness, and to discover only the noble qualities she at first
believed he possessed. Though she feared Ada, she could not hate her;
and would not have harmed her, now that she felt sure she would never
consent to become the pirate's bride should she die, much less his
mistress; but she was not the less anxious for her departure, and
proportionably grieved when she heard that she was once more a prisoner
in the island. With natural jealousy, when Zappa spoke of obtaining a
ransom for Ada, she had endeavoured to ascertain what steps he had
taken, for the purpose of arranging it; and by no means could she learn
that he had even made any attempts to open negotiations on the subject
with any persons at Malta, or elsewhere; and this confirmed her in her
fears that this was simply a pretext to weary out his prisoner, and to
reconcile her to her fate. She was certain, also, that Captain
Fleetwood could have heard nothing on the subject; as he would, she
thought, have preferred so safe a way of recovering her, instead of the
dangerous one he had attempted. Such were the subjects which occupied
her mind, as she walked down the ravine to meet her rival. In the
meantime, Ada had watched, with an anxiety scarcely describable, for the
return of Raby; every instant expecting to have the pirates come back;
and to have her lover dragged roughly from her; and to have to run the
risk either of betraying him, or of allowing him to perish without
assistance.
At last Jack arrived, followed at an interval by Paolo.
"Signora," he said, "I have come to take charge of a man I hear is
sorely wounded. Do not doubt me; I repeat the oath I have given my
sister, that I will, to the best of my abilities, endeavour to restore
him to health, and if an occasion occurs, to aid in his escape from
hence. I ask--I look for no reward."
"I trust you, signor," replied Ada, giving him her hand. "You could not
commit so black an act as to deceive me, and now, oh! hasten to put your
good intentions into execution."
On this Paolo told her of the fisherman's hut, to which he purposed to
convey Captain Fleetwood, and hurried off to summon the old man. He
soon returned, stating that he was from home, and as no time was to be
lost, he proposed that he and Raby should carry the wounded officer
there at once, with the aid of Ada and Marianna. This they accomplished
without much difficulty, by means of a cloak found at the bottom of the
boat, and then, urged by Paolo and Raby, Ada tore herself away from him,
and with Marianna, endeavoured to find her way up the ravine, while Jack
remained to keep watch over his commander.