Part 35 (1/2)
”She is, she is!” exclaimed Fleetwood, in a voice of agitation, the colour rus.h.i.+ng to his face, and showing through the darkly-stained skin.
”Where is she, lady? Oh, tell me!”
Nina smiled.
”You have betrayed yourself, signor,” she answered. ”But you may confide in me--I will not injure you. I thought from the first, that you were not a common seaman, in spite of your costume. Such speak not with the accent you do. You take a great interest in this fair girl.
Confess it.”
”I do, signora; and, moreover, I would risk everything to rescue her.”
”I thought as much,” returned Nina. ”I may find means to serve you--and will do so. But remember, signor, that I may also some day call upon you to a.s.sist one who, although you may look upon him as an enemy, may demand your aid. Promise me that, should I ever require it, you will exert all your energies--you will strive to the utmost--you will even risk your life and safety, if I demand it of you, to serve him I will not now name. Say you will do this, and you enable me to do all you require. Otherwise, I cannot; for in aiding your wishes, I am disobeying his orders, and I cannot justify my conduct to myself.”
”You must remember, signora, that a naval officer, and, I confess to you, that I am one, owes his first duty to his country; next that, gladly will I obey your wishes,” returned Fleetwood. ”If any one, in whom you take interest, is in difficulty, and I have the means to save him, I promise, faithfully, to do so. More, I cannot say. Will that satisfy you?”
”It does. Say, whence did you come--and whither were you bound, when you were driven on this coast. It may be necessary to show that I have not forgotten the most important part of the examination.”
”We come from Malta and were bound for Smyrna, but were driven out of our course by a gale of wind, in which we lost our master and mate. Our vessel was wrecked, and becoming the purchasers of the mistico, we endeavoured to find our way home in her. None of us, however, understanding navigation, we were afraid to continue our voyage till we found some one to supply their place. This, lady, is the story we have to tell, to account for our appearance on the island; but, in one point, believe me, I do not deceive you, when I a.s.sure you, that we come not here to injure, in any way, the chief of this island.”
”Enough, signor; I trust to you,” replied Nina. ”I will now have you and your companions conducted to the apartments prepared for you. There is but small habitable s.p.a.ce in the castle, extensive as it once was, and it would lead to suspicions were you to be better lodged.”
She clapped her hands, and little Mila appeared, to conduct the strangers to the abode Nina had selected for them.
Left alone, she stood, for an instant, a picture of misery.
”Alas, alas!” she repeated to herself, ”everything I hear and see convinces me that his course is one full of danger, if not, also, of crime. But I am acting for the best, and am gaining a power which may serve him at his utmost need. I am doing what is right.”
Poor Nina, the idol she had set up was gradually changing his G.o.d-like radiance for a sombre hue, his heavenly countenance for one of dark malignity. So must all false idols change. The brighter and more beautiful they appear at first, the blacker and more hideous will they become.
The adventurers had retired to rest. Their couches were composed of heather, scattered along the sides of the room; but it was covered with thick cloths and rugs, and formed no contemptible resting-place; their drenched clothes had been well dried, and they had enjoyed a plentiful meal. Even Fleetwood had done justice to it; and the Maltese lad, who was no other than our friend Jack Raby, astonished little Mila by the prodigious extent of his mids.h.i.+pman's appet.i.te.
Another seeming Maltese was a person the reader is probably not prepared to meet. He was our friend Bowse, late master of the _Zodiac_, who, having been rescued from the fate which hung over him, had entreated Captain Fleetwood to be permitted to accompany him, and to share his dangers in recovering Miss Garden.
The Greek captain, Teodoro Va.s.silato, was the person who had acted as interpreter. He had once been taken prisoner by the pirates, and having a little private revenge of his own to satisfy, he had offered his services, which were too valuable to be refused.
The last person was really a Maltese seaman, long a faithful attendant on Fleetwood. He was to be put forward as the most prominent person, should any doubt arise as to their being really Maltese.
As the reader may have suspected, the s.h.i.+pwreck was the result of design rather than chance or mismanagement; and though they had long been waiting for a gale of wind, better to account for it, and as the most certain means of getting a footing on the island, they had scarcely bargained for one of such violence.
As, however, Captain Va.s.silato was confident of the spot, they resolved to stand on. They well knew the danger they were running--for they felt that it would be almost certain death, should the pirates discover them; but they had strung up their nerves for the work, and all were anxious to serve Captain Fleetwood, and to rescue Ada Garden from captivity.
Fleetwood had thrown himself on his couch, thinking of Ada, and pondering how he might beat obtain an interview with her, when the door slowly opened, and a dark figure entered, holding a light in his hand.
He attentively scrutinised the countenances of the sleepers, and then stopping before Fleetwood, he threw the light full on his face, so as to awaken him thoroughly, had he slept, and beckoned to him.
Fleetwood sprang to his feet.
”Follow me, signor,” whispered the stranger, in Italian. ”I have come to conduct you into the presence of one you have long wished to meet.”
”To the English lady?” he asked, his voice trembling with agitation.
The stranger laid his finger on his lips as a signal of silence, and beckoned him to follow.