CHAPTER FOURTEEN.
When the first glimmerings of consciousness revisited the mind of AdaGarden, she felt that some dreadful calamity had befallen her, withoutbeing able to comprehend its nature or extent. An undefined terror, aninsupportable oppression at the heart made her feel that death must soonrelease her from her sufferings. She had neither the power nor the willto stir a limb, or to open her eyes to discover her real state. Thenoise of the engagement and the thunder of the guns, the shrieks andcries of the combatants, still rung with fearful clearness in her ears,yet without enabling her to remember the causes which had produced them.She felt that she had been deprived of her only guardian--that she wasalone in the world without friends to protect or counsel her; but howher uncle had died she could not comprehend. Then she thought she sawhim sinking down into the deep blue sea, and his countenance was turnedtowards her with the smile it wore when he was pleased, and down, downhe sunk till he reached the yellow sand at the bottom, where, throughthe clear water, she could see him resting, and beckoning her to raisehim up; and then there seemed to pass a vessel full of strange, fierceforms, shrieking and mocking her; and whenever she stooped down to aidthe old man, it would come between them and conceal him from her.
At last a deep-drawn sigh gave notice that she was returning to aconsciousness of the dreadful reality. She opened her eyes withdifficulty, and for an instant gazed round her, and then again closedthem. That glance had revealed to her that she was no longer in her owncabin, though she still felt that she was at sea. For some time afterthis she remained with her eyes closed, trying to collect her scatteredthoughts, till at last she remembered the fight with the _Sea Hawk_, andthe appearance of Zappa at the door of her cabin.
The thoughts of what had occurred were almost sufficient to drive backher mind to a state of insensibility, if not to madness itself; but shefelt that all the courage and energy she could muster were requisite forher guidance, and by a strenuous exertion of the intellect, sheconquered the feeling which was so nearly overpowering her. Once moreshe opened her eyes, and tried to raise herself, that she might discoverwhere she was.
The movement she made attracted the attention of some one who appearedto be occupied at a little distance from her, and who instantly flew toher side.
"Oh, my dear mistress, the saints have heard my prayers, and you havecome to life again!" exclaimed the voice of Marianna, who immediatelypresented herself before her, with a countenance in which pleasureovercame every other feeling.
"Oh, tell me, where am I? What has happened?" exclaimed Ada, eagerly;but the exertion or excitement caused her again almost to faint.
"Hush, hush, my dear mistress," whispered Marianna. "Do not be alarmed.You are not in a condition to ask questions, nor to listen to myanswers, so I shall say nothing. You have been very ill with a fever,and you are to take this medicine, which will do you much good."
As she spoke, she presented a glass, filled with a cooling beverage,which, as Ada felt very thirsty, and her mouth dreadfully parched, shegratefully drank off and lay back on her pillows.
She saw that she was in a large cabin, furnished and ornamented withmuch taste; and through the open stern-ports, from which a light purebreeze blew in and cooled her fevered brow, she saw the calm blue seaglittering in the sunshine, and in the far distance the land rising inpicturesque hillocks from out of the water. While she was gazing atthis calm and soothing scene, and meditating on the meaning ofMarianna's words, she fell into a quiet slumber.
The Maltese girl watched her mistress till she saw that she slept, andthen busied herself in putting the cabin in order, and in dusting thefurniture, as if she were in a room on shore.
The cabin was, as has been described, in the after part of the vessel,and occupied its entire width. It was fitted up with bird's-eye maple,and the mouldings were gilt.
There were two large sofas, or standing bed-places, on either side, withbrass bars overhead, by which a curtain could be drawn round them.
The space between the two ports was occupied by a rack, on which werearranged with much taste, a number of richly-embossed arms, pistols,swords, and daggers--and against the bulkhead was another stand, filledwith muskets and cutlasses, brightly polished.
On the couch farthest from the door, on the starboard side, lay Ada;with her feet towards the stern, and her head supported by pillows; sothat the full force of such air as could find its way through the portsshould blow on her face. As she slept, a fresh bloom slowly crept overher cheek, which had hitherto been of a deathlike paleness, and as herfaithful attendant watched its appearance, she hailed it as a sign ofreturning health.
In the centre of the cabin was a table on which now stood a large vase,filled with sweet-scented flowers, which spoke of the shore andcivilisation. There was, indeed, in the arrangement of the cabingenerally, a mixture of elegant luxury and warlike preparation, whichgave it the appearance of the cabin of a yacht fitted for a voyage amongsavage or treacherous people. Whatever she was, Marianna seemedperfectly at home. Her work-basket was on the table, and various thingsbelonging to it were scattered about; as were several articles of femaleapparel, which showed also that she considered the cabin sacred to hermistress and herself. When she had arranged everything to hersatisfaction, she again sat down composedly to her work, and amusedherself, as she plied her needle, by singing a song of her nativeisland, in a tone, however, too low to run any risk of disturbing hermistress. After some time she got tired of singing, and then as somepeople are apt to do, who are fond of keeping their tongues going whenthey have nobody else to speak to, she began to talk to herself. Shedid not raise her voice, it is true, above a whisper, but still it wassufficient to give exercise to that little fidgety occupant of themouth.
"Well, this is all very nice, and very pleasant, and very agreeable; andthe gentlemen are very civil, and very respectful, and very kind; but Iwonder when we shall ever reach the shore," she said; and then she wenton singing again, and then once more began to talk as follows:--"Isuppose, as they say, we shall at last reach the shore, and everythingwill be as it should be, and my mistress will be happy and contentedafter all her troubles--poor dear, sweet, young lady--I'm sure she oughtto be. Well, it does puzzle me, exceedingly--that it does--I cannotmake it out, no more, I am sure, would wiser heads than mine. But thereis one thing I am very sure of, that Signor Paolo is one of the wisestand most amiable young gentlemen I ever saw. So melancholy, too, heseems--something very dreadful weighs on his spirits, I am sure. Idon't think he is in love--I thought so at first; but when I hinted thathe was, he gave the nearest approach to a smile of which he is capable,which I'm sure he would not have done, if he was a victim of the tenderpassion. One thing is certain, however--he saved the life of my sweetyoung mistress. If it had not been for his knowing how to doctor, I'msure she would have died--dear, dear, how sad it would have been--whatwould have become of me, too! Well, when she recovers, and I tell herall that has happened, I am sure she'll think the same of him that I do.When she does begin, she will be asking me so many questions--I wishthat I could answer one half of them--first, she'll want to know whathas become of the poor old gentleman, her uncle. Well, he certainly wasa passionate, grumpy, sour old man as ever lived. Yet he had his goodpoints--he had a kind heart, which made him do many a kind thing in hisown rough way. He was generous, too, when he thought people deserving,and then he dotingly loved my young mistress, and intended to leave herall his money. What shall I tell her has become of him? I can tell hernothing; for I know no more than she does; or what has become of thebrave Captain Bowse, or his polite mates, or even of that stupidlong-legged fellow, Mitchell. I'm afraid, after the dreadful noise Iheard, they must all long ago have gone to the other world. But tobelieve so would make my young lady sad, and would agitate her, andSignor Paolo says she must be kept quiet, so I will tell her I knownothing. Ah! that will be the safest plan."
While she was running on in this way, a gentle knock was heard at thedoor--she sp
rang up, and went to it cautiously.
"Who is there?" she asked.
"It is I, Paolo--may I enter?" answered a voice from without.
"Oh yes, indeed you may, Signor Paolo," she whispered through thekeyhole, and at the same time withdrew the bolts from the door. As shedid so she fancied she heard a bolt drawn slowly back outside. When thedoor opened, a young man entered, habited in the Greek costume, thoughhis features were more like those of one born in Italy, as was thelanguage he spoke.
"Has the lady yet awoke, and have you given her the potion I left forher?" he asked in a cautious tone.
"_Si, signor_, she not only awoke, and drank up the draught, but shebegan to talk, and has now gone to sleep again," replied Marianna. "Seehow sweetly she sleeps."
The young man stepped across the cabin so that he might be able to seeAda's countenance.
He observed the slight roseate tinge which had visited her cheek, andher calm, quiet breathing.
"The lady does well," he whispered. "I will send you another draught togive her when she awakes, which she will not however do until towardsthe evening; and then, when she speaks, try to tranquillise her mind,and induce her again to sleep. The slightest agitation might be fatalto her."
"Oh, then, signor, I will tell her anything you advise," answeredMarianna. "But I am much puzzled what to say; and I want you to tellme, among many other things, where we are going; because I know thatwill be one of the first questions she will ask me, and I'm sure I can'tanswer it."
The young man hesitated before he spoke.
"Tell her," he said, at last, "that we are going to a place where shewill be kindly and honourably treated; but that you know not the name ofit. I am not the commander of this vessel, nor can I direct her course;and I am not allowed to say more than I have."
"Oh, but you have great influence with him who is commander; and you canmake him do what you like, I am sure," urged the Maltese girl.
"Indeed, I cannot," answered the young man, mournfully. "My influenceextends but a short way, and can be but rarely exerted in the cause ofright. Were I to attempt too much, I should become altogetherpowerless."
He stopped, as if he had said too much, and seemed about to leave thecabin. He again, however, went up to Marianna, and whispered--"It maybe better for your mistress and yourself that she remain as if overcomewith illness till the conclusion of the voyage. Urge her not to rise,or to attempt to go on deck; and tell her that the leech who hasattended her, has prescribed perfect silence and calmness. Youunderstand me?"
"I do, signor--though I cannot comprehend your reasons," returnedMarianna. "But, at all events, you can tell me when the voyage is to bebrought to a conclusion. It has lasted already a long time. I did notthink the Mediterranean sea was so large."
"Even there I cannot satisfy you," returned he who was called byMarianna Signor Paolo. "Certainly not for many days; it may be even forsome weeks. You observe, that we do not always continue sailing. Wevisit the shore occasionally, and, sometimes, remain hours together atanchor."
"I cannot say exactly that I discovered that," answered the girl. "Ithought sometimes the ship appeared to sail very slowly, and that wewere very near the shore; but I knew not that we were altogether atrest. Yet I cannot understand why you should not tell me where we aregoing to."
"Perhaps I myself do not know," returned Paolo evasively. "Thecommander of this ship does not always say where he will next steer."
"There again--who is your commander?" asked the girl. "It is strangeyou should not have told me his name."
"You are much too curious, Marianna," answered Signor Paolo. "I mustagain warn you to prevent your mistress from asking questions, which youcannot answer; and now I must leave you, for the present; for I dare notremain long at a time here."
Saying this, to the great disappointment of Marianna, who had made upher mind to enjoy a long chat, he took his departure; and she bolted andlocked the door behind him--saying, as she did so, "I will do as hetells me, at all events; and, as I may not go out, no one else shallcome in without my leave."
The bright rays of the sun were streaming through the stern-ports, andglittering on the arms and the gilt mouldings of the bulkheads, when AdaGarden again awoke. Her eyes were dazzled by the bright refulgencewhich they encountered, and almost blinded, she closed them, tillMarianna bethought of drawing the curtain across the foot of her couch.In so doing she saw that her mistress was awake.
Now, although the glare of the sunlight had disturbed Ada's slumbers, ithad had the beneficial effect of imparting somewhat of its brightness toher spirits; and instead of the gloomy oppression which she had beforeexperienced, she now felt a glow of hope circling round her heart; andshe was fully prepared to credit the favourable account of the state ofaffairs which Marianna was about to give her as soon as she wasquestioned.
"Where am I--what has happened?" she asked, endeavouring to sit up.
"You must take another draught before I am at liberty to tell youanything, my dear signora," answered Marianna, bringing her the gobletwhich Paolo had sent. She drank the cooling mixture, and it servedstill further to revive her. "Now let me arrange your pillows, and Iwill tell you all you want to know," said the faithful girl, arrangingher couch. "There, now you are comfortable! Well, first, we are withvery kind, considerate people, who do everything I wish; and we are assafe as we can be on board ship--though I wish ships had never beeninvented; then we are going to a very beautiful place--though, when weare to get there depends on the wind and other circumstances, which I amnot clever enough to explain."
She was running on in this style, when Ada cut her short by abruptlyasking--
"Where is my uncle? Is he on board? Why does he not come to me?"
"Ah! there are some little mysteries which I cannot explain just now,and that is one of them," promptly returned Marianna. "The signorcolonel is not on board the ship, nor is the good Captain Bowse--theyall went away in the other one; and we--that we might be much safer--wecame on board this one. Here we are, and here we must remain, till you,my dear signora, can get well enough to go on shore; but there is nohurry, for we could not be better off than we are now. So, as you haveasked a great many questions, which your doctor said that if you did Iwas not to answer, yet I have done so, you must try and go fast asleepagain, and forget all about it."
Ada was still too weak, she discovered, to talk; and her mind had noteither sufficiently recovered its clearness to perceive the glaringevasiveness of her servant's replies; so, satisfied that herapprehensions of danger were groundless, she amused herself by examiningthe fittings of the cabin, and by watching through the open ports themagnificent effect of the setting sun, which now just dipping in thewater, seemed to convert the whole ocean into a sheet of liquid gold.She thus discovered that the ship was steering an easterly course, fromwhich she concluded that she was still on her voyage to Cephalonia.
Two more days passed away, and served to restore to Ada Garden herstrength both of mind and body, though the uncertainty of the past andpresent, and painful anticipations for the future, much retarded hercomplete recovery.
In vain she questioned Marianna. Her lively attendant knew but little--and even that, she had been taught, it would be beneficial to hermistress to conceal. The young Italian had once entered the cabin whileshe was awake, and had felt her pulse, in order to be better able toprescribe for her, but had remained not a moment longer than wasabsolutely necessary in her presence. She resolved, however, the nexttime he came to detain and question him; for the description given ofhim by Marianna, already made her place confidence in him. She had notlong to wait for an opportunity; for that evening, just before sunset,his knock was heard at the cabin doors, and with the usual caution heentered.
"How is your mistress?" he asked of Marianna. "Does she feel stronger?"
"She is awake to answer for herself," returned the Maltese girl, "andwill gladly speak to you."
The young man started--he had so gener
ally found her unconscious, thathe seemed not to have expected to find her able to question him. He,however, crossed the cabin and stood with his arms folded, leaningagainst the bulkhead, where she could not observe his countenance. Adawas the first to speak.
"I am glad you have come, signor," she said, in a low tone; "for I amanxious to express my gratitude to you for the attention with which, asmy maid tells me, you have treated me during my illness, and to which Ifeel sensible I am much indebted for my recovery."
"Lady, I have but performed the duty in obedience to the order ofanother," he replied, in a tone so calm that it sounded almost cold toher ear. "I found you suffering, and I have employed what knowledge Ipossess of the healing art to restore you to health. I rejoice to findthat my efforts have not been totally unavailing."
"To you, at all events, my gratitude is due," returned Ada. "And Iwould lay myself under a still further obligation, by asking you to tellme what ship I am on board, how I came here, and to where I am beingconveyed?"
The Italian hesitated, as if he was framing an answer, which Adaremarked to herself. At last he replied,--"Lady, your first question Imay answer. You are on board a man-of-war belonging to the patriotGreeks, who are struggling for their liberty against the infidel Turks;and you are in possession of the commander's cabin. How you came here Iam less able to inform you, and thus much only, further, I know, that weare sailing for one of the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, where youwill be landed, and placed with those who will tend you carefully.Lady, I regret that I cannot tell you more."
The suspicions of Ada were much increased on hearing these words.
"I believe that you, signor, would not willingly deceive me," sheobserved. "The very tone of your voice forbids the supposition. Buttell me, as the Greek patriots are on friendly terms with the English,should I desire to be placed on board a British ship-of-war, of which Ibelieve there are several in these seas, would not your commander complywith my wishes?"
"The commander of this ship is anxious to do all he can to gratify you,lady; but to do as you wish may not be in his power."
"Signor," said Ada, glancing at his features. "I have heard that voicebefore. You speak Italian well; but so do many Greeks. Tell me, areyou the commander of this ship?"
"Lady, I am not," returned the young man emphatically. "I am but actingas the surgeon of the ship, to soothe the anguish of those who arewounded. I have no authority on board."
"Then why does not the commander visit me?" said Ada, "I would see himand urge my request to be placed under the protection of the Britishflag. Surely he would not refuse to do so."
"Oh, lady, do not ask to see him," exclaimed the Italian, forgetting hiscold reserve and previous caution. "You know not what misfortune youmay bring on yourself by so doing. He believes that you are now sick,almost to death, and that your only chance of restoration to health isrest and quiet on shore."
"You speak in enigmas," said Ada, quickly taking alarm. "Surely thecommander of a man-of-war would not detain an English lady against herwill; and my having recovered would make him still more anxious toenable me to return to my friends."
The Italian stood for some minutes lost in thought.
"You know not lady how you came to be on board this vessel," he said."You now compel me to tell you. Your attendant informs me that the shipin which you sailed from Malta was attacked by a corsair, and captured;but that you and she were the only persons conveyed on board the piratevessel; and that you, having fainted during the engagement, wereunconscious of all that took place. It appears that for a short timeonly you remained on board the pirate, still in a happy state ofunconsciousness of the misfortune which had befallen you, when we caughtsight of the ship, chased, and captured her. You and your attendantwere found on board, respectfully treated, and in possession of thechief cabin. This was a suspicious circumstance, for who could tellthat you were not willingly on board."
"Ah!" exclaimed Ada, almost smiling at the atrocious supposition."Surely no one could believe that I was acting in consort with pirates?"
"Lady, I do not; but all may not so readily believe the truth," returnedthe Italian.
"But am I and my innocent attendant then to be punished as pirates,"asked Ada, with a hysterical laugh.
"Scarcely so, lady; but you may be required to give evidence againstthem," returned the Italian.
"I can give no evidence against them," said Ada; "for, as you have beeninformed, I have been deprived of consciousness since I was found onboard the English brig."
"The observation you make, lady, is much in your favour," remarked theItalian in a low tone.
"Then I am to understand," continued Ada, not noticing it, "that I am,with an attendant, a prisoner in this cabin."
"So I am compelled to confess, with much regret, is the case," repliedthe surgeon.
"Then I understand it all," she ejaculated, compressing her lips, andfixing her eyes upon the young man, who had advanced a few paces to theafter part of the cabin. "From man I can expect no aid,--Heaven willnot desert me."
"Lady, God never deserts those who trust in him," he replied, about toquit the cabin.
"Stay," exclaimed Ada. "Those features, too, I have beheld before.Tell me where it was I saw you?"
"Lady, fancy often strangely deceives us," returned the surgeon, in hisformer cold tone, and before she had time to ask another question, hehad quitted the cabin.
She, as Marianna had before observed, heard a bolt drawn across it.
On board what vessel they were there might be a doubt; but there wasnone that they were prisoners.