CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.
Doubtless, the reader will be anxious to hear by what wonderful eventColonel Gauntlett and his man, Mitchell, had escaped from the death theywere supposed to have suffered, and whether poor Bowse, and any of thesurvivors of his crew, had been equally fortunate; but, as I have matterof still more importance to communicate in this chapter, I must entreathim to have patience till I can return to that part of my history. Weleft the old pirate, Vlacco, on his way, by Nina's directions, to givehis assistance to any who might have survived the wreck of the Greekmistico. He had no particular wish to turn philanthropist in his oldage, so he went rather in a sulky humour, as he would very much ratherhave knocked them on the head than have had, not only to save theirlives, but to refrain from touching any of their property. The ordersof his chief's lady were, however, not to be disobeyed; so he and hiscompanions hurried on as fast as they could go with the rope and sparsthey had with them.
"Ah! there she drives," he muttered. "She might just as well have comeon shore here, and saved me the trouble of going so far. The boat iswell handled though, and her crew don't seem inclined to give it up tothe last. They don't know what they are coming to, or they would bethrowing up their arms in despair. Well, it's some people's fate to behung, and some to be drowned, so they must have made up their minds togo out of the world in the last way."
He walked on for some distance further, by which time the little misticowas close in with the rocks.
"I don't know though," he continued. "She has got past Point Ausa, andI'm not quite so certain that she won't run right up into Ziyra Bay.So, by the saints, she has; and if she had tried to get there, she couldnot have done it better. Now, on my sons, or the sea will be too quickfor us, and will have carried those strangers away before we get there."
A few minutes more brought him and his party to the edge of a loftycliff, from whence they looked down into a small sandy bay, where,already almost high and dry, lay the mistico they had seen approachingthe shore. The entrance to the bay was through a very narrow passagebetween two rocks, which could only just have allowed her to scrapethrough; but once inside, the force of the sea was so much broken bythem that she had received little or no damage. The waves were,however, sufficiently high to break over her, and almost to fill her, sothat the crew were compelled to land as fast as they could. This theyaccomplished by dropping down from the little stump of a bowsprit as thewater receded, and running up on to the dry sand before it returned.
"You are lucky fellows to get on shore so easily," muttered old Vlacco."But now you are there, you are very like mice in a trap, you cannot getout without my assistance."
From the appearance of the bay, there seemed to be much truth in hisobservation, for so perpendicular were the cliffs, that no one could byany possibility, have scaled them.
He counted the people as they landed, and saw that there were four menand a boy; and he was now watching to learn what they would do. Therewas, as he was well aware, a narrow pathway cut up the side of thecliff; but the lower part was concealed, by leading into a small cavern,so that no strangers were likely to find it. It had been formed,probably, in the days when the island was a regular fortress, and hadbeen thus arranged, that no enemy should land there, and take themunawares.
The crew of the mistico immediately set to work to try and find theirway to the summit of the cliff; and it was while they were so doing thatVlacco showed himself. He went to the lowest part of the cliff, andbeckoned to them to come under it, and then driving two of the sparsinto the ground, he made a rope fast to them, and lowered it over thecliff. It was immediately seized by the boy, who, with the agility of amonkey, commenced hauling himself up by it, towards the summit. It wasnervous work to see him now swinging in the air, now placing his feet onthe narrow ledges of the rock, and thus making play for a few yards torest his arms. At last, he stood safely at the top, and taking off hiscap, cheered to his companions to follow his example.
"Many thanks, signor," he said, addressing Vlacco in a language whichsounded something like Maltese, to which nation he apparently belonged,by his dress and the excessively dark hue of his skin.
One after the other followed, till the whole crew were safely landed.
They were all dressed as Maltese; but one of them addressed Vlacco inRomaic, and said--
"He and his shipmates had to thank him for the assistance he hadafforded them. If our master was here, he would thank you, too; but,poor fellow, he and the mate were washed overboard, and we now know notwhere we have got to, or where to go. We must get you and your friendson shore here to aid us in getting our vessel afloat, and we must thentry to find our way back to Malta."
"You'll not find that so easy," muttered the old pirate. "But how cameyou to hit the bay in the clever way you did? No one could have done itbetter who knows the island well."
"Our good luck served us, and our prayers to the saints woreefficacious," returned the Maltese. "We did not expect to succeed sowell, I can assure you."
"Some people are not born to be drowned," muttered, in a gruff voice,the old pirate, who, since he had given up robbing on his own account,had no further fears on the score of the alternative generallymentioned. "You're in luck, I say; and since you happen not to be foodfor fishes, as I expected you would be by this time, I must tell you,that I have orders to bring you into the presence of the chief lady ofthis island, by whose directions I came all this way to try and saveyour lives, for I should not have taken so much trouble of my ownaccord, I can tell you."
"The chief lady of the island," repeated the Maltese, who saw that itwould be folly to take notice of the rude tone a the old man'sobservations. "Who is she, friend?"
"Who is she? Why, the wife, or mistress, or lady love, or whatever youlike to call her, of our chief, Zappa," answered Vlacco.
"Ah?" ejaculated the Maltese, and he turned to one of his companions,and interpreted what he had heard in a language Vlacco did notunderstand.
It seemed much to affect the man, who was a young, dark-skinned Maltese,though with features more of the European cast than theirs generallyare. He spoke a few words to the interpreter, who then said--
"But, tell me, my friend, is the lady you speak of a Greek of theseislands, or a stranger? We are anxious to know who our intendedbenefactress is."
"I don't see how it matters to you, who or what she is, provided she isof service to you," returned the pirate. "But as you want to know, I'lltell you, she's a foreigner, and our chief seems very fond of her; andshe is of him, I should think, by the way she looks at him. Will thatanswer serve you?"
The interpreter repeated what he had heard to his companion, who wasevidently greatly agitated, though he tried to master his feelings, soas not to allow them to attract the attention of the islanders. He wasable to say a few words to the interpreter, who immediately asked--
"Has the lady been long in the island, or has she lately arrived,friend?"
"I am not going to answer any more of your questions," replied oldVlacco, who had gradually been losing the little amiability he everpossessed. "I don't know why I said anything at all to you. My orderswere to see you safely into the lady's tower, where I must lock you up;and, as soon as our chief comes back, if he takes my advice, he'll heaveyou all off the top of the cliff together."
"What, is your chief absent then?" said the Maltese, with a gleam ofsatisfaction in his countenance.
"He is," replied Vlacco.
"Where has he gone, friend?" asked the persevering interpreter.
"Hough," was all the old pirate would answer.
"When do you expect him back, friend?" inquired the interpreter.
To this Vlacco would not deign a "Hough;" but looked as if he was verymuch inclined to shove his interlocutor over the cliff.
This put an effectual stop to further conversation with any of theislanders; but the strangers continued every now and then, makingobservations to each other in a low tone, as they proceeded on their w
ayto the tower.
Old Vlacco hurried them on to the causeway, and past the eastern tower,which was the one where Ada Garden resided, till they reached thehabitation of poor Nina. He then opened the door, rudely shoved themall in, and told them to amuse themselves as they best could in thedark, while he went to inform the lady of their arrival.
The fury of the summer tempest had subsided, and the dark masses ofclouds had passed away, leaving only a few loitering stragglers tofollow, in order to restore the sky to all its usual brightness. Theuntiring waves still continued lashing the base of the rocks; but theirroar had lessened, and the white foam no longer flew in showers of sprayup the steep cliffs.
Ada Garden and the young Italian sat at the window watching for theappearance of the shipwrecked mariners. As Ada saw them at a distance,she at once recognised them from their dress as Maltese, and she longedto question them, to learn if they had come lately from their nativeisland, and could give her any information respecting the vessels of warwhich were there; and whether the _Ione_ had yet sailed for England.
At all events, she thought, if they could effect their escape, theymight convey intelligence of her situation to Malta; and she doubtednot, trusting to the chivalry of her countrymen, that even shouldCaptain Fleetwood have sailed for England, every effort would be madefor her release. She whispered her hopes to Nina, who understood andpromised to forward her wishes.
"I should much like to speak with these poor men myself," she observed."But my so doing might excite suspicions which might effectuallycounteract it, and bring destruction on their heads."
"Fear not, lady; I will speak to them, and urge them to convey tidingsof you," said Nina. "For though I think not my husband would allowinnocent men to be injured, yet of late he has done acts and said thingswhich make me very wretched, though I do not comprehend them. EvenPaolo has of late come to see me but seldom, and is more silent andreserved than I ever before remember him. I know not where it will allend, but now and then dark shadows pass before my sight, and congregatein the distance, till the whole future seems full of them. But I rave,lady. Ah! here come the strangers."
Ada had scarcely listened to what her companion was saying, so intentlyhad she been watching the Maltese seamen. Her heart beat so quick withagitation, that she felt it would overcome her strength; hope and fearrose alternately in her bosom, yet she was sure she was not mistaken.Notwithstanding the disguise, the dark-stained skin, she was as certainnearly as of her own existence, that she beheld Charles Fleetwood. Lovecannot be mistaken. And yet his air and walk were not as usual; theindependent, buoyant step was not there, the free, bold carriage of thegallant sailor was gone, and he seemed to drag on his steps as if wearyof life, instead of being engaged in an expedition, which she well knewmust be to rescue her. She had loved him before, but as she now saw himrisking his liberty and his life for her, all the tenderest feelings ofa woman's nature gushed forth, and she longed to rush into his arms totell him of her gratitude, and deep, undying devotion. She longed tocall him to make him look up, to soothe his heart by letting him know ofher safety; but prudence restrained her; she felt that the slightestsign of recognition might prove his destruction, and she endeavoured toconceal her feelings even from him. But the quick glance of the youngItalian soon discovered that she was suffering from some powerfulemotion, and the direction of her eyes betrayed the cause. She at oncesaw that there was some one she knew, but as Ada said nothing, shethought it kinder not to utter her suspicions.
"I shall soon discover when I see them together," she said, mentally."And I will not agitate her by asking her questions."
In her heart of hearts, Nina hoped that the strangers would be able toassist Ada in her flight, for though she felt herself attracted to thebeautiful stranger, she was not the less anxious to get her safe out ofthe island.
Nina accordingly rose to take her departure, observing that the stormwas over, and that she must hasten to make arrangements about theshipwrecked strangers, and to send for her brother to aid her, as theywere not likely to receive much assistance or commiseration from Vlacco.She looked attentively at Ada as she said this, and the expression ofthankfulness which she saw on her countenance convinced her still morethat she was right in her conjectures.
As soon as the shipwrecked seamen found themselves alone, the one whohad hitherto appeared of the least importance, and had been seen to puton so dejected an air, on hearing that they were to be conducted intothe presence of the chief's wife, was now evidently considered by therest as their leader. By a strenuous effort he aroused himself,observing, in a language which was much more like pure English thanMaltese, "We must, while we can, examine the condition of the fortressin which we are confined; we may find it necessary to try and letourselves out. Except the door, there seems, however, to be no outlet;but there is a gleam of light coming down from the further corner, andthere must be an aperture to let it through."
"I will go in, and see all about it," exclaimed the Maltese lad, alsospeaking remarkably good English, and in a few minutes, his voice washeard calling on his companions to find their way to the foot of thesteps, and to follow him into the chamber above.
In a few minutes, the whole party were assembled in the apartment I havedescribed as the pirate's chief store-room.
"The enemies have chosen to put us in possession of the fortress, andhave given us every means of keeping it," exclaimed the Maltese lad,examining the arms and ammunition. "All we have to do, is to barricadethe door below, and we might hold out a long siege."
"And very little use that would be, when our object is to get away asfast as we can," returned another. "However, we know where to find agood supply of arms if we want them."
Meantime, their leader, and the one who had acted as interpreter, hadgone together into the story above.
"It is too true, then," exclaimed the first, after they had examined theapartment, looking as if he could scarcely restrain his grief. "This isevidently a lady's chamber, and furnished, too, with all the luxury andtreasure the pirate would lavish on his wife. Yet it cannot be hers. Iknow her too well--gentle and affectionate as she is, she would dierather than submit to such degradation. But what is this?" he took up abook, which lay on the table.
It was one he had often seen in the hands of Ada Garden, and her namewas on the title-page. Charles Fleetwood, for he it was who had come torescue her he loved, as he discovered this fatal confirmation of hisworst fears, covered his face with his hands, and groaned. But hequickly recovered himself.
"No, no--I will not believe it. The thought is too horrible--toodreadful. I wrong her to entertain it for an instant. Yet, who can bethis lady the old pirate spoke of? He said she would soon be here.Would to heaven she were come?"
The whole party had just collected together in the lower story, whenthey heard the gate open, and, a female figure appeared at the entrance.
Captain Fleetwood's heart beat audibly, for, during the first moment, hecould not tell whether it might not be Ada Garden; but the next, a gleamof light, and to him it was one of sunshine, exhibited a graceful andbeautiful person; but a stranger. In his satisfaction, he was verynearly forgetting himself, and rushing forward to inquire for Ada. Shestopped to address the old pirate, who had opened the gate.
"You have treated these poor men with scant hospitality, thrusting themdown here, wet and hungry," she observed to him, in an angry tone."Conduct them up to my room, and I will inquire whence they come, andhow they happened to be cast on the shore. Send, also, for SignorPaolo, for some of them seem hurt, and may require his aid; and, goodVlacco, see that food be supplied to them, of the best the islandaffords, and let a chamber be prepared for them in the house, near tothe room where my brother sleeps. We will, at least, endeavour to behospitable to the few strangers who are ever likely to visit ourshores."
Nina ascended to her chamber, into which Vlacco directly afterwardsushered the Maltese seamen. She inclined her head in acknowledgment tothe reverence they ma
de her, and then ordered Vlacco to retire, and tofulfil her directions.
"Do any of you speak Italian?" she asked in that language.
"_Si, signora_, I do," said Fleetwood, stepping forward. "I am alsoeager, in the name of my comrades, to thank you for your interference inour favour; nor are we at all assured, that without it, our lives wouldhave been safe, had we fallen into the hands of some of thoseislanders."
"As to that," returned Nina, "I cannot say. They are rude men, and arelittle accustomed to encounter strangers. But I am glad to be ofservice to you, and will be of more, if you can point out the way."
"The greatest you can render us, signora, will be to order some twentyor thirty men to aid us in launching our mistico. She is, fortunately,uninjured, and we may thus be enabled to continue our voyage."
"They shall do so to-morrow morning, by which time the sea will becalm," said Nina. "I have ordered lodging and food to be prepared foryou. And tell me, can I, in any other way, serve you?"
Fleetwood felt a strong inclination to confide in her completely.Before, he had dreaded seeing Ada as the mistress of the tower; and now,he almost wished that she had been, for the dreadful thought occurred tohim that she might be dead. He was considering how he should frame somequestion to learn the truth, when his eye fell on the book, which heknew contained her name. He took it up, and, as if by chance, his eyehad now, for the first time, seen it, he pointed it out to Nina.
"Lady," he said, "do you know the person to whom this book belongs?"
"No," returned Nina; "I know no lady of that name--but stay. Is thelady young, and fair, and beautiful, for, if so, I have just parted withher?"
"She is, she is!" exclaimed Fleetwood, in a voice of agitation, thecolour rushing 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 mayconfide in me--I will not injure you. I thought from the first, thatyou were not a common seaman, in spite of your costume. Such speak notwith 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--andwill do so. But remember, signor, that I may also some day call uponyou to assist one who, although you may look upon him as an enemy, maydemand your aid. Promise me that, should I ever require it, you willexert all your energies--you will strive to the utmost--you will evenrisk your life and safety, if I demand it of you, to serve him I willnot now name. Say you will do this, and you enable me to do all yourequire. Otherwise, I cannot; for in aiding your wishes, I amdisobeying his orders, and I cannot justify my conduct to myself."
"You must remember, signora, that a naval officer, and, I confess toyou, that I am one, owes his first duty to his country; next that,gladly will I obey your wishes," returned Fleetwood. "If any one, inwhom you take interest, is in difficulty, and I have the means to savehim, I promise, faithfully, to do so. More, I cannot say. Will thatsatisfy you?"
"It does. Say, whence did you come--and whither were you bound, whenyou were driven on this coast. It may be necessary to show that I havenot forgotten the most important part of the examination."
"We come from Malta and were bound for Smyrna, but were driven out ofour course by a gale of wind, in which we lost our master and mate. Ourvessel was wrecked, and becoming the purchasers of the mistico, weendeavoured to find our way home in her. None of us, however,understanding navigation, we were afraid to continue our voyage till wefound some one to supply their place. This, lady, is the story we haveto tell, to account for our appearance on the island; but, in one point,believe me, I do not deceive you, when I assure you, that we come nothere to injure, in any way, the chief of this island."
"Enough, signor; I trust to you," replied Nina. "I will now have youand your companions conducted to the apartments prepared for you. Thereis but small habitable space 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 thestrangers 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 seeconvinces me that his course is one full of danger, if not, also, ofcrime. But I am acting for the best, and am gaining a power which mayserve him at his utmost need. I am doing what is right."
Poor Nina, the idol she had set up was gradually changing his god-likeradiance for a sombre hue, his heavenly countenance for one of darkmalignity. So must all false idols change. The brighter and morebeautiful they appear at first, the blacker and more hideous will theybecome.
The adventurers had retired to rest. Their couches were composed ofheather, scattered along the sides of the room; but it was covered withthick cloths and rugs, and formed no contemptible resting-place; theirdrenched clothes had been well dried, and they had enjoyed a plentifulmeal. Even Fleetwood had done justice to it; and the Maltese lad, whowas no other than our friend Jack Raby, astonished little Mila by theprodigious extent of his midshipman's appetite.
Another seeming Maltese was a person the reader is probably not preparedto meet. He was our friend Bowse, late master of the _Zodiac_, who,having been rescued from the fate which hung over him, had entreatedCaptain Fleetwood to be permitted to accompany him, and to share hisdangers in recovering Miss Garden.
The Greek captain, Teodoro Vassilato, was the person who had acted asinterpreter. He had once been taken prisoner by the pirates, and havinga little private revenge of his own to satisfy, he had offered hisservices, which were too valuable to be refused.
The last person was really a Maltese seaman, long a faithful attendanton 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 shipwreck was the result of designrather than chance or mismanagement; and though they had long beenwaiting for a gale of wind, better to account for it, and as the mostcertain means of getting a footing on the island, they had scarcelybargained for one of such violence.
As, however, Captain Vassilato was confident of the spot, they resolvedto stand on. They well knew the danger they were running--for they feltthat it would be almost certain death, should the pirates discover them;but they had strung up their nerves for the work, and all were anxiousto serve Captain Fleetwood, and to rescue Ada Garden from captivity.
Fleetwood had thrown himself on his couch, thinking of Ada, andpondering how he might beat obtain an interview with her, when the doorslowly opened, and a dark figure entered, holding a light in his hand.He attentively scrutinised the countenances of the sleepers, and thenstopping before Fleetwood, he threw the light full on his face, so as toawaken him thoroughly, had he slept, and beckoned to him.
Fleetwood sprang to his feet.
"Follow me, signor," whispered the stranger, in Italian. "I have cometo 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, andbeckoned him to follow.