Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 241: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a a ES — —E —E = mmm Le 228 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. one might have eaten off it. Nothing was out of] that air of insolent superiority which you are affect- place: there was not a scintillation of the sloven-| ing to adopt. Remember, sir, you are no longer liness, often bordering on confusion, which prevails | on board the Tyrol: you stand upon the deck of on board trading-vessels. Everything in the, the Athene ‘ Athene—everything belonging to her, wherever the eye settled, was in the same perfect order as that | ship, and in the presence of pirates “ 1 know that I stand upon the deck of a pirate- !” responded which reigns on board a man-of-war. The sailors| the Austrian officer: for such I now knew him were all orderly and well-behaved: there was no | to be. noise; and when either of the officers issued a ** And remember, sir,” coldly rejoined the second command, it was acknowledged by the wonted | lieutenant, “that the distance is short from the touch of the hat which denotes the respect exhi- | deck to the. yard-arm, and that a running noose bited towards a superior on the quarter-deck of | with a whip will soon punish whatsoever insolence every well-conducted vessel. Ina word, I could | may be exhibited towards me or my comrades.” not help thinking that Captain Durazzo, all pirate “Your threats, sir, do not intimidate me,” replied though he were, had succeeded in establishing a| the Austrian with @ dauntless expression of coun- remarkable discipline amidst a crew of lawless men, where the regular maritime law of no nation could be by the usual means enforced. About three quarters of an hour passed from the first instant I had descried the boat in the southern direction ; and now it was rounding, with a tolerable wide range, the head of the lower | | tenance. “I am in your power—and you can deal with meas you think fit. But as nothing can prevent me from denouncing you all as a gang of detestable pirates, so nothiug will save you in the long run from the reach of that chastisement which is due to your crimes, and which will avenge any outrage that is offered to myself. Where is your pier: for it was compelled to make this sweep in| captain? for I know by his personal description order to prevent the current from dashing it against that mass of masonry. I could soon dis- cern amidst the boat’s crew an individual whose appearance was different from that of the rest, | | that I am not now addressing him.” The second lieutenant of the Athene did not deign an answer to the Austrian’s imperious speech: but stepping aside, he conversed for a few and who certainly seemed not to belong to them.! minutes in whispers with the boatswain who had He was dressed in plain clothes, and was enveloped | charge of tle galley that brought the prisoner on in a travelling-cloak : bis fair complexion and light |! board. The boatswain produced several articles, hair contrasted with the swarthy faces and dark which he handed to the lieutenant; and amongst hair of the Greek sailors in that boat. Still without betraying the curiosity which in- which was a sealed packet. “ Here, sir,” said the lieutenant, turning to the spired me, and affecting to pace tb and fro in a! Austrian, “are your watch and purse, your keys, manner as if I were occupied with reflecting on my ; your pocket-book, and a few other trifles that were own affairs, I kept a strict watch on the present | taken from about your person.” proceedings. The galley ran along the schooner’s side ; and the boatswain who was in command, quickly ascending to the deck, was followed by the fair-haired individual to whom I have alluded. On : ' ‘ | | “And that packet,” exclaimed the Austrian, “‘ which is addressed Y» “To his Excellency Signor Portici,” said the lieutenant, coolly breaking the séal of the enve- a closer survey he proved to be of genteel appear- | lope, whence he drew forth a letter, over which he ance ; and his countenance expressed a lofty scorn, mingled with indignation; so that I had little difficulty in comprehending that he was a prisoner. ran his eyes. “You have dared to violate the sanctity of pri- vate correspondence!” said the Austrian, his coun- But who could he be >—and for what object was he | tenance flushing with indignation. “ But what brought on board the vessel? These were ques tions which I could not possibly answer to myself; and therefore I presumed that the affairs of the pirates must have wider ramifications than those which cireumstances had brought within my know- ledge. The second lieutenant advanced towards the fair- >? else could I have expected “ Nothing else,” answered the second lieutenant, in the same haughtily cold manner as before. ** Deeply laid as your plots and plans have been, you see that we are enabled to outwit them. Our gallant captain Durazzo will not fall into your hands—neither will the Athene have to haul down haired stranger with a cold haughty salutation, | her flag to the Tyrol. And now, sir,” continued which’ the other did not acknowledge; but folding | the pirate-officer, ‘ you may proceed to the cabin his arms across his breast, he put a sternly uttered and peremptory question in a language which I could not understand, but which I nevertheless knew to be German. The second lieutenant ap- peared to be equally ignorant of this language: for he said in French, “1f you speak to me, sir, in the be enabled to comprehend your meaning.” **T demand, then,” said the fair-haired stranger, now speaking in very excellent French, “by what right your ruffians—playing the highwayman on shore, as they are detestable corsairs on sea—have dared to step me on my journey, rifle my person, and bring me hither as a captive ?” “ Before I answer you a single question,” replied the second lieutenant, “ you will do well te abate | | which is to be assigned to you during the period that it may suit the will and purpose of my supe- rior to detain you a prisoner on board this vessel.” The Austrian evidently saw that his indignant remonstrances and his lofty language were utterly ineffectual, while resistance was altogether out of & tongue in which I am now addressing you, I shall | the question. He accordingly followed the young mate, whom the second lieutenant directed to lead him to the state-room he was to occupy; while one of the sailors carried the Austrian’s portmanteau which had just been brought up from the galley. Scarcely was this scene over, when a signal was run up to the mainmast; and there was no doubt in my mind that this was an intimation to Cap- tain Durazzo that the emissary of the commander of the Tyrol had been arrested and was safe on COMmmicaoolks (Cc)