Joseph Wilmot, or, The Memoirs of a Man-Servant — page 257: what you’re looking at

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244 JOSEPH WILMOT; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF A MAN-SERVANT. gust in which he had spoken of Lanover, and the visible loathing with which he had imperiously waved him back into his cabin, when his hideous countenance peered above the staircase just before the engagement. “Surely,” I said to myself, “ Durazzo, with his generous feelings, will not persevere in carrying out the designs of a wretch whom he despises and abhors? I will again appeal to him! After the exploit of this day he must stand higher, if pos- sible, in the estimation of his crew ; and they will be all the more ready to take the law from his lips—no matter how their usual regulations may otherwise affect the question. Yes—I will appeal to Durazzo!—I will appeal to him once again! It is in the hour of victory that men of noble natures are most likely to perform generous deeds.” I ascended to the deck—where as much activity and bustle, though of a different kind, now pre- vailed as before the fight. The Athene had been lying to ever since the conflict, that the requisite repairs might be accomplished: there were several men in the rigging—the sounds of the carpenters’ hammers were heard coming from the fore-part of the vessel, where the shot had penetrated—and others were similarly restoring the bulwarks through which two or three cannon balls had crashed. But this was not all. Over the sides planks were suspended in several places; and those men who could be spared from other avoca- tion, were busy in painting the exterior of the vessel. Durazzo superintended in person every- thing that was going on; and both himself and his crew appeared as calm as if nothing extraor- dinary had taken place. The long piece of ord- nance, whose red-hot shot caused the explosion of the Tyrol, had been lowered into the hold again: the carronades were all in order ; and the evidences of the conflict were already as much as possible effaced from the deck. The black flag no longer waved above the Athene: the Greek colours floated in the place of that sinister emblem. Upon the deck lay four ominous-looking objects —human forms enveloped in banners ready for sepulture in the deep waters of the Mediterranean. These were the Austrian officer, the unfortunate Cosmo, and the two Greek sailors who fell in the conflict. I heaved a sigh as I thought of poor Cosmo, who, instead of obtaining a competency for life by bringing about the capture of the terrible pirate, had been himself captured by that pirate, and had met his death in the very vessel which he had studied to hand over to others! Almost immediately after I had ascended to the deck, a muffled drum beat; and the men came flocking from every part towards the spot where Durazzo stood. The youthful page made his ap- pearance from the cabin—Lanover likewise crawled up from below—and this time was not rebuked by the corsair-chief. The humpback’s hideous coun- tenance showed by its expression that he had not passed a very comfortable forenoon: he seemed cowed and abashed ; and instead of leering at me with his former malignity or insolent triumph, he studiously avoided meeting my gaze. The drum had beaten as a signal for the obse- quies of the four individuals who lay upon the deck enveloped in the nautical banners. Durazzo doffed his red fez—an example which was instantaneously ge i ET LL followed; and every head was in a moment bared. Then the corsair-chief read from a book the funeral service according to the ritual of the Greek Church; and though I could not understand the language of those prayers, yet I failed not to comprehend the deep impressiveness of the tone in which they were recited. Ata certain part towards the close, a dozen of the crew took as many muskets; and when their two slain comrades were consigned ta the deep, they discharged the volley in honour of the dead. Quickly did they reload; and three vol- lies of blank cartridges completed that portion of the ceremony. The parting prayers were read for the Austrian lieutenant as well as for Cosmo: but when their corpses were lowered over the vesscl’s side, no musketry was discharged on their account. Throughout the whole proceeding the deportment of the Greek crew was in every way consistent with the religious solemnity of the scene. When it was over the men dispersed again to their different avocations—the page retired to the cabin—and I was about to accost Durazzo, when the movement was anticipated by Lanover. I was naturally anxious to hear what the vile humpback had to say to the pirate-chief; and turning my back towagds them, I affected to be looking over the bulwarks at the sea. “ May I ask, Captain Durazzo,” said Mr. Lan- over, “ wherefore your demeanour is so cold and distant towards me? Ina word, if you think I have given any offence rr *“* Offence ?” echoed the young Greek scornfully, as if disdaining the bare idea of being sufficiently moved as to take offence at any thing which the humpback could do. “ No, sir! I amnot offended with you. Perhaps I may not altogether relish the business which is being undertaken on your behalf; —perhaps if I had been applied to in the first instance I should have rejected the overture. But I had voluntarily abdicated my command for a season to my first lieutenant Notaras: and there- fore it was not for me subsequently to overrule a compact which he had thought fit to make. It is true that possessed of supreme power as I am, in certain respects, I might have set aside that agree- ment: but I did not choose to interfere with the delegated authority which Notaras exercised in my absence. Therefore, having once given my assent, the compact becomes inviolable according to the laws which ruie our little community. If I have entered into these explanations, Mr. Lanover,” con- tinued Durazzo, “ it is for the purpose of relieving you from any alarm as to unfair dealing towards yourself—but at the same time to make youclearly understand that though the treaty shall be carried out to the very letter, I like it as little as a man who is accustomed to grand and lofty exploits might be supposed to relish a transaction of a meaner and baser character. Now, sir, you have your response.” With these words, the corsair-chief turned haughtily upon his heel, and as I at the same in- stant looked round from over the bulwark, I beheld the humpback retreating towards the stairs of the cabin. I could not help thinking that Durazzo had purposely given Mr. Lanover those elaborate explanations with the knowledge that I should overhear them, and for the purpose of forestalling any request I might proffer in the form of a re- newed appeal to his generosity, My heart had Ghoo <S (COAL