"Who is she? Why, the wife, or mistress, or lady love, or whatever you like to call her, of our chief, Zappa," answered Vlacco.
"Ah?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Maltese, and he turned to one of his companions, and interpreted what he had heard in a language Vlacco did not understand.
It seemed much to affect the man, who was a young, dark-skinned Maltese, though with features more of the European cast than theirs generally are. 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 these islands, or a stranger? We are anxious to know who our intended benefactress is."
"I don"t see how it matters to you, who or what she is, provided she is of service to you," returned the pirate. "But as you want to know, I"ll tell you, she"s a foreigner, and our chief seems very fond of her; and she is of him, I should think, by the way she looks at him. Will that answer serve you?"
The interpreter repeated what he had heard to his companion, who was evidently greatly agitated, though he tried to master his feelings, so as not to allow them to attract the attention of the islanders. He was able 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 old Vlacco, who had gradually been losing the little amiability he ever possessed. "I don"t know why I said anything at all to you. My orders were 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 heave you all off the top of the cliff together."
"What, is your chief absent then?" said the Maltese, with a gleam of satisfaction 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 very much inclined to shove his interlocutor over the cliff.
This put an effectual stop to further conversation with any of the islanders; but the strangers continued every now and then, making observations to each other in a low tone, as they proceeded on their way to 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 the habitation of poor Nina. He then opened the door, rudely shoved them all in, and told them to amuse themselves as they best could in the dark, while he went to inform the lady of their arrival.
The fury of the summer tempest had subsided, and the dark ma.s.ses of clouds had pa.s.sed away, leaving only a few loitering stragglers to follow, in order to restore the sky to all its usual brightness. The untiring waves still continued lashing the base of the rocks; but their roar had lessened, and the white foam no longer flew in showers of spray up the steep cliffs.
Ada Garden and the young Italian sat at the window watching for the appearance of the shipwrecked mariners. As Ada saw them at a distance, she at once recognised them from their dress as Maltese, and she longed to question them, to learn if they had come lately from their native island, and could give her any information respecting the vessels of war which were there; and whether the _Ione_ had yet sailed for England.
At all events, she thought, if they could effect their escape, they might convey intelligence of her situation to Malta; and she doubted not, trusting to the chivalry of her countrymen, that even should Captain Fleetwood have sailed for England, every effort would be made for her release. She whispered her hopes to Nina, who understood and promised 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 effectually counteract it, and bring destruction on their heads."
"Fear not, lady; I will speak to them, and urge them to convey tidings of you," said Nina. "For though I think not my husband would allow innocent men to be injured, yet of late he has done acts and said things which make me very wretched, though I do not comprehend them. Even Paolo has of late come to see me but seldom, and is more silent and reserved than I ever before remember him. I know not where it will all end, but now and then dark shadows pa.s.s before my sight, and congregate in 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 intently had she been watching the Maltese seamen. Her heart beat so quick with agitation, that she felt it would overcome her strength; hope and fear rose alternately in her bosom, yet she was sure she was not mistaken.
Notwithstanding the disguise, the dark-stained skin, she was as certain nearly as of her own existence, that she beheld Charles Fleetwood. Love cannot be mistaken. And yet his air and walk were not as usual; the independent, buoyant step was not there, the free, bold carriage of the gallant sailor was gone, and he seemed to drag on his steps as if weary of life, instead of being engaged in an expedition, which she well knew must be to rescue her. She had loved him before, but as she now saw him risking his liberty and his life for her, all the tenderest feelings of a woman"s nature gushed forth, and she longed to rush into his arms to tell him of her grat.i.tude, and deep, undying devotion. She longed to call him to make him look up, to soothe his heart by letting him know of her safety; but prudence restrained her; she felt that the slightest sign of recognition might prove his destruction, and she endeavoured to conceal her feelings even from him. But the quick glance of the young Italian soon discovered that she was suffering from some powerful emotion, and the direction of her eyes betrayed the cause. She at once saw that there was some one she knew, but as Ada said nothing, she thought 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 to a.s.sist Ada in her flight, for though she felt herself attracted to the beautiful stranger, she was not the less anxious to get her safe out of the island.
Nina accordingly rose to take her departure, observing that the storm was over, and that she must hasten to make arrangements about the shipwrecked strangers, and to send for her brother to aid her, as they were not likely to receive much a.s.sistance or commiseration from Vlacco.
She looked attentively at Ada as she said this, and the expression of thankfulness which she saw on her countenance convinced her still more that she was right in her conjectures.
As soon as the shipwrecked seamen found themselves alone, the one who had hitherto appeared of the least importance, and had been seen to put on so dejected an air, on hearing that they were to be conducted into the presence of the chief"s wife, was now evidently considered by the rest as their leader. By a strenuous effort he aroused himself, observing, in a language which was much more like pure English than Maltese, "We must, while we can, examine the condition of the fortress in which we are confined; we may find it necessary to try and let ourselves out. Except the door, there seems, however, to be no outlet; but there is a gleam of light coming down from the further corner, and there must be an aperture to let it through."
"I will go in, and see all about it," exclaimed the Maltese lad, also speaking remarkably good English, and in a few minutes, his voice was heard calling on his companions to find their way to the foot of the steps, and to follow him into the chamber above.
In a few minutes, the whole party were a.s.sembled in the apartment I have described as the pirate"s chief store-room.
"The enemies have chosen to put us in possession of the fortress, and have given us every means of keeping it," exclaimed the Maltese lad, examining the arms and ammunition. "All we have to do, is to barricade the door below, and we might hold out a long siege."
"And very little use that would be, when our object is to get away as fast as we can," returned another. "However, we know where to find a good supply of arms if we want them."
Meantime, their leader, and the one who had acted as interpreter, had gone together into the story above.
"It is too true, then," exclaimed the first, after they had examined the apartment, looking as if he could scarcely restrain his grief. "This is evidently a lady"s chamber, and furnished, too, with all the luxury and treasure the pirate would lavish on his wife. Yet it cannot be hers. I know her too well--gentle and affectionate as she is, she would die rather than submit to such degradation. But what is this?" he took up a book, which lay on the table.
It was one he had often seen in the hands of Ada Garden, and her name was on the t.i.tle-page. Charles Fleetwood, for he it was who had come to rescue her he loved, as he discovered this fatal confirmation of his worst fears, covered his face with his hands, and groaned. But he quickly recovered himself.
"No, no--I will not believe it. The thought is too horrible--too dreadful. I wrong her to entertain it for an instant. Yet, who can be this 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, when they heard the gate open, and, a female figure appeared at the entrance.
Captain Fleetwood"s heart beat audibly, for, during the first moment, he could not tell whether it might not be Ada Garden; but the next, a gleam of light, and to him it was one of sunshine, exhibited a graceful and beautiful person; but a stranger. In his satisfaction, he was very nearly forgetting himself, and rushing forward to inquire for Ada. She stopped to address the old pirate, who had opened the gate.
"You have treated these poor men with scant hospitality, thrusting them down 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, and how they happened to be cast on the sh.o.r.e. Send, also, for Signor Paolo, for some of them seem hurt, and may require his aid; and, good Vlacco, see that food be supplied to them, of the best the island affords, and let a chamber be prepared for them in the house, near to the room where my brother sleeps. We will, at least, endeavour to be hospitable to the few strangers who are ever likely to visit our sh.o.r.es."
Nina ascended to her chamber, into which Vlacco directly afterwards ushered the Maltese seamen. She inclined her head in acknowledgment to the reverence they made her, and then ordered Vlacco to retire, and to fulfil her directions.
"Do any of you speak Italian?" she asked in that language.
"_Si, signora_, I do," said Fleetwood, stepping forward. "I am also eager, in the name of my comrades, to thank you for your interference in our favour; nor are we at all a.s.sured, that without it, our lives would have been safe, had we fallen into the hands of some of those islanders."
"As to that," returned Nina, "I cannot say. They are rude men, and are little accustomed to encounter strangers. But I am glad to be of service 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 twenty or 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 be calm," said Nina. "I have ordered lodging and food to be prepared for you. 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 to him that she might be dead. He was considering how he should frame some question to learn the truth, when his eye fell on the book, which he knew contained her name. He took it up, and, as if by chance, his eye had 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 the lady young, and fair, and beautiful, for, if so, I have just parted with her?"