The Wing-and-Wing

nathan, tha

t from the

all that's

trades for

RSE OF YAN

red as he was with nautical anecdotes and a tolerable personal acquaintance with sundry seaports, for any expected occasion of this sort, he had never anticipated a conversation which would aspire as high as the institutions, religion,

l to linger on the heights, where there was a considerable extent of land that might serve for a promenade. Along this walk the mariner proceeded, undetermined, for the moment, what to do next. He had scarcely got into the open space, however, before a female, with her form closely

nger attempted to conceal; "this is being fortunate, indeed, and saves a vast deal of trouble. A thousand, thousand thanks, dearest

in this gossiping little town, are on your lugger, at this moment, and be certain they will also be on its captain, as so

hope, dear Ghita, if it be onl

Frenchmen, and that the Engl

gle American excepted, who is an excellent fellow to make out British commissions, and help us to a little English when h

ernatore gets this notion, he will order the batterie

where she lies. I never leave my little Jack-o'-Lantern[1] within reach of an enemy's hand. Look here, Ghita; you can see her through this opening in th

glish of F

and so long as you remained outside, I was not sorry to look on so old a friend--nay, I will go further, and say I rejoiced, for it seemed to me you pass

cruiser--only a few feluccas--all of which are not worth the trouble of burning. Let them but point a finger at us, and we will tow their Austrian polac

oo cautious. My heart was in my throat a dozen times,

d two shot, without even changing the lugger's course! You have seen

from these heights, would have gone through your little Feu-Follet, and, co

; "besides, a shot must first hit before it can harm, as the fish must be taken before it can be cooked. But enough of this, Ghita; I get quite enough of shot,

pose the vice-governatore should suddenly take it into his head to send a party of so

take him on a cruise after the English and his beloved Austrians! Bah!--the idea will not cross his constitutional brain, and there is little use in talking a

I shall like it, and the better it will be for yourself, in the end. The state of your country makes you

? We are honest corsairs, duly commissioned, and acting under the protection of the French Republic, one and undivided, and can but be made prisoners of war. That is a fortun

fancy its power of such a character, as to despise all worldly amends, while its moral responsibility is divided among too many to make it a matter of much concern to its particular citizens. Nevertheless, the truth will show that none are so low but they may become dangerous to the highest; and even powerful communities seldom fail to meet with their punishment for every departure from justice. It would seem, indeed, that a principle pervades nature, which renders it impossible for man to escape the consequences of his own evil deeds, even in this life; as if God had decreed the universal predominance of truth and the never-failing downfall of falsehood from the beginning; the success of wrong being ever temporary, while the triumph of the right is eternal. To apply these consoling considerations to the matter more immediately before us: The practice of impressment, in its day, raised a feeling among the seamen of other nations, as well as, in fact, among those of Great Britain herself, that probably has had as m

erous name to utter, even in Porto Ferrajo. It is not a week since I heard a mariner dwelling on her misdeeds, and the

ur rig. You may be certain, however, that we hide our Jack-o'-Lantern, and sail under an

he hail from the shore, but it

ou may be sure he can speak his own tongue. Ving-a

opping naturally into the vice-governatore's fault of pronunci

r any other. You accuse me of disrespect for priests; but no son could ever kneel to a father for his blessing, half so readily or half so devoutly, as I could kneel wit

ing, though she felt a bitter pang at the heart, that cost her an effort to control; "no m

hill, insisting that she knew the town too well to have any apprehensions about threading its narrow and steep streets, at any hour, by herself. This much, in sooth, must be said in favor of Andrea Barrofaldi's administration of justice; he had made

ainly enough indicated by a small bush that hung dangling from a short pole, fastened above the door. If Benedetta knew anything of the proverb that "good wine needs no bush," she had not sufficient faith in the contents of her own casks to trust to their reputation; for this bush of hers was as regularly renewed as its withering leaves required. Indeed, it was a common remark among her customers, that her bush was always as fresh as her face, and that the latter was one of the most comely that was to be met with on the island; a circumstance that aided much indifferent wine in findin

cable's length distant, and, as a sailor might have expressed it, just abeam. On this occasion he had selected the upper room, and but three companions, because it was his wish that as few should enter into his counsels as at all comported with the love of homage to

no doubt he has told it to Il Signor Vice-governatore, who now knows as much about the whole matter as either of us four. Cospetto!--to think such a thing dare happen in a haven like Porto Ferrajo! Had it come to pass over

often seen the pavilion of the Inglese, and this is as much like that which all their friga

an father and mother. But I should not think so much of the hull, for that may have been captured, as the English take many of their enemies on the high seas; but look at the rigging and sails--Santa Ma

so near the truth as to his main point--the character of the visitor--was singularly out as to the sail, notwithstanding; le Feu-Follet having been built, equipped, and manned at Nantes,

tta, who stood with the empty flask in her hand, listening to

not do less than believe this, when he hears it. Signor Viti promised to meet me here, after

stling round the room to make things look a little smarter than they ordinarily did;

to wish to come as low as this after a glass. Friends of mine (amigi mii), there is wine up at that house, that, when the oil is once out of the neck of the flask[2], goes down a m

w drops of oil in the neck of each flask of

to her customers; "well may you call it smooth, a good spring running near each of the

her value might be sensibly diminished in their eyes. As became a woman who had to struggle singly with the world, too, her native shrewdness taught her, that the best moment to refute a calumny was to stop it as soon as it began to circulate, and her answer was as warm in manner as it was positive in terms. This was an excellent opening

e so far succeeded in making an impression on himself, that, in the end, his own distrust revived, and with it that of the deputy-governor. Neither, however, could be said to be more than uneasy, and the podestà happening to mention his appointment with the pilot, Andrea d

of mechanical process, as if only one errand could ever bring a guest within her doors; "your eccellenza is most welcome; and it is an honor

not, worth

na if it please the vice-governatore; but not Bettina. We thi

make no doubt you are excellent Christians.

ave terminated the discussion that was about to commence, as the dignitaries appeared. It disposed of the question of the wine at on

ozen flasks of really sound, well-flavored, Tuscan liquor, that she kept for especial occasions; as she well might, the cost being only a paul, or ten cents for near half a gallon; "Eccellenza, a million

--"we bachelors are afraid to trust ourselves too often in the company of a sprightly

silent and humble mariners, who were seated at the other table. His object was to ascertain how far he might have committed himself, by appearing in such a place, when his visit could not w

worthy subjects of the Grand Duke, all," o

d the podestà; "canst thou ans

her was killed in a battle with the Algerines, and whose moth

t thou knowest all thy companions to be honest men, and faithful servants of the sovrano. You all kn

to answer a question that concerns many; assisting the workings of their minds, as it might b

tand that he suspects the Inglese that is anchored in the bay to be no Inglese at all, but either a pirate or a

nary. "The time was when His Imperial Majesty, the emperor, and his illustrious brother, our sovereign, the Grand Duke, did not allow that the republican government of France was a lawful government; but the fortune of wa

r people as if they were no better than dogs; then, they tell me

have stopped to reason on religion or manners with the beggar to whom he gave a pittance, did he only meet with encouragement; "but i

people have treated the holy father and his states in

r mind disturbed by the thoughts of the wrongs done the head of the church. Had these things come

etta, to their chief schismatic an

a Protestant should ever have been anything but a Protestant--or rather, a Lutheran anything but a Lutheran--the word Protestant being too significant to be in fav

hese honest people, in a matter as g

ti. 'Tis worth an hour of leisure to any man, and is very consoling and useful to a Christi

her movement was anticipated by the door's opening, and a man's standing on the threshold. It was now too late to pre

er part of this chapter. He was backed by a Genoese, who had come in the double capacity of interpreter and boon companion. That the reader may the better understand the

predominated; the sinews came next in consideration, nor was the man without a proper share of muscle; but this last was so disposed of as to present nothing but angles, whichever way he was viewed. Even his thumbs and fingers were nearer square than round; and his very neck, which was bare, though a black silk kerchief was tied loosely round the throat, had a sort of pentagon look about it, that defied all symmetry or grace. His stature was just six feet and an inch, when he straightened himself; as he did from time

been farmer's boy, printer's devil, schoolmaster, stage-driver, and tin-pedlar, before he ever saw the sea. In the way of what he called "chores," too, he had practised all

wanted little ordering; and as it was quite a matter of course to steer in the right direction, until the schooner was carried safely into her proper port, she arrived safely; her people swearing that the new mate was the easiest and cleverest officer they had ever sailed with. And well they might, for Ithuel took care not to issue an order until he had heard it suggested in terms by one of the hands; and then he never failed to repeat it, word for word, as if it were a suggestion of his own. As for the reputation of "cleverest" officer, which he so easily obtained, it will be understood, of course, that the term was used in the provincial signification that is so common in the part of the world from which Ithuel came. He was "clever" in this sense, precisely in proportion as he was ignorant. His success, on this occasion,