CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
OUR MALTA PIC-NIC--THE CATACOMBS--THE PIRATE IN SIGHT--SANDGATE AGAINESCAPES US--OUR EXPEDITION WITH THE MEN-OF-WAR--RETURN FROM OURFRUITLESS CRUISE.
My friends were not a little astonished when I told them, on getting onboard the yacht, that Sandgate was in the island. The question was, howto catch him. We had no moral doubt whatever that he had come on boardour vessel with the intention of plundering us, and that he hadafterwards endeavoured to send us to the bottom by attacking us in thepolacca-brig; still no one could swear to the fact. We were not certainthat the brig which left the harbour that morning was the one which hadengaged us--we could not prove that he belonged to her; scarcely,indeed, could we expect to induce the authorities to believe that theGreek Count and Sandgate the smuggler were one and the same person.
"Take my advice," observed Carstairs; "don't let us fash ourselves onthe subject, but give the rogue a long rope, and he will soon hanghimself."
We all agreed to the wisdom of this remark, and resolving to wait thecourse of events, turned in and went to sleep.
A large and merry party set off to the scene of the pic-nic, some incaleches, and others in carriages of higher pretensions, and vehicles ofall sorts, and others on horseback. I will not stop to describe thescenery. Stone walls, and here and there an orange grove, form itschief characteristics. It is wonderful that there is any cultivation,considering that the greater portion of the soil has been brought fromother lands. That which is produced on the island is formed from thecrumbling away of the surface of the rock of which it is composed.
Our party met by agreement near the gates. Hearty, greatly to hissatisfaction, managed to undertake the escort of Mrs Mizen and herdaughter; the widow fell to the lot of Carstairs, and I took charge ofMrs and Miss Seton.
"Oh! but where is Count Gerovolio?" exclaimed Mrs Skyscraper, as wewere driving off. "I fully expected to have him of our party. Hasanybody seen him? Miss Seton, do you know what has become of him?"
Poor Jane for a moment looked dreadfully disconcerted at hearing thename of the impostor; but she soon recovered her self-possession, and Idid my best to rattle on, so as to draw off the attention of her motherand Mr Mite, who had been admitted as a fourth in the carriage. MrsSkyscraper looked about in vain for the Count; I thought that he wouldscarcely have the boldness to make his appearance. Our drive, as far aswe four ill-matched beings were concerned, was any thing but a pleasantone. Old Mrs Seton was annoyed at not having Sir Lloyd Snowdon, or anyother eligible gentleman, to act the suitor to her daughter.
Poor Jane could not drive away her own bitter thoughts. Mite wouldinfinitely rather have been in the company of one of his jolly littleMaltese acquaintances, and I felt oppressed at being the keeper of ayoung lady's secret. At last we arrived at the spot where our lionisingwas to commence--the old capital of the island, Citta Vecchia, and hadto descend from our conveyances.
The structure would delight a connoisseur in mediaeval antiquities, fora more ancient-looking collection of tumbledown houses I never sawcollected together. Here stand the first palace of the Grand Masters,and the cathedral of Malta, celebrated for the pertinacity with whichits bells are rung. But the great sight we had all come to see was thecatacombs. Guides and lights were procured, and the whole partydescended to them. Incongruous, indeed, seemed the light dresses of theladies, the glittering uniforms of the officers, and the merry laughterof the party, with the solemn, silent gloom of this vast receptacle forthe dead. These catacombs consist of long galleries or streets cut inthe rock, extending a great distance, and intersecting each other atright angles about fifteen feet beneath the surface of the ground. Thegloom, the chilly, confined atmosphere, the dark shadows, the mysteriouspassages and recesses, the undefined shapes which flitted before us,were ill calculated to dispel poor Miss Seton's melancholy. She walkedon, however, silently by my side, avoiding rather than courting theattention of Sir Lloyd Snowdon, who at length joined us, and who, seeingthis, devoted himself with much tact to her mother.
"If you have any intention, Sir Lloyd," thought I, "you'll win the day,notwithstanding the present appearance of matters."
We could hear behind us the cheery voice of Captain Rullock, and everynow and then a laugh from Hearty, who seemed to be in high spirits.
"He feels that he does not stand ill in the good graces of Miss Mizen, Isuspect," thought I. "Most sincerely do I rejoice at it; for though notto be compared in point of beauty to the lovely girl by my side, shewill make him a very far better wife. Her straightforward honesty, hermodesty, her bright intelligence, her well-cultivated mind, herunvarying good temper, her genuine wit, her loving disposition, arecertain to secure her husband's affections and respect."
Little did the lady by my side dream of the comparison I was drawing,and yet I verily believe that she might have been not much inferior toMiss Mizen in all those womanly qualities, had they not been crushed orperverted by the false system of education which her mother had adopted.Such were the somewhat incongruous thoughts which passed through mymind in the catacombs of Citta Vecchia. I ought to have been dulyoppressed with the gloom of the place, and to have thought of nothingbut ghost-like forms flitting through the mysterious passages. I do notknow what my companion was thinking about, but she sighed deeply andsadly. That sigh touched my heart with pity, and reminded me how littleI had attempted to do to restore her mind to a state of composure.
We had, as I said, walked on somewhat ahead of the rest of the party,and old Rullock and Hearty had just hailed us to return, when directlybefore us appeared the figure of a man who was evidently endeavouring toconceal himself in one of the niches cut in the rock. It had, however,been blocked up, and he was frustrated in his intention. He wore alarge cloak, such as the Italians call a _feriuoligio_, with which hewas attempting to hide his head, but the light of the torch carried byour guide fell directly on him, and revealed the features of MilesSandgate.
He must have guessed that he was known, for he advanced a step or tworapidly towards us, but then, whatever were his intentions, he must havechanged them, for he retreated as hurriedly, and was lost to view amidthe surrounding gloom. I knew that Miss Seton had discovered him by theway in which her arm trembled in mine, and most certainly she would havefallen had I not supported her.
"I fear, Miss Seton, that the atmosphere of this place oppresses you; wewill get out of it as soon as possible," said I.
"Thank you, thank you," she answered, leaning heavily on my arm. "Ilong for a breath of fresh air; I shall be better then."
Sir Lloyd Snowdon was much concerned at finding that Miss Seton wasunwell, and the whole party hurried to the mouth of the catacombs.
It was very provoking to have Sandgate almost within one's very grasp,and yet not to have the power of punishing him.
On reaching the open air, Miss Seton at first nearly fainted.Restoratives of all sorts were recommended by her friends, but beforeany could be applied, she recovered, and endeavoured to laugh off anydisagreeable inquiries as to the cause of her attack. The exertionnecessary to do this still further aroused her, and she speedily becameone of the most lively and animated of the party. I saw that she couldnow do very well without me, so I retired from her side. Sir LloydSnowdon took my place. He was enchanted, and abandoned himself to thehappiness of the moment. She saw her advantage, and not unmindful ofher wise mother's instructions, seemed resolved to make the most of it.Still I thought that I detected at times the signs of unnatural spirits,and forced laughter, and I would not have answered for the consequenceshad the so-called Count Gerovolio appeared in the midst of us with ahundred well-armed followers, and summoned her to accompany him.
From the catacombs we drove to the Grotto of St. Paul, which is at nogreat distance. Whether the apostle to the Gentiles ever took shelterwithin it matters but little; the monks of old decreed that he did, andtherefore a fine statue of white marble has been placed within it, andthe faithful have been encouraged to offer
their gifts at his shrine.The statue stands in the farthest from the entrance of three grottoes,one within the other. We looked at them very much in the way thatpeople in general look at sights with very little interest, but thinkingit necessary to give utterance to certain set expressions of surprise oradmiration. The most interesting sight was a portion of the cavernwhich resembles the nave of a church, overgrown with verdure. It issurprising that vegetation should flourish in such a position.
When we had all satisfied our curiosity, we proceeded to a smallsheltered bay, where the most important part of the day's entertainmentwas to be performed. There was no great beauty of scenery, but the bluesea, and the pure sky, and the fresh salt breeze, and the rugged rocks,made it pleasant to the sight and feelings; and as most of the party hadvery good appetites, and tolerably clear consciences, we were altogethervery merry. Captain Rullock, Hearty, Bubble, and Mite did their best tomake it so. Miss Mizen was naturally very happy; so was her mamma, forHearty had that day very palpably declared his intentions. Sir LloydSnowdon was happy because he thought he had won the beauty of theseason; and Mrs Seton, because she fancied that the great object of herlife was on the point of being accomplished.
Several vessels had been for some time in sight, but we had been so muchengaged in our own immediate occupation, that neither I nor any of theother naval men had paid them much attention.
The heavier portion of the feast had been concluded, and sparkling winesfilled our glasses, and luscious grapes our plates. Bubble had beencalled on for a song, and Sir Lloyd Snowdon for a speech, when we weresomewhat startled from our propriety by a loud exclamation fromPorpoise.
"Why, by the Lord Harry, there's that rascally polacca-brig again!" hecried, pointing to a vessel which was standing under full sail in-shore.
Our pocket-telescopes were in instant requisition. The vessel inquestion was a polacca-brig, of the same size, and paint and build, andappearance aloft as the one which had attacked us; but still it wasimpossible to be certain as to whether the vessel in sight was thepirate or not. Porpoise was the only person who was positive as to herbeing so. Hearty was inclined to side with him. Still, what was to bedone? Captains Rullock and Arden were ready enough to go in chase ofher, but their ships were on the other side of the island, and by thetime they could have got back to Valetta and obtained permission fromthe admiral, and been under way, the suspicious brig would have been faraway again.
This discussion once more nearly upset poor Miss Seton, but she seemedrelieved, and recovered somewhat of her vivacity when it was resolvednot to take any notice of the stranger. I, of course, as she did, couldnot help connecting the brig in sight with the appearance of thepretended Count Gerovolio in the catacombs. He had, I suspected, beenhiding there for some reason or other, till he could get on board hisvessel.
After a little time the fun of the pic-nic went on as before. I,however, not being in love, nor having any lady to whom it was necessaryto pay exclusive attention, kept my eyes about me, and every now andthen swept the line of the coast with my telescope, while I also did notneglect to watch the movements of the brig. As she came clearlyinto the plane of my glass, I observed a dark cloth on herfore-topgallant-sail, which I suddenly recollected to have remarked onthe same sail of the brig from which Sandgate boarded us, as she laybecalmed before the squall came on. This to my mind was conclusiveevidence; but my suspicions were further confirmed by seeing thepolacca-brig lower her topgallant-sails, and bring her head up to thewind. When hove-to, she lowered a boat, which, well-manned, at oncemade for the shore. I said nothing, but narrowly watched the point forwhich she was steering. As she drew near, I saw a figure climb a rockypoint and waive to her. The dress and air of the person left no doubton my mind that he was no other than the Greek count, or rather MilesSandgate. It was, indeed, provoking to see the rascal escaping beforeour very sight. Had we taken upon ourselves to make chase after him, hewould have got on board the boat before we could have reached him.Still I felt that I ought to point out the state of things to Rullockand Arden, and let them judge what should be done.
"Go in chase after the fellow, by all means," they exclaimed; "we mustnot be too sanguine as to catching our bird, or proving him a culprit ifwe do catch him, but still we'll try."
It was arranged, therefore, that while the ladies and military men, andnon-combatants, should take their time to return, we naval men shouldhurry back to Valetta, and take the necessary steps to go in chase ofthe pirate. Hearty looked at Miss Mizen and thought he should very muchlike to stay with her, but his manhood would not let him; so he, withBubble and Carstairs, settled to go away in the yacht. Mrs Skyscrapermade an effort to detain the latter, but her admirer was not a man toshirk work where any was to be done, so he set off with the rest of us.This time we were more successful in finding the admiral. He was eageras we could be to catch the pirate, and instantly ordered the "Trident"and "Zebra" to go in chase of her. When last seen, after Sandgate, orthe man we supposed to be him, had got on board, she was standing to thesouthward and east, with the wind from the northward; in which directionshe would ultimately shape her course it was impossible to say.Calculating that she might probably be still hovering about the island,the "Trident" was ordered, after leaving the harbour, to beat round tothe northward of Malta; while the "Zebra" was to keep to the southward,so as to intercept her, should she steer a course for the Straits. Itwas arranged that the "Frolic" should accompany the "Zebra," but to keepto the nor'ward of her, within telegraph distance.
"This is exciting," exclaimed Bubble, as we bowled along in company withthe brig-of-war, away from Malta Harbour. "It seems like real work,going in chase of a pirate; only I hope that he may not give us thego-by in the dark."
The sun sank into the ocean before we had rounded Gozo, so that we werenot able to see what vessels were to the eastward of us. We kept,however, a very bright lookout on either hand, so that we thought novessel could pass between us and the land on one side, or us and the"Zebra" on the other. We were to stand on till we fell in with the"Trident" at daylight, and then the three vessels, spreading wide apart,were to continue the chase all day, and return or not at discretion.
It was at first a lovely night, starlight and bright, with just such abreeze that we could carry our gaff-topsail, and yet the cutter scarcelyheeled over to it.
None of us felt inclined to go below, notwithstanding the fatigues ofthe day and the previous night. Hearty, of course, had pleasantthoughts; Porpoise was eagerly watching for the pirate; I was runningover the events of the day, and Bubble was whistling, while Carstairswas, I suspect, pondering on the advisability of proposing to MrsSkyscraper.
At first we had been very loquacious, but the silent solemnity of thenight had an influence on all of us, and by degrees our remarks grewless and less frequent, till we were found standing, in meditative mood,in different parts of the vessel. The hours of the night passed by, andstill we all kept the deck far later than was our usual custom. Towardsmidnight, either from a mist rising, or from some other cause, thedarkness very much increased.
"If this continues we shall have to shorten sail, or we shall be runninginto some craft or other," observed Porpoise, who was no great admirerof romance, and would rather all the time have been listening to ajovial song.
"Yes, indeed," said I; "very little chance, though, of falling in withour roving friend, even should he be in the neighbourhood."
"We'll get the gaff-topsail off her, Mr Snow," said Porpoise; "the brigwill be shortening sail, and if we do not, we shall be running ahead ofher."
The order was given, and the hands had gone aloft to execute it, when anexclamation from the look-out forward made us open our eyes.
"A sail ahead, on the starboard-bow!" he shouted, with startling energy.
We looked in the direction indicated.
"Luff--luff all you can," cried Porpoise, with equal animation. "Luff!or she'll be into us."
The helm was put down; happily the gaff-to
psail had not been taken in,and the cutter, having good way on her, shot up to windward. Close onour quarter appeared, towering up, it seemed, into the sky, a widespread of canvas. The stranger rushed on past us, the white foamhissing and bubbling at her bows.
"What vessel is that?" shouted Porpoise.
I thought I heard a shout of derisive laughter in return. The nextmoment, as she came beam on, I distinctly made her out to be a Greekpolacca-brig.
"The pirate--the pirate!" shouted all hands.
"We had a near chance of being run down by the rascal," cried Porpoise;"but we must be after him as soon as we can let the `Zebra' know in whatdirection to make chase."
To do this we had to edge away to the southward, firing our guns to callthe attention of the man-of-war brig. This was not so easy to do asmight be supposed. We stood on and on, blazing away to no effect. Wereached the track of the brig, but still we did not find her.
It was difficult to say what we should do next. Daylight came, and wehad the satisfaction--a very poor one, thought I--of seeing her hulldown to the eastward, while we had every reason to believe that thechase was merrily bowling away to the westward. There was no use goingafter the pirate brig by ourselves, so that all that we could do was tomake sail in the hopes of catching up our friend.
Porpoise bit his nails with vexation. Hearty wanted to get the matterover to return to Malta.
It was noon before we came up with the "Zebra." This we should not havedone had she not hove-to for us. We then had to wait for the "Trident,"which appeared to the northward, standing towards us.
We were all so confident that the polacca-brig which passed us in thenight was the pirate, that our naval friends were obliged to beconvinced, so we all hove about, and stood back the way we had come inchase.
I think it better to make a long story short. We crowded every thing wecould carry, and the little "Frolic" behaved beautifully alongside herbig companions, shooting somewhat ahead of them in light winds, andkeeping well up with them when there was a sea on.
We scarcely expected that the pirate would attempt to get through theGut, and therefore we might hope to pick him up inside it. I could nothelp suspecting, however, that all the time Mr Sandgate was laughing atus in his sleeve, and that we should see no more of him. So it proved.Ten days were fruitlessly expended in the search, and at the end of thattime we were all once more at anchor in Malta Harbour.
Hearty very speedily reconciled himself to the disappointment in thesociety of Miss Mizen. Carstairs was soon at the feet of MrsSkyscraper, while I went to inquire for Miss Seton; but as I found SirLloyd Snowdon occupying her entire attention, I paid a short visit, andwent to dine with Piper on board the "Trident."