Raoul Yvard was indebted to a piece of forethought in Clinch for his life.  But for the three guns fired so opportunely from the Foudroyant, the execution could not have been stayed; and but for a prudent care on the part of the master’s-mate, the guns would never have been fired.  The explanation is this:  when Cuffe was giving his subordinate instructions how to proceed, the possibility of detention struck the latter, and he bethought him of some expedient by which such an evil might be remedied.  At his suggestion then, the signal of the guns was mentioned by the captain, in his letter to the commander-in-chief, and its importance pointed out.  When Clinch reached the fleet, Nelson was at Castel a Mare, and it became necessary to follow him to that place by land.  Here Clinch found him in the palace of Qui-Si-Sane, in attendance on the court, and delivered his despatches.  Nothing gave the British admiral greater pleasure than to be able to show mercy, the instance to the contrary already introduced existing as an exception in his private character and his public career; and it is possible that an occurrence so recent, and so opposed to his habits, may have induced him the more willingly now to submit to his ordinary impulses, and to grant the respite asked with the greater promptitude.

“Your captain tells me here, sir,” observed Nelson, after he had read Cuffe’s letter a second time, “little doubt exists that Yvard was in the Bay on a love affair, and that his purposes were not those of a spy, after all?”

“Such is the, opinion aboard us, my lord,” answered the master’s-mate.  “There are an old man and a very charming young woman in his company, who Captain Cuffe says were in the cabin of this ship, on a visit to your lordship, only a few days since.”

Nelson started, and his face flushed.  Then he seized a pen, and, with the only hand he had, scratched a letter, directing a reprieve until further orders.  This he signed and handed to Clinch, saying, as he did so: 

“Get into your boat, sir, and pull back to the frigate as fast as possible; God forbid that any man suffer wrongfully!”

“I beg your pardon, my lord—­but there is not time, now, for me to reach the ship before the sun set.  I have a signal prepared in the boat, it is true; but the frigate may not come round Campanella before the last moment, and then all these pains will be lost.  Does not Captain Cuffe speak of some guns to be fired from the flag-ship, my lord?”

“He does, sir; and this may be the safest mode of communicating, after all.  With this light westerly air, a gun will be heard a long distance at sea.  Take the pen, and write as I dictate, sir.”

Clinch seized the pen, which the admiral, who had lost his right arm only a few years before, really felt unable to use, and wrote as follows: 

“Sir—­Immediately on the receipt of this, you will fire three heavy guns, at intervals of half a minute, as a signal to the Proserpine to suspend an execution.