Andrea Barrofaldi, glad that his companion was momentarily appeased, now proceeded toward Raoul’s little prison, and was immediately admitted by the sentry, who had his orders to that effect.  The prisoner received his guests courteously and cheerfully; for we are far from wishing to represent him as so heroic as not to rejoice exceedingly at having escaped death by hanging, even though it might prove to be a respite, rather than a pardon.  At such a moment, the young man could have excused a much more offensive intrusion, and the sudden change in his prospects disposed him a little to be jocular; for truth compels us to add that gratitude to God entered but little into his emotions.  The escape from death, like his capture, and the other incidents of his cruise, was viewed simply as the result of the fortune of war.

Winchester had directed that Raoul’s state-room should be supplied with every little convenience that his situation required, and, among other things, it had two common ship’s stools.  One of these was given to each of the Italians, while the prisoner took a seat on the gun-tackle of one of the two guns that formed the sides of his apartment.  It was now night, and a mist had gathered over the arch above, winch hid the stars, and rendered it quite dark.  Still, Raoul had neither lamp nor candles; and, though they had been offered him, he declined their use, as he had found stranger eyes occasionally peeping through the openings in the canvas, with the idle curiosity of the vulgar, to ascertain the appearance and employments of one condemned to die.  He had experienced a good deal of annoyance from this feeling the previous night; and the same desire existing to see how a criminal could bear a respite, he determined to pass his evening in obscurity.  There was a lantern or two, however, on the gun-deck, which threw a dim light even beyond the limits of the canvas bulkheads.  As has been said already, these bulkheads extended from gun to gun, so as to admit light and air from the ports.  This brought the tackles on one side into the room; and on one of these Raoul now took his seat.

Andrea Barrofaldi, from his superior condition in life, as well as from his better education and nicer natural tact, far surpassed his companion in courtesy of demeanor.  The latter would have plunged in medias res at once, but the vice-governatore commenced a conversation on general matters, intending to offer his congratulations for the recent respite when he conceived that a suitable occasion should arise.  This was an unfortunate delay in one respect; for Vito Viti no sooner found that the main object of the visit was to be postponed, than he turned with eagerness to the subject in discussion, which had been interrupted in order to enter the state-room.

“Here has the vice-governatore come forward with a theory, Sir Smees,” he commenced, the moment a pause in the discourse left him an opening—­“here has the vice-governatore come forward with a theory that I insist the church would call damnable, and at which human nature revolts——­”