“This is indeed great news,” the merchant said, “and will be an immense relief to Venice.  We were getting very anxious, for had Pisani been defeated, there was nothing to prevent the Genoese ravaging our coasts, and even assailing Venice itself.  But where is the captain?”

“I regret to say, sir, that he has been killed, as well as twenty-seven of the sailors, and many of the others are more or less severely wounded.  I am the bearer of despatches from the admiral to the council.”

“Then get into my gondola, and come along at once,” Polani said.  “I deeply regret the death of the captain and sailors.  You shall tell me all about it as we come along.  We must not delay a moment in carrying this great news ashore.  Have you got the despatches?”

“Yes, signor.  I put them into my doublet when I saw you approaching, thinking that you would probably wish me to take them on shore at once.”

“And now tell me all about the battle,” the merchant said as soon as they had taken their seats in the gondola.  “You say there were nine ships on either side.  Pisani sailed away with fourteen.  Has he lost the remainder?”

“They came up next day,” Francis replied.  “The fleet was in a port north of Antium when the news came that Fieschi’s fleet was there.  Five of the galleys had been dismantled, and were under repair, and Pisani would not wait for them to be got into fighting order, as he was afraid lest Fieschi might weigh anchor and escape if he delayed an hour.  He learned that the Genoese had nine ships with him, and as he had himself this number ready for sea, he sailed at once.

“The weather was stormy, and the sea very high, when he appeared within sight of Antium.  Fieschi sailed boldly out to meet him.  The battle lasted all day, for it was next to impossible to board; but in the end, as I say, four Genoese galleys surrendered and the rest fled.  It was a terrible sight; for it seemed at every moment as if the waves would hurl the vessels against each other, and so break them into fragments; but in no case did such an accident happen.”

“Why, you speak as if you saw it, Francisco!  Had you joined the admiral before the battle took place?”

“No, signor.  We arrived near Antium on the evening before the fight, and heard of Fieschi’s presence there.  Therefore we anchored south of the promontory.  In the morning we put out, intending to sail well out to sea and so pass the Genoese, who were not likely, in such weather, to put out to question a sail passing in the distance; but as we made off from land we saw Pisani’s fleet approaching.  Then, as Fieschi put to sea and we saw that the battle was imminent, there was nothing for us to do but to lie to, and wait for the battle to be over, before we delivered our stores, having little doubt that Pisani would be victorious.”

“Then had the battle gone the other way,” the merchant said, “the Bonito at the present moment would probably be lying a prize in the harbour of Genoa!”