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of Elba. He tells us that the lugger is a craft much in use among the
French, and not at all among the English, so far as he has ever
witnessed."
"In that Tommaso Tonti is no seaman. Many luggers are to be found among
the English; though more, certainly, among the French. But I have
already given the Signor Viti to understand that there is such an island
as Guernsey, which was once French, but which is now English, and that
accounts for the appearances he has observed. We are Guernsey-men--the
lugger is from Guernsey--and, no doubt, we have a Guernsey look. This is
being half French, I allow."
"That alters the matter altogether. Neighbor Viti, this is all true
about the island, and about its habits and its origin; and if one could
be as certain about the names, why, nothing more need be said. Are Giac
Smees, and Ving-y-Ving, Guernsey names?"
"They are not particularly so," returned the sailor, with difficulty
refraining from laughing in the vice-governatore's face; "Jaques Smeet'
being so English, that we are the largest family, perhaps, in all
Inghilterra. Half the nobles of the island are called Smeet', and not a
few are named Jaques. But little Guernsey was conquered; and our
ancestors who performed that office brought their names with them,
Signore. As for Ving-and-Ving, it is _capital_ English."
"I do not see, Vito, but this is reasonable. If the capitano, now, only
had his commission with him, you and I might go to bed in peace, and
sleep till morning."
"Here, then, Signore, are your sleeping potions," continued the laughing
sailor, drawing from his pocket several papers. "These are my orders
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from the admiral; and, as they are not secret, you can cast your eyes
over them. This is my commission, Signor Vice-governatore--this is the
signature of the English minister of marine--and here is my own, 'Jaques
Smeet'' as you see, and here is the order to me, as a lieutenant, to
take command of the Ving-and-Ving."
All the orders and names were there, certainly, written in a clear, fair
hand, and in perfectly good English. The only thing that one who
understood the language would have been apt to advert to, was the
circumstance that the words which the sailor pronounced "Jaques Smeet'"
were written, plainly enough, "Jack Smith"--an innovation on the common
practice, which, to own the truth, had proceeded from his own obstinacy,
and had been done in the very teeth of the objections of the scribe who
forged the papers. But Andrea was still too little of an English scholar
to understand the blunder, and the Jack passed, with him, quite as
currently as would "John," "Edward," or any other appellation. As to the
Wing-and-Wing, all was right; though, as the words were pointed out and
pronounced by both parties, one pertinaciously insisted on calling them
"Ving-and-Ving," and the other, "Ving-y-Ving." All this evidence had a
great tendency toward smoothing down every difficulty, and 'Maso Tonti's
objections were pretty nearly forgotten by both the Italians, when the
papers were returned to their proper owner.
"It was an improbable thing that an enemy, or a corsair, would venture
into this haven of ours, Vito Viti," said the vice-governatore, in a
self-approving manner; "we have a reputation for being vigilant, and for
knowing our business, as well as the authorities of Livorno, or Genova,
or Napoli."
"And that too, Signore, with nothing in the world to gain but hard
knocks and a prison," added the Captain Smeet', with one of his most
winning smiles--a smile that even softened the heart of the podesta,
while it so far warmed that of his superior as to induce him to invite
the stranger to share his own frugal supper. The invitation was accepted
as frankly as it had been given, and, the table being ready in an
adjoining room, in a few minutes Il Capitano Smees and Vito Viti were
sharing the vice-governatore's evening meal.
From that moment, if distrust existed any longer in the breasts of the
two functionaries of Porto Ferrajo, it was so effectually smothered as
to be known only to themselves. The light fare of an Italian kitchen,
and the light wines of Tuscany, just served to strengthen the system and
enliven the spirits; the conversation becoming general and lively, us
the business of the moment proceeded. At that day, tea was known
throughout southern Europe as an ingredient only for the apothecary's
keeping; nor was it often to be found among his stores; and the
_convives_ used, as a substitute, large draughts of the pleasant
mountain liquors of the adjacent main, which produced an excitement
scarcely greater, while it may be questioned if it did as much injury to
the health. The stranger, however, both ate and drank sparingly, for,
while he affected to join cordially in the discourse and the business of
_restoration_, he greatly desired to be at liberty to pursue his
own designs.
Andrea Barrofaldi did not let so excellent an opportunity to show his
acquirements to the podesta go by neglected. He talked much of England,
its history, its religion, government, laws, climate, and industry;
making frequent appeals to the Capitano Smees for the truth of his
opinions. In most cases the parties agreed surprisingly, for the
stranger started with a deliberate intention to assent to everything;
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but even this compliant temper had its embarrassments, since the
vice-governatore so put his interrogatories as occasionally to give to
acquiescence the appearance of dissent. The other floundered through his
difficulties tolerably well, notwithstanding; and so successful was he,
in particular, in flattering Andrea's self-love by expressions of
astonishment that a foreigner should understand his own country so
well--better, indeed, in many respects, than he understood it
himself--and that he should be so familiar with its habits,
institutions, and geography, that, by the time the flask was emptied,
the superior functionary whispered to his inferior, that the stranger
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