“Frank, accompanied by Beppo (for there was yet time for these preparations before midnight), repaired to the yacht, taking Giacomo by the way. There our new ally, familiar to most of that piratical crew, and sanctioned by the presence of Frank, as the count’s friend and prospective brother-in-law, told Peschiera’s hirelings that they were to quit the vessel, and wait on shore under Giacomo’s auspices till further orders; and as soon as the decks were cleared of these ruffians (save a few left to avoid suspicion, and who were afterwards safely stowed down in the hold), and as soon as Giacomo had lodged his convoy in a public house, where he quitted them drinking his health over unlimited rations of grog, your inestimable servant quietly shipped on board the Italians pressed into the service, and Frank took charge of the English sailors.
“The prince, promising to be on board in due time, then left me to make arrangements for his journey to Vienna by the dawn. I hastened to a masquerade warehouse, where, with the help of an ingenious stagewright artificer, I disguised myself into a most thorough-paced-looking cut-throat, and then waited the return of my friend Beppo with the most perfect confidence.”
“Yet, if that rascal had played false, all these precautions were lost. Cospetto! you were not wise,” said the prudent philosopher.
“Very likely not. You would have been so wise, that by this time your daughter would have been lost to you forever.”
“But why not employ the police?”
“First, Because I had already employed them to little purpose; secondly, Because I no longer wanted them; thirdly, Because to use them for my final catastrophe would be to drag your name, and your daughter’s perhaps, before a police court,—at all events, before the tribunal of public gossip; and lastly, Because, having decided upon the proper punishment, it had too much of equity to be quite consistent with law; and in forcibly seizing a man’s person, and shipping him off to Norway, my police would have been sadly in the way. Certainly my plan rather savours of Lope de Vega than of Blackstone. However, you see success atones for all irregularities. I resume: Beppo came back in time to narrate all the arrangements that had been made, and to inform me that a servant from the count had come on board just as our new crew were assembled there, to order the boat to be at the place where we found it. The servant it was deemed prudent to detain and secure. Giacomo undertook to manage the boat.
“I am nearly at the close of my story. Sure of my disguise, I got on the coach-box with Beppo. The count arrived at the spot appointed, and did not even honour myself with a question or glance. ‘Your brother?’ he said to Beppo; ‘one might guess that; he has the family likeness. Not a handsome race yours! Drive on.’
“We arrived at the house. I dismounted to open the carriage-door. The count gave me one look. ‘Beppo says you have known the sea.’
“‘Excellency, yes. I am a Genoese.’
“‘Ha! how is that? Beppo is a Lombard.’—Admire the readiness with which I redeemed my blunder.