"She is an innocent and unsuspecting child."
Jacopo lifted Annina, as he spoke, on the deck of the Bella Sorrentina, in a manner between gallantry and force, and leaped after her. Without pausing, or suffering her to rally her thoughts, he led her to the cabin stairs, which she descended, wondering at his conduct, but determined not to betray her own secret wrongs on the customs to a stranger.
Stefano Milano was asleep in a sail on deck. A touch aroused him, and a sign gave him to understand that the imaginary Roderigo stood before him.
"A thousand pardons, Signore," said the gaping mariner; "is the freight come?"
"In part only. I have brought thee a certain Annina Torti, the daughter of old Tommaso Torti, a wine-seller of the Lido."
"Santa Madre! does the Senate think it necessary to send one like her from the city in secret?"
"It does; and it lays great stress on her detention. I have come hither with her, without suspicion of my object, and she has been prevailed on to enter thy cabin, under a pretence of some secret dealings in wines. According to our former understanding, it will be thy business to make sure of her presence."
"That is easily done," returned Stefano, stepping forward and closing the cabin-door, which he secured by a bolt.
"She is alone, now, with the image of our Lady, and a better occasion to repeat her aves cannot offer."
"This is well, if thou canst keep her so. It is now time to lift thy anchors, and to go beyond the tiers of the vessels with the felucca."