ng the sick and
dying. Among the other prisoners was an Italian slave, a nobleman, who
had broken down on the ramparts and rebelled, and was sent to prison as
being the most convenient hospital where he might be kept until the
pirates should find leisure to flog him into submission or to death.
But Death had a mind to do the work according to his own pleasure. The
slave felt himself to be sinking, and, through the influence of Bacri
with the jailer, he had been permitted to send for Giovanni. Other
slaves were there too, doomed to punishment, or, in other words, to
various degrees of torture. They lay or cowered around the cell
awaiting the issue of the fight.

It was a terrible sight to see the varied expressions of anxiety, fear,
or dogged resolution depicted in the faces of these men. Some of them
knew well that death, accompanied by excruciating torture, was certain
to be their portion when the bombardment should be over. Others hoped
that a severe bastinado might be the worst of it. None expected
anything more--even though the British should win the day--than that
there would be some modification in treaties which would not extend to
the slaves of foreign nations.

They all--with the exception of the Padre--maintained an almost unbroken
silence during the bombardment; but their restless motions and glances
showed how busy their thoughts were, and a grim smile would ever and
anon curl the lips of some when a chance shot struck the building and
shook it to its foundation. And oh! how anxiously one or two desperate
spirits hoped that a shell would enter it, and scatter sudden death
among them all!

It was solemn, and strange, too, in the midst of the interminable
thunder, to hear the gentle voice of the man of God quoting from the
peace-speaking Word, as he knelt beside the dying man and dwelling more
especially on passages in which the loving Jesus seeks to cheer His
people with prospects of rest and peace, such as--"Peace be unto you;"
"Let not your hearts be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in
me;" "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest." Even the hardened among the wretched and demoralised
sufferers there could not choose but hear and note the powerful contrast
between the gentle voice of Almighty God that thus murmured within the
prison, and the crashing voice of puny man that roared outside!

In the darkness of that night Bacri crept to the side of M