me equal between us, or it may be worse for you."

"You threaten me, then," said I, calmly.

"I do," was the answer.

"It is therefore open war between us?"

"I never said so," replied he, with a most cutting irony of manner;
"but whatever secret malice can do,--and you shall soon know what it
means,--I pledge myself you will not find yourself forgotten."

"Agreed, then; now leave me, sir."

"I am your guest, sir," said he, with a most hypocritical air of
deference and courtesy. "It is surely scant politeness to drive me hence
when I am not in a position to find another shelter; we are upon the
high seas; I cannot walk forth and take my leave. Believe me, sir, the
character you would fain perform before the world would not act so."

Notwithstanding the insult conveyed in the last words, I determined
that I would respect "him who had eaten my salt;" and with a gesture of
assent, for I could not speak, I moved away.

No sooner was I alone than I repented me of the rash folly into which,
for the indulgence of a mere petty vengeance, I had been betrayed. I saw
that by this absurd piece of malice I had made an enemy of a man whose
whole career vouched for the danger of his malevolence.

How could he injure me? What species of attack could he make upon me?
Whether was it more likely that he would avoid me as one dangerous to
himself, or pursue me wherever I went by his vengeance? These were hard
questions to solve, and they filled my mind so completely that I neither
heeded the bustle which heralded the arrival on board of the pilot,
or the still busier movement which told that we were approaching the
harbor. At last I went on deck and approached the bulwark, over which
a number of the crew were leaning, watching the course of a boat that,
with all her canvas spread, was making for land. "The pilot-boat," said
the captain, in reply to my glance of inquiry; "she is lying straight
in, as the consul is anxious to land at once."

"Is he on board of her?" said I, with an anxiety I could not conceal.

"Yes, Senhor Conde, and your Excellency's secretary too."

Was it my fear suggested the notion, or was it the simple fact, but I
thought that the words "Count" and "Excellency" were articulated with
something like a sneer? I had no opportunity to put the matter to the
test, for the captain had already quitted the spot, and was busy with
the multifarious cares the near approach to land enforces. My next
thought was, Why ha