persons of
the two Englishmen; but perfectly aware of the presence of the
Proserpine, he guessed at their identity, and very correctly imagined
the circumstances that brought companions so ill-assorted together. He
had taken no precautions to disguise his face; and the red Phrygian cap
which he wore, in common with thousands on that bay, left every feature
and lineament fully expressed. With Ghita, however, the case was
different. She was far better known to the two Elbans, as indeed was the
person of her uncle, than he was himself; but both had veiled their
faces in prayer.

"I do not half like this business, Griffin," observed the captain, as
his gig entirely lost its way; "and wish with all my heart we had
nothing to do with it. I knew this old Caraccioli, and a very good sort
of man he was; and as to treason, it is not easy to say who is and who
is not a traitor in times like these, in such a nation as this. Ha! I
believe my soul, this is the same old man and the same pretty girl that
came to see Nelson half an hour ago about this very execution?"

"What could _they_ have to do with Prince Caraccioli or his treason,
sir? The old chap looks bookish; but he is not a priest; and, as to the
girl, she is trim-built enough; I fancy the face is no great matter,
however, or she would not take so much pains to hide it."

Raoul muttered a "sacr-r-re," between his teeth, but he succeeded in
suppressing all outward expression of feeling. Cuffe, on the contrary,
saw no other motive for unusual discretion, beyond the presence of his
boat's crew, before whom, however, he was accustomed to less reserve
than with his people in general.

"If she be the same as the one we had in the cabin," he answered, "there
is no necessity for a veil; for a prettier or a more modest-looking girl
is not often fallen in with. What she wanted exactly is more than I can
tell you, as she spoke Italian altogether; and 'miladi' had the
interview pretty much to herself. But her good looks seem to have taken
with this old bachelor, the justice of the peace, who eyes her as if he
had an inclination to open his mind to the beauty. Ask him in Italian,
Griffin, what mare's nest he has run foul of now."

"You seem to have found something to look at besides the Minerva, Signor
Podesta," observed Griffin, in an undertone. "I hope it is not Venus."

"Cospetto!" grunted Vito Viti, nudging his neighbor, the
vice-governatore, and nodding toward the other boat; "