and rendered it quite dark. Still, Raoul had neither lamp nor candles;
and, though they had been offered him, he declined their use, as he had
found stranger eyes occasionally peeping through the openings in the
canvas, with the idle curiosity of the vulgar, to ascertain the
appearance and employments of one condemned to die. He had experienced a
good deal of annoyance from this feeling the previous night; and the
same desire existing to see how a criminal could bear a respite, he
determined to pass his evening in obscurity. There was a lantern or
two, however, on the gun-deck, which threw a dim light even beyond the
limits of the canvas bulkheads. As has been said already, these
bulkheads extended from gun to gun, so as to admit light and air from
the ports. This brought the tackles on one side into the room; and on
one of these Raoul now took his seat.

Andrea Barrofaldi, from his superior condition in life, as well as from
his better education and nicer natural tact, far surpassed his companion
in courtesy of demeanor. The latter would have plunged _in medias res_
at once, but the vice-governatore commenced a conversation on general
matters, intending to offer his congratulations for the recent respite
when he conceived that a suitable occasion should arise. This was an
unfortunate delay in one respect; for Vito Viti no sooner found that the
main object of the visit was to be postponed, than he turned with
eagerness to the subject in discussion, which had been interrupted in
order to enter the state-room.

"Here has the vice-governatore come forward with a theory, Sir Smees,"
he commenced, the moment a pause in the discourse left him an
opening--"here has the vice-governatore come forward with a theory that
I insist the church would call damnable, and at which human nature
revolts----"

"Nay, good Vito, thou dost not state the case fairly," interrupted
Andrea, whose spirit was a little aroused at so abrupt an assault. "The
theory is not mine; it is that of a certain English philosopher, in
particular, who, let it be said, too, was a bishop."

"A Lutheran!--was it not so, honorable Signor Andrea?--a bishop so
called?"

"Why, to confess the truth, he _was_ a heretic, and not to be considered
as an apostle of the true church."

"Aye--I would have sworn to that. No true son of the church would ever
broach such a doctrine. Only fancy, signori, the number of imaginary
fires, tongues, and other instruments of torture