"
"Aye, that was truly an enterprise!" answered the magistrate,
gesticulating on a large scale, and opening his eyes by way of
accompaniments. "General Bonaparte, he who had been playing the devil in
the Milanese and the states of the Pope, for the last two years, sailed,
they sent us word, with two or three hundred ships, the saints at first
knew whither. Some said, it was to destroy the holy sepulchre; some to
overturn the Grand Turk; and some thought to seize the islands. There
was a craft in here, the same week, which said he had got possession of
the Island of Malta; in which case we might look out for trouble in
Elba. I had my suspicions, from the first!"
"All this I heard at the time, Signore, and my uncle probably could tell
you more--how we all felt at the tidings!"
"Well, that is all over now, and the French are in Egypt. Your uncle,
Ghita, has gone upon the main, I hear?" this was said inquiringly, and
it was intended to be said carelessly; but the podesta could not prevent
a glance of suspicion from accompanying the question.
"Signore, I believe he has, but I know little of his affairs. The time
has come, however, when I ought to expect him. See, Eccellenza," a title
that never failed to mollify the magistrate, and turn his attention from
others entirely to himself, "the lugger really appears disposed to look
into your bay, if not actually to enter it!"
This sufficed to change the discourse. Nor was it said altogether
without reason; the lugger, which by this time had passed the western
promontory, actually appearing disposed to do as Ghita conjectured.
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