"
"And the noble cavaliere, her commander--you doubtless know his name and
rank?"
"Oh! perfectly; he is the son of an old admiral, under whom I was
educated, though we happen ourselves never to have met. Sir Brown is the
name and title of the gentleman."
"Ah! that is a truly English rank, and name, too, as one might say.
Often have I met that honorable appellation in Shakespeare, and other of
your eminent authors, Miltoni has a Sir Brown, if I am not
mistaken, Signore?"
"Several of them, Signor Vice-governatore," answered Raoul, without a
moment's hesitation or the smallest remorse; though he had no idea
whatever who Milton was; "Milton, Shakespeare, Cicero, and all our great
writers, often mention Signori of this family."
"Cicero!" repeated Andrea, in astonishment--"he was a Roman, and an
ancient, Capitano, and died before Inghilterra was known to the
civilized world."
Raoul perceived that he had reached too far, though he was not in
absolute danger of losing his balance. Smiling, as in consideration of
the other's provincial view of things, he rejoined, with an _aplomb_
that would have done credit to a politician, in an explanatory and
half-apologetic tone.
"Quite true, Signor Vice-governatore, as respects him you mention," he
said; "but not true as respects Sir Cicero, my illustrious compatriot.
Let me see--I do not think it is yet a century since our Cicero died. He
was born in Devonshire"--this was the county in which Raoul had been
imprisoned--"and must have died in Dublin.
Pages:
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124