He had
the audacity, Signore, to wish to persuade _me_ that there was a certain
English orator of the same name and of equal merit of him of Roma and
Pompeii--one Sir Cicero!"
"The barone!" again exclaimed Cuffe, when this new offence of Raoul's
was explained to him. "I believe the rascal was up to anything. But
there is an end of him now, with all his Sir Smees and Sir Ciceros into
the bargain. Just let the veechy into the secret of the fellow's
fate, Griffin."
Griffin then related to the vice-governatore the manner in which it was
supposed that le Feu-Follet, Raoul Yvard, and all his associates had
been consumed like caterpillars on a tree. Andrea Barrofaldi listened,
with a proper degree of horror expressed in his countenance; but Vito
Viti heard the tale with signs of indifference and incredulity that he
did not care to conceal. Nevertheless, Griffin persevered, until he had
even given an account of the manner in which he and Cuffe examined the
lugger's anchorage, in the bootless attempt to discover the wreck.
To all this the two functionaries listened with profound attention and a
lively surprise. After looking at each other several times, and
exchanging significant gestures, Andrea assumed the office of
explaining.
"There is some extraordinary mistake in this, Signor Tenente," he said;
"for Raoul Yvard still lives. He passed this promontory just as day
dawned, in his lugger, this very morning!"
"Aye, he has got that notion from having seen the fellow we fell in with
off the harbor here," answered Cuffe, when this speech was translated to
him; "and I don't wonder at it, for the two vessels were surprisingly
alike.
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