1829.] The Man of Ill-Omen. 295 



were soon wanting, and I was let loose, and ordered to a gun. The 

 round shot were flying about ; and, as my revenge might be put off by 

 an accident, I resolved to lose no time. I fired away rdl my cartridges 

 at once ; but the gun, by miracle, did not burst ; and one of the enemy's 

 masts came tumbling over the side. Charges to the muzzle suddenly 

 became the order of the day^ The frigate scon felt the work of the nev/ sys- 

 tem, in ports knocked in, yards falling, and sails cut to pieces. I saw that 

 she was getting sick of the affair, and made up my mind at once. In the 

 hurry of the business, I scattered the contents of a barrel of powder 

 unseen along the gunwale, slipped down to the cabin, brought up the 

 brunette on my arm, and, throwing a cloak over her, coolly speculated 

 on the future. 



'•' The captain's quick eye discovered me, and he came up, raging, 

 scimitar in hand. I knocked him down with the portfire, dropped it on 

 the train, jumped on the bulwark, holding the signora fast, and plunged 

 with her into the sea. A flash, a howl, and an explosion, that seemed to tear 

 the waters to the bottom, followed almost before I fell. I Avas stunned, 

 — but life is sweet ; and, after rolling about for a while, the signora and I 

 were picked up together by the boats of the enemy. 



" I was now on board a French frigate, which my system had mauled 

 as cruelly as any frigate that ever fell in with a true believer. But the 

 French are all heroes, and, of course, love a hero. I had been conspicuous 

 during the business ; and, as I had no objection to their thinking me 

 AlexaiKler the Great if they chose, I gave them to understand that, but 

 for me, they might have taken tlie pirate without the loss of a man. 

 They applauded me to the skies — swore that they loved a gallant enemy, 

 whether he believed in the Pope, or in IVIahom.et, or, like themselves, in 

 nothing. I found excellent wine, capital ragouts, and practical toleration 

 of the gayest kind among those brave fellov/s ; and might have lived 

 with them till now, but for one misfortune — my pretty fellow-swimmer. 



" In whatever part of the globe an opera-dancer may have been born, 

 her soul is Parisian. My barrel of gunpowder did not catch the portfire 

 in a more sparkling style than this enchantress the shrugs, smiles, com- 

 pliments, and calemhourgs of the French officers. I had been too 

 obviously anxious to bring her along with me for any of those well-bred 

 warriors to believe my protestations that I was her husband ; and the 

 captain, a French beau of the most degage species, gave various hints 

 that he was disposed to relieve me of her guardianship. This adorer was 

 indefatigable : he wooed with sigh and smile ; sang chcmsons, which he 

 swore he wrote ; and was the most languishing of swains, except when 

 he preferred delighting the signora with his activity in the gavottes and 

 sarabandes that our old Spanish fiddler played with patriotic constancy. 

 This victim of love was not quite a skeleton, was not more than bent 

 double, and acknowledged only seventy-two years on his last birth- 

 day. His charms, however, were evidently making a rapid impression 

 on the susceptible heart of my brunette. I was likely to lose the purchase - 

 money of my prize. No man likes to be forced out of any thing, and I ven- 

 tured on a private remonstrance. The signora's answer was in a tone 

 which brought all the idlers of the ship round us. We were laughed 

 at, until the lady burst into a hysteric, and I forgave. But on that night, 

 I slept with a soundness that might have been envied by a dormouse. 



" It was late in the day when I awoke : the sun was scorciiing tlie 

 skin off my face. I opened my tardy eyes. But where was the rool" of that 



