the
currents, and the prevailing winds. He went on, besides, to show how, by
running out a pier here, and a breakwater there--by filling up this, and
deepening that--safe anchorage could be secured in all weathers; while
the headlands could be easily fortified, and 'at a moderate cost,' I
quote himself, 'of say twenty two or three millions of francs, while a
fort erected on the island there would command the whole entrance.'

"'And who, in the name of all Utopia, wants to force it?' cried I; for,
as they talked so openly, I thought I might interpose as frankly.

"He never seemed to resent my remark as obtrusive, but said quietly,
'Who knows? the French perhaps--perhaps your own people one of these
days.'

"I'd like to have said, but I didn't, 'We could walk in and walk out
here, with our iron-clads, as coolly as a man goes out in the rain with
a mackintosh.'

"They remained fully an hour, talking as freely as if I was born deaf
and dumb. At last they arose to leave, and the owl-faced man--he looked
exactly like an owl--said, with a little grin, 'We're going to disturb
you again.'

"'How so?' cried I; 'you can't smelt lead here.'

"'No, but we're going to make an arsenal. Where you stand now will be a
receiving-dock, and that garden of yours a patent slip. You'll have to
clear out before the New Year.'

"'Who is he? who is that with the spectacles?' asked I of one of the
servants, who waited outside with cloaks and umbrellas.

"'That's the Conte di Cavour,' said the fellow, haughtily; and thus was
the whole murder out at once. They turned me out, sir, in two months,
and I never ventured to take a lease of a place till he died. After that
event, I purchased a little spot on the island of Tino yonder, and built
myself a cottage. They could neither smelt metal nor build a ship there,
and I hugged myself at the thought of safety. But, would you believe
it? last week--only last week--his successor, in rummaging over Cavour's
papers in the Foreign Office, comes upon a packet labelled 'Spezia,' and
discovers a memorandum in these words, 'The English Admiral, at dinner
to-day, laughed at the idea of defending the mouth of the Gulf from
the island. He said the entrance should be two-thirds closed by a
breakwater, and a strong fort _a fleur d'eau_ built on Tino. I have
thought of it all night; he is perfectly right, and I'll do it;' and
here, sir," said my companion, drawing a paper from his pocket, "is a
'sommation' fro