not the means been wanting, mercenary and
selfish as he ordinarily seemed, he was every way equal to executing so
dire a scheme, in order to put an end to the lives of those who were the
agents in wronging him, and his own sufferings, together. The subject
never recurred to his mind without momentarily changing the current of
its thoughts, and tinging all his feelings with an intensity of
bitterness that it was painful to bear. At length, sighing heavily, he
rose from the knight-head, and turned toward the mouth of the bay, as if
to conceal from Raoul the expression of his countenance. This act,
however, was scarcely done, ere he started, and an exclamation escaped
him that induced his companion to turn quickly on his heel and face the
sea. There, indeed, the growing light enabled both to discover an object
that could scarcely be other than one of interest to men in their
situation.

It has been said already that the deep bay, on the side of which stands
the town of Porto Ferrajo, opens to the north, looking in the direction
of the headland of Piombino. On the right of the bay, the land, high and
broken, stretches several miles ere it forms what is called the Canal,
while, on the left, it terminates with the low bluff on which stands
the residence then occupied by Andrea Barrofaldi; and which has since
become so celebrated as the abode of one far greater than the worthy
vice-governatore. The haven lying under these heights, on the left of
the bay and by the side of the town, it followed, as a matter of course,
that the anchorage of the lugger was also in this quarter of the bay,
commanding a clear view to the north, in the direction of the main land,
as far as the eye could reach. The width of the Canal, or of the passage
between Elba and the Point of Piombino, may be some six or seven miles;
and at the distance of less than one mile from the northern end of the
former stands a small rocky islet, which has since become known to the
world as the spot on which Napoleon stationed a corporal's guard, by way
of taking possession, when he found his whole empire dwindled to the
sea-girt mountains in its vicinity. With the existence and position of
this island both Raoul and Ithuel were necessarily acquainted, for they
had seen it and noted its situation the previous night, though it had
escaped their notice that, from the place where the Feu-Follet had
brought up, it was not visible. In their first look to seaward, that
mornin