“If I can be of any assistance to you, in the inquiries which you have
undertaken, I place all the algebra I possess at your disposal. Only the
position we are in is not a comfortable one to carry out mathematical
demonstrations. Will it please you to remove to a small distance from
these honest people, whose presence would only tend to confuse our
calculations.”
“Certainly,” replied the mousquetaire, “and the more readily, as, if I
do not deceive myself, by walking this way I shall lead you nearer
to your boat and your sailors.”
“Oh! that is not of the slightest consequence; should this path not be
convenient to you we can take another. I have plenty of time; and my men
are less eager to, return on board than I am. Therefore, we will about
ship, if such is your good pleasure.”
“Not at all; on the contrary, let us go on, the nearer we are to
the beach the better we can discuss the matter in question. Let us,
therefore, walk upon this strip of land as far as we can.”
The young seamen, without replying a word, conti-nued to walk on, like a
man to whom the direction he was to take was perfectly indifferent, and
these two young men, who had thus met for the first time, walked arm in
arm, as though they had been friends from infancy, towards the end of
the promontory. When they had reached the extreme point, Count Emanuel
paused, and pointed towards the frigate, saying, “Do you know what ship
that is?”
The young seaman threw a rapid and scrutinizing glance upon the
mousquetaire, and then looked towards the ship: “Yes,” replied he,
negligently, “it is a pretty frigate carrying two and thirty guns, with
her sails bent and her starboard anchor atrip, ready to sail at the
first signal given.”
“Excuse me,” replied Emanuel, smiling; “that is not what I ask of you. It
signifies little to me how many guns she carries, or by what anchor she
is holding--is not that your technical mode of speaking?”
The lieutenant smiled: in turn. “But,” continued Emanuel, “what I wish
to know is, to what nation she actually belongs, the port, that she is
bound to, and the name of her captain.”
“As to the nation she belongs to,” replied the lieutenant,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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