“It is easy to see, good Vito Viti, that this young Inglese is a gentle of noble birth, though not of a liberal education,” he said; “doubtless his father, Milordo Smees, has a large family, and the usages of England are different from those of Italy, in respect to birthright.  There, the eldest son alone inherits the honors of the family, while the cadets are put into the army and navy to earn new distinctions.  Nelsoni is the son of a priest, I hear—­”

“Cospetto! of a padre!  Signor Vice-governatore,” interrupted the podesta—­“it is most indecent to own it.  A priest must be possessed of the devil himself to own his issue; though issue he may certainly have.”

“There, again, good Vito, it is different with the Luterani and us Catholics.  The priests of England, you will please remember, marry, while ours do not.”

“I should not like to be shrived by such a padre!  The man would be certain to tell his wife all I confessed; and the saints could only say what would be the end on’t.  Porto Ferrajo would soon be too hot to hold an honest man—­aye, or even an honest woman in the bargain.”

“But the Luterani do not confess, and are never shrived at all, you will remember.”

“San Stefano!—­How do they expect, then, ever to get to heaven?”

“I will not answer that they do, friend Vito—­and we are certain that if they have such expectations they must be most treacherous to them.  But, talking of this Sir Smees, you perceive in his air and manner the finesse of the Anglo-Saxon race; which is a people altogether distinct from the ancient Gauls, both in history and character.  Pietro Giannone, in his Storia, Civile del Regno di Napoli, speaks of the Normans, who were a branch of these adventurers, with great interest and particularity; and I think I can trace in this youth some of the very peculiarities that are so admirably delineated in his well-told but too free writings.  Well, Pietro; I was not speaking of thee, but of a namesake of thine, of the family of Giannone, an historian of Naples, of note and merit—­what is thy will?”

This question was put to a servant, who entered at that moment, holding in his hand a piece of paper, which he desired to lay before his master.

“A cavaliere is without, Signor Andrea, who asks the honor of an audience, and who sends in his name, as your eccellenza will find it on this paper.”

The vice-governatore took the slip of paper and read aloud:  “Edward Griffin, tenente della marina Inglesa.”

“Ah! here is an officer sent from ‘ze Ving-y-Ving’ with some communication, friend Vito; it is fortunate you are still here to hear what he has to say.  Show the lieutenant in, Pietro.”