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Pauline was much amused and laughed once more with so thrilling a cadence in her rich voice that the child in the basket-chair clapped its hands and laughed too. "So now, Artémise, try and understand what I tell you, for I shall not see you again before I leave, and these are my last wishes, to be faithfully carried out.
It rose straight up, up, up, generation after generation, tall, branchless, slender, palm-like; and finally, in the time of which I am to tell, flowered with all the rare beauty of a century-plant, in Artemise, Innocente, Felicité, the twins Marie and Martha, Leontine and little Septima; the seven beautiful daughters for whom their home had been fitly named Belles Demoiselles.
She managed, however, to scrape clear by the skin of her teeth, and once fairly outside and clear of danger she went about and hove-to on the starboard tack, to wait for her prize. The "Artemise" had been placed in charge of Mr Flinn, who had selected me for his first and Smellie for his second lieutenant; Mr Woods acting as first on board the "Astarte."
A strong prize crew was placed on board the "Artemise," leaving only just sufficient hands on board the "Astarte" to work her sails, and then the latter set her canvas, cast off her fasts and grapplings, and canted to the southward.
On another occasion, when I was hippopotamus-hunting in one of the boats of the Artemise, in an inlet of the sea close to Kaole, I chased a herd of hippopotami in deep water, till one of the lot, coming as usual from below, drove a tusk clean through the boat with such force that he partially hoisted her out of the water; but the brute did no further damage, for I kept him off by making the men splash their oars rapidly whilst making for the shore, where we just arrived in time to save ourselves from sinking.
All the old faces were there, I was glad to see, including even that of Captain Flinn, whose ship, the "Artemise," happened to be in port at the time, and little Fisher, who had recovered in a most marvellous manner from his dreadful wounds.
For two hours and a half they had been at table; for the servant Artémise, carelessly dragging her old list slippers over the flags, brought one plate after the other, forgot everything, and constantly left the door of the billiard-room half open, so that it beat against the wall with its hooks.
Thus the battle raged all night long, till soon after dawn the French frigate Artemise, after striking her colours, also caught fire, and with a terrific explosion blew up. In the morning the enemy's ships still in a condition to make sail got under way and endeavoured to escape. Of the thirteen French ships of the line, by this time, one had blown up, eight had surrendered, and two had escaped.
The last strains of music have ceased on board the "Artemise"; the sun is already high in the heavens; the flower beds are returning on shore, a little draggled perhaps, as if just pelted by a thunder-storm; the "Reine Hortense" has got her steam up and the real, serious part of our voyage is about to begin.
Absorbed in watching them, Artémise listened no longer at all to Miss Clairville's pronouncements and indeed very little was left to say. Pauline put on her gloves, slung her muff around her neck and submitted to a frantic embrace from the warm-hearted, lonely little girl, then turned to bid farewell to the mother. "Two hours by my watch!" she cried gaily.
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