From the street, Fernando, with bitter feelings in his heart, saw the
carriage ascend the hill. He turned about and entered the tavern, went
to his room and shut himself up. Here he remained until the middle of
the afternoon, when there came a knock at the door, and, on opening it,
he was astonished to find one of the negroes of Captain Lane's house. He
was dressed in livery and held a note in his hand, which he gave to
"Mistah Stevens," bowed politely and awaited his answer.
The utter amazement of Fernando can better be imagined than described
at finding the note from Miss Morgianna Lane inviting himself and his
friends to tea that evening with themselves, Lieutenant Matson and
ensign Post of his majesty's ship _Xenophon_. Had Fernando been summoned
to a command in his majesty's navy, he could not have been more
astonished. He hesitated a moment and then decided to accept. This
Englishman should neither out-do him in generosity nor affrontery.
Besides, the invitation came from Morgianna, and he could not refuse. He
wrote a polite answer, accepting the kind invitation and went to find
Sukey and Terrence. Sukey thought it would be a little odd for Fernando
to meet a man with whom he had exchanged shots; but Terrence declared it
was the only "dacint" thing to do. They were not "haythin," to
bear grudges.
Consequently they went. The minds of the Americans were filled with
doubt and perplexity, while the Irishman was chuckling at a plan his
cunning brain was evolving, and which he determined to put in execution.
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