The Quest of Ages

The storm was now brewing in full force and I saw fire in papa’s direction. The Captain yelled a turn and shortly after we gave the other two our starboard side’s lightning flashes. As the top portion of both the other ship’s sails buckled, our remaining batteries cut up the midsection. The men began cheering. We then moved in on the east and with our added sails, besides the wind, we caught her and began with our forward gun.

       Lorenzo said, “What shots!”

       The Captain was by now glaring with pride.

       “But she won’t get far!” the first mate yelled.

       The wind had turned against us, so we went to check the other we had previously crippled.

       Our boat came alongside with some difficulty in the storm. The grappling hooks were thrown, but due to a blast, she sank as if due to a giant’s hand.

       “Neptune sure wants that one,” the Captain jeered.

       The first mate cut a stuck grappling hook, just as the wind and waves tore us away from where we were.

       “Luigi!” I yelled, as he fell over the side amidst the storm’s noise and some gunfire.

       “Shove off” the Captain yelled, just before I got to him to report what happened.

       He said, “But how can we find him?”

       “But...” I started.

       Lorenzo came--assuring me of what seemed likely. “We couldn’t...and besides we must join Mario’s ship.”

       I still heard many muffled screams, or was it just the wind?

* * * * *

       Carlos and I decided to go to Luzern. We left a few days after I had come back from my exciting trip to Italy. Oskar was also there now and I was anxious to find out whether my fantasy about Miss Frenchie matched the reality. When I got to Oskar’s house, I was dejected to find him gone, but my aunt was preparing a grand meal. After he finally came in with raindrops on his glasses, Auntie became angry because we had already started our soup. He just frowned with both of his bushy eyebrows and motioned helplessly with both arms as Italians frequently do.

       “So!” she demanded.

       Oskar cleaned his glasses, and said, “Sorry, dearest, but business must come before the pleasure of eating your food.”

       Auntie smiled, and said, “All right, dear, eat now.”

       After dinner Uncle Oskar had finished his coffee with Schnapps, so I popped up with my question. “Uncle Oskar, did you find out for me?”

       “What, Frederic?” he asked, calling me the name he thought up, not liking either of my given names.

       “About the beautiful lady we saw in the carriage in Zurich, please,” I asked.

       “Yes,” he said. “We were right. She is French, and the daughter of the Count and Countess de Lavallete. Their titles came from Buonaparte due to the Count’s long friendship with him, and the girl’s mother is somehow related to Napoleon’s ex-wife, Josephine.”