Up to this time I had been the planner of the enterprise, but now
that the moment had come when all would depend upon able and
earnest speechifying, I felt at once the immense superiority of my
gallant friend, and gladly left to him the whole conduct of this
discussion. Indeed he had vast advantages over me, not only by his
superior command of language and his far more spirited style of
address, but also in his consciousness of a good cause; for whilst
I felt myself completely in the wrong, his Excellency had really
worked himself up to believe that the Pasha's refusal to permit our
landing was a gross outrage and insult. Therefore, without
deigning to defend our conduct he at once commenced a spirited
attack upon the Pasha. The poor Italian doctor translated one or
two sentences to the Pasha, but he evidently mitigated their
import. The Russian, growing warm, insisted upon his attack with
redoubled energy and spirit; but the medico, instead of
translating, began to shake violently with terror, and at last he
came out with his non ardisco, and fairly confessed that he dared
not interpret fierce words to his master.
Now then, at a time when everything seemed to depend upon the
effect of speech, we were left without an interpreter.
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