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"There was a mysterious affair last night, signore. An English steam yacht ran aground on the Meloria about ten miles out and was discovered by a fishing-boat who brought the news to the harbor. The Admiral sent out two torpedo-boats, which managed after a lot of difficulties to bring in the yacht safely, but the Captain of the Port has a suspicion that the crew was trying to make away with the vessel." -- "To lose her, you mean?" The faithful Francesco, whose English had mostly been acquired from sea-faring men, and was not the choicest vocabulary, nodded, and, true Tuscan that he was, placed his finger upon his closed lips, indicative of silence.