The Wing-and-Wing

In Short

Set during the Napoleonic Wars in 1800, this maritime adventure follows Raoul Yvard, the daring French commander of the elusive lugger le Feu-Follet (often called the Wing-and-Wing). Operating around the Italian coast and the island of Elba, Raoul repeatedly risks his vessel and his life not merely for military glory, but to win the hand of Ghita Caraccioli, a devout Italian woman. While Raoul effortlessly outwits British naval officers, Italian magistrates, and court-martial gallows, his rigid secular deism creates an unbridgeable chasm between him and the deeply religious Ghita. The narrative has endured because it pairs pulse-pounding naval tactical encounters with an unyielding exploration of faith, duty, and the tragic consequences of uncompromising moral principles.

The Story

The saga opens in the waters near Porto Ferrajo on the island of Elba, where the arrival of an unfamiliar, swift lugger stirs intense excitement and suspicion among the local authorities. The vessel is le Feu-Follet, commanded by the daring French privateersman Raoul Yvard. Disguised under the pseudonym "Sir Smees," Raoul boldly enters the Tuscan harbor, relying on sheer audacity to mystify the local podestà, Vito Viti, and the vice-governatore, Andrea Barrofaldi. While the Italian officials debate the stranger's origins and a British frigate, the Proserpine, looms in the offing, Raoul's true motive for bringing his craft under the shore batteries is entirely personal: he seeks Ghita Caraccioli, a noble-blooded but humble Italian girl whom he loves devotedly.

Ghita reciprocates Raoul's affection, yet she refuses to unite her life with his. Raised in devout Catholic piety, she is horrified by Raoul's total rejection of Christian doctrine. A child of the radical French Enlightenment, Raoul views the universe as governed purely by mechanical principles rather than a personal God. Though Ghita pleads with him to open his heart to faith, Raoul remains stubbornly anchored in his rationalist pride. Meanwhile, Raoul's crew—which includes the cynical, bitter New Hampshire seaman Ithuel Bolt, who harbors a deep hatred for the British following his forced impressment into their navy—must navigate the escalating hazards of the regional naval conflict.

When the British frigate Proserpine, under Captain Cuffe, realizes the true identity of the Wing-and-Wing, a relentless game of cat-and-mouse begins. Raoul utilizes his craft's incredible speed, superior seamanship, and unorthodox maneuvers to slip through British blockades and escape near-certain destruction off the coast of Elba and Corsica. However, his passion for Ghita repeatedly draws him back into danger. During a venture to Naples—where Ghita travels to witness the execution of her grandfather, the famous Admiral Francesco Caraccioli—Raoul slips ashore in disguise. Discovered wandering around the British fleet, he is apprehended by Captain Cuffe's officers and brought aboard the Proserpine.

Facing a British court-martial, Raoul is condemned to hang as a spy. Even under the shadow of the gallows, he maintains his dignified composure and refuses to compromise his political or intellectual principles. Through a combination of daring cunning, help from Italian sympathizers, and a stealthy night boat movement, Raoul manages a hair-breadth escape from the British ship back to his beloved lugger.

Yet fortune soon turns against the privateer. Heavy gales and a disastrous grounding on sharp rocks off the Italian coast leave le Feu-Follet immobilized and vulnerable. A multi-vessel British boat expedition, led by aggressive lieutenants, swoops in to destroy or capture the stranded craft. A fierce, bloody battle ensues upon the reefs and decks. Raoul fights with desperate heroism to save his men and his ship, but he is mortally wounded during the melee. As the French privateer lies dying on the deck, Ghita remains by his side, praying fervently for his soul and offering him a final chance at spiritual salvation. Raoul dies holding fast to his earthly love, leaving Ghita to spend the rest of her long life in quiet prayer and remembrance.

How It Unfolds

The suspicious stranger arrives The fast-sailing French lugger le Feu-Follet anchors off Porto Ferrajo, raising immediate alarm among local Tuscan authorities. Raoul Yvard goes ashore disguised as an English officer, easily hoodwinking the gullible local magistrates while pursuing his true goal of meeting the pious Ghita Caraccioli.

A dangerous ideological rift While British warships close in on the island, Raoul and Ghita hold secret rendezvous along the shore. Ghita makes it clear that despite her deep love for him, she can never marry a man who openly denies the existence of God.

A cunning escape from the harbor Recognizing that his disguise is wearing thin and that the British frigate Proserpine is maneuvering to block him, Raoul cleverly exploits the wind currents and shore cliffs to lead his vessel safely past the enemy's heavy guns.

Tragedy and trial at Naples Raoul follows Ghita to the Bay of Naples during the political turmoil surrounding Admiral Caraccioli's execution. Captured while sneaking through the harbor in disguise, Raoul is tried aboard the British flagship and sentenced to death as a spy.

Breakout under cover of darkness Through shrewd misdirection and taking advantage of a brief respite, Raoul slips out of his stateroom, steals a ship's boat, and rows silently past the British sentries to rejoin his loyal crew in the offing.

The final stand on the reefs After le Feu-Follet runs aground during a storm, British landing parties launch a massive boat attack against the vulnerable lugger. Raoul is mortally wounded in the ferocious hand-to-hand combat, dying in Ghita's arms while she prays for his eternal salvation.

The People

Raoul Yvard The handsome, daring young commander of the French privateer le Feu-Follet. He desires to win the hand of Ghita Caraccioli and serve the French Republic with distinction. Standing in his way are relentless British warships and his own stubborn refusal to accept religious faith, which keeps him alienated from the woman he adores. His unwavering commitment to secular rationalism ultimately seals his spiritual separation from Ghita before his tragic death in battle.

Ghita Caraccioli A gentle, deeply pious Italian woman of noble ancestry. She wants to devote her life and love to Raoul Yvard, but her absolute devotion to God stands as an unyielding barrier between them so long as he remains an infidel. Though her heart breaks for him, she refuses to sacrifice her spiritual integrity, eventually retiring to a convent to spend her remaining decades praying for his soul.

Ithuel Bolt A shrewd, bitter American mariner from New Hampshire serving on Raoul's lugger. He seeks vengeance against the British Empire after suffering the outrage of forced impressment. His sharp legalistic wit and deep hatred for "Master John Bull" make him a valuable mate to Raoul, though his primary aim remains personal survival and ultimate enrichment, which he secures years later as an American abolitionist deacon.

Captain Cuffe The pragmatic, honorable commander of the British frigate Proserpine. He wants to fulfill his naval duty by destroying French privateers and maintaining British supremacy in the Mediterranean. His stern sense of military discipline is continually balanced by a genuine, gentlemanly respect for Raoul's heroic spirit.

Andrea Barrofaldi & Vito Viti The Vice-Governatore and Podestà of Porto Ferrajo. They desire to maintain order and authority on Elba, but their lack of military sharpness makes them easy targets for Raoul's deceptions, leaving them repeatedly mystified by his daring exploits.

In Its Own Voice

"Most of the excesses of France, during that momentous period, were to be attributed to the agency of a few, the bulk of the nation having little to do with any part of them..."

Before the story begins, the narrative reflects on the ideological chaos of the French Revolution and the dangerous allure of secular arrogance among young men.

"A being that can be comprehended is not a being to be worshipped."

During a tense theological argument aboard ship, Ghita rebukes Raoul's demands for rational proof of the divine, insisting that true faith requires spiritual humility before mystery.

"I calculate that it would stump this part of the world to produce such a civilization as our very youngest children are brought up on."

While drinking in an Italian tavern, the cynical American mate Ithuel Bolt defensively boasts of New England culture to an unimpressed Tuscan magistrate.

What It's Really About

Beneath its exhilarating surface of naval chases and tactical broadsides, the book is fundamentally a debate between eighteenth-century Enlightenment rationalism and traditional Christian faith. Through the doomed romance of Raoul and Ghita, the narrative argues that human intellect, when divorced from spiritual humility and reverence, becomes a destructive form of vanity. Raoul's refusal to acknowledge a higher power is not presented as mere stubbornness, but as the fatal flaw of an otherwise noble, courageous man.

Additionally, the novel examines the moral compromises forced upon individuals during wartime. Whether through the unjust impressment of American sailors like Ithuel Bolt, the brutal summary executions ordered in political harbors, or the severe martial codes that transform a romantic visit into a capital crime, the plot demonstrates how national conflicts distort human justice and disrupt private happiness.

Why Read It Today

This historical novel offers a fascinating window into the age of sail, blending intricate nautical detail with intense philosophical drama. Readers who enjoy classic maritime fiction will appreciate the authentic descriptions of ship maneuvers, harbor fortifications, and high-seas skirmishes. The depiction of the Mediterranean theater—with its quiet bays, sudden gales, and multi-national intrigue—provides an evocative backdrop that feels rich and lived-in.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the story's deliberate, nineteenth-century pace. The narrative features extended theological dialogues between Raoul and Ghita that pause the action for long stretches, as well as lengthy passages of period political commentary. Furthermore, the comedic relief often relies on stylized regional dialects and heavy-handed caricatures of local Italian officials and American tradesmen, which reflect the author's contemporary prejudices.

What lingers long after finishing the book is the tragic gravity of its central conflict. Rather than offering an easy, romantic compromise where one character neatly converts for the sake of the other, the narrative honors the uncompromising principles of both leads. Raoul's brilliant tactical mind and Ghita's serene, unbroken faith clash until the very end, making their story a surprisingly poignant meditation on the limits of earthly devotion.