_He discovers who the Captain of the Ship is. Taurisa relates to him
the story of how Auristella was carried off: he offers to go in search
of her, and to be sold to the Barbarians._
The boy was left by the seamen to repose, as their commander had
desired; but as thoughts, sad and various, crossed his mind, sleep
refused to come near him. Another cause, however, helped to banish
it. This was, certain grievous sighs and bitter lamentations, that
proceeded, as it appeared to him, from an apartment near that where he
was, and applying himself to listen, he heard that some one said, "Sad
and luckless was the hour in which I was begotten, and under an evil
star did my mother cast me forth into the world, and well may I say
cast me forth, for a birth like mine may be more fitly termed to be
cast out than born; at least I thought myself free to enjoy the light
of heaven in this life, but thought deceived me, since I am about to be
sold as a slave, and what misfortune can compare to this."
"O thou, whoever thou art," said the boy, "if it is true, as people
say, that sorrows and troubles when communicated to others are
alleviated, come hither, and through the open chinks of these boards
relate thine to me; and if thou dost not find relief, thou shalt at
least meet with sympathy."
"Listen then," was the reply, "and in a few words I will relate the
injustice that fortune has done to me, but first I would fain know to
whom I am speaking. Tell me if thou art by chance a boy who has a short
time since been found, tied upon some planks, which they say served
for boats to the savages that dwell in the island near which we have
anchored, sheltering from the storm that has arisen?"
"That same am I," answered the boy.
"Then who art thou?" again asked the invisible speaker.
"I would tell thee," he replied, "if it were not that I first wish thee
to oblige me by relating thy history, which, from the words thou hast
uttered, I imagine is not as happy as thou could'st desire it to be."
"Then listen," was the reply, "and I will briefly relate the history of
my misfortunes. The commander of this ship is called Arnoldo, and he is
the son and heir of the King of Denmark, into whose power there fell
(owing to many extraordinary accidents) an illustrious lady, who was
my mistress, and according to my idea, she is of such exceeding beauty
that, from all who now live upon the earth, and all which the most
lively imagination or the sharpest wits can conceive, she would bear
away the prize. Her prudence equals her beauty, and her misfortunes
surpass both. Her name is Auristella; she is of kingly race, and is
born of rich parents. She then, whom to describe all praise must
fall short, was sold as a slave, and bought by Arnoldo; and with so
much earnestness and devotion he did, and does still, love her, that
a thousand times he wished, instead of making _her_ a slave, to be
himself her's, and to acknowledge her as his lawful wife, and this too
with the full consent of the King, his father, who thought the rare
beauty and merits of Auristella deserved even more than to become a
queen; but she refused, saying, 'I cannot possibly break a vow that
I have made to continue a virgin all my life, nor can I be made to
violate this vow either by entreaties or by threats.'
"But nevertheless Arnoldo did not cease to hope, trusting much to the
effect of time, and the variable nature of woman; until it happened
that my mistress, the Lady Auristella, going to the sea-shore as she
was accustomed for her amusement, (she being treated more as a queen
than a slave,) some corsairs came in a vessel, and seized and carried
her off, we know not where. The Prince Arnoldo imagines that these
corsairs are the same who sold her the first time, which same corsairs
infest all these seas, islands, and shores, stealing or buying the
most beautiful maidens that they can find in order to make a profit by
selling them to this Island where it is said we now are, and which is
inhabited by some barbarians, a savage and cruel race, who hold among
themselves as a thing certain and inviolable (persuaded it may be by
a demon, or as some say by an ancient sorcerer whom they consider the
wisest of men), that there shall spring from among them a King, who
will conquer and gain a great part of the world. They know not who
this hoped-for king will be, and in order to know it, the sorcerer
commands them to sacrifice all the men who come to the Island, and to
make their hearts into powder, which is then given in some drink to
all the principal savages in the island, with an express order, that
he who should take it without a wry face or appearing to dislike it,
should be elected King, but it is not he who is to conquer the world,
but his son. Also, he commands them to bring into the island all the
maidens they can procure, either by theft or purchase, and that the
most beautiful shall be delivered immediately to the barbarian, whose
succession has been determined by the drinking of the powder. These
maidens purchased, or stolen, are well treated by them; in this alone
they are not barbarous; and they buy them at the highest prices, which
they pay in pieces of uncoined gold and in precious pearls, with which
the sea around these islands, abounds. For this cause, and impelled
by this interest and desire of gain, many have become pirates and
merchants. Arnoldo then, as I have before said, fancies that Auristella
may be in this island;--she, who is the other half of his soul, and
without whom he cannot live: and in order to ascertain this fact, he
has determined to sell me to the barbarians, so that I, remaining among
them, may serve as a spy to discover what he wishes to know, and he is
now hoping for nothing more than that the sea should be calm enough for
him to land and conclude the sale. See then whether I have not reason
to complain, since the lot that remains for me is to go and live among
savages, where I shall not be beautiful enough to hope to become their
Queen, especially if her cruel fate should have brought to this land
the peerless Auristella. This, then, is the cause of the sighs thou
hast heard, and from this fear arise the lamentations I have uttered."
She ceased speaking, and the boy felt a something rise in his throat,
and pressed his mouth to the boards, which he watered with copious
tears; and after a short space, he asked if by chance she had any
conjecture whether Arnoldo had obtained the love of Auristella, or
whether it was possible that she, having elsewhere pledged her faith,
had disdained his offers, and refused the splendid gift of a Throne;
for it seemed to him, he said, that sometimes the laws of human
affection were even stronger than those of religion. She answered,
that though she had fancied there was a time, when Auristella seemed
to like one Periander, who had taken her from her own country, a noble
gentleman endowed with all the qualities that could make him beloved,
yet she never heard her mention his name in the continual complaints
that she made to Heaven of her misfortunes, nor in any other way
whatsoever.
He asked if she knew this Periander, of whom she spoke. She said
she did not, but that by what she had heard, she knew it was he who
had carried off her lady, into whose service she had entered after
Periander left her, owing to a very extraordinary incident.
They were discoursing thus, when Taurisa was called from above (this
was the name of her who had related the story of her misfortunes).
Hearing herself called, she said, "Without a doubt the sea is now calm
and the tempest is over, and this is the summons for me, and I must
be delivered up to my hard fate. May Heaven protect thee, who ever
thou art, and mayest thou be preserved from having thy heart burnt to
ashes in order to accomplish this vain and foolish prophecy, for the
inhabitants of this island seek hearts to burn as well as maidens to
keep, in hopes of its fulfilment."
They parted here; Taurisa went on deck; the boy remained in deep
meditation for a while, and presently he asked for some clothes, that
he might rise and dress himself. They brought him a vestment of green
damask cut in the same fashion as the linen one he had on. He then
went on deck, where he was received by Arnoldo with kind courtesy,
who seated him by his side. Taurisa was there, dressed in rich and
graceful attire, after the fashion of a water nymph, or a Hamadryad of
the woods. So much was Arnoldo filled with admiration for the youth,
that he told him the whole history of his love for Auristella and his
intentions, and even asked his advice as to what he should do; and
inquired if he thought the plan he had devised to gain intelligence of
Auristella, appeared to him well conceived.
The youth, whose mind was full of fancies and suspicions, in
consequence of the conversation he had held with Taurisa, and also from
what Arnoldo had told him, now rapidly revolving in his imagination all
that might possibly happen if by chance Auristella should have fallen
into the hands of the barbarians, answered thus:
"My Lord, I am not of an age to give you advice, but I feel a wish
to be of use to you, and to employ in your service the life you have
preserved and for which I have to thank you. My name is Periander, I
am of noble birth, from whence springs my misfortunes and calamities,
which it would take too much time to relate to you at present. This
Auristella, whom you seek, is my sister, and I also am in search of
her. It is more than a year since I lost her. By the name, and by the
beauty, which you describe her as possessing in such a high degree, I
know without a doubt, that this must be my lost sister, whom to find
I would give not only my life but the happiness I hope to enjoy in
finding her, and that is the very greatest degree imaginable. Thus, I,
being so deeply interested in this search, am devising certain other
means in my mind, which, though it would be more dangerous as far as
my safety is concerned, would be more sure and speedy. You, my Lord
Arnoldo, have determined to sell this damsel to the barbarians, in
order that she, being in their power, may discover whether Auristella
is there likewise, of which she is to inform you, returning again to
sell another damsel to these same barbarians, and if means do not fail
her, Taurisa is to find out whether or no Auristella is among the
number of those who are kept by the barbarians for the purpose you are
acquainted with, and who are purchased by them with so much eagerness."
"It is even so," replied Arnoldo, "and I have chosen Taurisa rather
than any other of the four maidens who are in the ship for the same
purpose, because Taurisa knows her, having been her waiting-woman."
"All this is well imagined," said Periander, "but I am of opinion that
no one will do this business so well as I myself will do it, since my
age, my appearance, the interest I take in it, joined to the knowledge
I have of Auristella, are all inciting me to advise that I should
undertake this enterprise. Now see whether you agree with me in this
and delay not a moment, for in cases of danger or difficulty, the
advice and the undertaking should be settled together at once."
The advice of Periander pleased Arnoldo, and without weighing the
difficulties that might arise, put it into operation at once. And
from many rich dresses which he had provided in the hope of finding
Auristella, they attired Periander, who, in this disguise, came forth
the most graceful and beautiful creature that mortal eyes had ever
seen; since, unless we except Auristella, no other could possibly
equal the beauty of the boy. The mariners stood in silent admiration;
Taurisa, astonished; the Prince confused, with a notion that he might
possibly _not_ be the brother of Auristella, the consideration that he
was a man, troubled his soul with the sharp pang of jealousy which can
pierce even through adamant; that is to say, jealousy breaks through
all security and prudence, although the enamoured heart be armed with
both.
Finally, the metamorphosis of Periander being completed, they put out a
little to sea in order to be seen by the barbarians. The hurry Arnoldo
was in to hear something of Auristella had prevented him from first
ascertaining from Periander who he and his sister were, and by what
accidents he had been brought into the miserable condition in which he
was found. All this, according to the natural order of things should
have preceded the confidence reposed in him; but, as is common with
lovers (occupied solely by the thought of seeking means to arrive at
the desired end of their wishes, rather than in curiosity concerning
other people's affairs), he never found time to enquire concerning
that, which it would have been well for him to have known, and which he
came to know afterwards when the knowledge did him no good.
They sailed off a little way from the island as I said before; the ship
decked out with flags and streamers, which floated in the air, making a
gay and beautiful spectacle. The calm sea, the clear sky, the sound of
the clarions and other instruments of music, both warlike and joyous,
filled all hearts with admiration, and the barbarians who looked on at
no great distance, remained, as it seemed, doubtful what part to take,
and then all at once they crowded to the shore, armed with the enormous
bows and arrows I have already described. A little less than a mile
brought the ship to the island, when after a discharge of artillery,
which she had both heavy and numerous, the boat was lowered, and
Arnoldo, Taurisa and Periander, with six sailors, got into it, putting
a piece of white linen at the point of a lance as a signal of peace,
this being customary among all nations. What befell them, is related in
the following chapter.
[Illustration]