Then they saw that there approached rapidly a great light like a comet, or rather a meteor, which seemed to move through the darkness. They expected its coming with some alarm, but the barbarian said, "This is my father coming to receive me."
Periander, who could speak the Castilian language, though not very fluently, said to him, "May Heaven reward thee, O human angel, or whoever thou mayest be, for the kind deed thou hast done; and even though our death should only be delayed, we still gratefully acknowledge the benefit received."
The light now came near, carried by a person seemingly a barbarian, whose age appeared to be about fifty years. On approaching them he put down the light, which was a thick pine-branch, and embraced his son with open arms; asking, in Castilian, what had happened that he had brought so large a company. "Father," he replied, "let us go to our den, for I have much to say and more to consider. The island is in a blaze; all the inhabitants are now either ashes or half-burnt corpses. These few persons that you see I have stolen from the fire and the knife of the barbarians: let us go, sir, as I said to our retreat, that my mother and sister may exercise their charity in behalf of these poor weary and frightened guests."
The father acted as guide, and they all followed. Clelia, now somewhat revived, was able to walk, but Periander would not part with the lovely burden he had carried. It was not possible that he should find that heavy, Auristella being the sole joy he had on earth.
They had not gone very far when they arrived in front of a high and steep rock, at the foot of which they perceived a very narrow opening or cave, the walls and roof of which were this same rock. Two women drest in the barbarian costume, came forth with lighted pine-branches in their hands. One was a girl about fifteen years of age; the other, who seemed approaching to thirty, was beautiful, but the younger one was surpassingly fair. One of them cried, "Ah my father and my brother;" the elder only said, "Welcome, beloved son of my affections." The interpretess was amazed to hear any one speak in this country (especially women who looked like the native islanders) any language but the customary dialect, but when she was about to ask them by what mystery they spoke the Castilian tongue, she was prevented by the father bidding his wife and daughter spread the hard floor of the cave with woolly fleeces. They obeyed, placing their torches against the walls. They then hastened to bring from an inner cave the fleeces of sheep and goats, and other animals, with which they adorned the place, and shielded their guests from the cold they were beginning to feel severely.
CHAPTER V.
The account that the Spanish barbarian gives of himself to his new guests.
Short and quickly finished was the supper, but to sup without fear made it savoury. They replaced the torches with fresh ones, and although there was a good deal of smoke in the apartment, it was warm. The dishes on which the supper was served were neither of silver nor china; the hands of the young host and hostess were the plates, and the drinking cups were made from the bark of some tree more suited to the purpose than cork would have been. The young girl kept at a distance, and supplied them with water, fresh, clear and cool. Clelia soon fell asleep, for sleep is more welcome to age than any conversation however pleasant it may be. The elder hostess made her a couch in the inner apartment, of which the mattrass and blankets were skins. She then returned to sit with the others, to whom the Spaniard now spoke as follows: "Although by rights I should hear your story first, yet will I tell you who and what I am, that you may conceal nothing from me after having heard my history of myself.