"I think," said the king, "that one may presume he is unmarried, from his wandering life through foreign countries, a thing incompatible with domestic life. That he will love you, I feel assured, both from his well-known sense and prudence, which will point out the advantages of such an alliance; and since the beauty of his sister makes her a queen, it would not be wonderful that yours should make him wish to be your husband."
With these last words, and with this fair prospect, did the king delight Sinforosa's fancy; thus gratifying all her desires; and she, without crossing those of her father, promised to undertake his negotiation of a marriage with Auristella, and accepted the offer of the yet unnegotiated one with Periander; only she said that it was best to be cautious in giving him to her as a husband; for even if the qualities of his mind equalled his valour, it would be as well not to be too hasty till the experience of a few more days should have confirmed their opinion; and yet at this moment, to obtain him for a husband, she would have given all she had or desired to have in the world; so in the case of illustrious ladies, the tongue says one thing while the heart feels another.
While this was passing between Polycarp and his daughter, in another room a conversation was going on between Rutilio and Clodio. "Look you, now, friend Rutilio, what is this Arnoldo doing here, following Auristella like her shadow, and leaving his country to the care of his old father, who is nearly in his dotage—almost beside himself at one moment, overwhelmed at another, weeping here, sighing there, and bitterly complaining of the fate he himself has worked out? What are we to think of this Auristella and her brother; a pair of vagabonds, concealing their birth, perhaps, to make it doubtful whether they may not be of an illustrious family; for he who quits his country, and goes where nobody knows him, may easily give himself any parentage he pleases, and even if he be sufficiently skilful may pretend to come from the sun or moon. I don't deny that they are both worthy of being admired and praised, but they may be this without prejudice to a third person. Honour and praise are due to virtue, but not to deceit and hypocrisy. Who can he be, this wrestler and fencer, this runner and leaper, this Ganymede, this charmer, who is bought here and sold there, who acts as an Argus to the delicate Auristella, and will hardly let anybody look at her too near? No one knows who they are, or whence they came, or where they are going? But that which disturbs me most of all is, that, by the eleven heavens, which they say there are, I swear to you, Rutilio, I cannot persuade myself they are brother and sister; even if they are, I cannot divine why they are journeying about by sea and land; they have nothing to spend but what comes out of the wallets and sacks full of golden ingots that belong to the barbarians, Ricla and Constance. It is true that the diamond cross and the two pearls, which Auristella wears, are an immense treasure, and of great value, but they are not things to be changed or pledged by little and little. Then to think that they always find kings to give them hospitality, and princes to make favourites of them, as if they were privileged ones! And then, Rutilio, what are we to think of the fancies of Transila and of the father, who imagines himself the first astrologer of the age? I would lay any wager that Ladislaus would gladly be at home in his own country, in peace and quiet, instead of being forced to live upon the charity of others. And this our Spanish barbarian, whose arrogance is so excessive, I would lay anything that if Heaven should restore him to his own country he would be a fine boaster, going about showing his wife and children in their skin dresses, making plans and pictures of the barbarous isle, and pointing out with a rod the place where he was shut up for fourteen years; the dungeon of the captives; and telling the whole history of the ridiculous ideas and expectations of the barbarians, and the sudden conflagration of their island. He would just do like those who, when freed from Turkish slavery, carry their chains on their backs, having got rid of them on their legs and relate the tale of their misfortunes with piteous voices and humble prayers for charity in Christian lands. But this shows that although it appears as if they told us very improbable things, yet that the human race is subject ever to greater perils, and the histories that are related by exiles however marvellous, are yet credible."
"To what does all this lead, O Clodio?" said Rutilio.
"I was going on to show thee, O Rutilio, that in these regions thou canst not well avail thyself of thy profession where the inhabitants neither dance nor enjoy any other pastimes save such as Bacchus offers in his jocund cup and wanton drinks: It seems to me, that having by the blessing of Heaven and the courtesy of Arnoldo, escaped death I would neither thank one nor the other, till I had tried to amend my lot, although it should be at the price of displeasing the latter. Friendship may endure between the poor, for equality of fortune helps to link hearts together. Between the rich and the poor friendship can never last, there is too much difference between them."
"Thou art a philosopher, Clodio," said Rutilio, "but I cannot imagine what means we can take to amend our lot, as thou sayest, supposing it to have been bad from our birth. I am not so learned as thou art, but I plainly see that those who are born of lowly parentage, if Heaven does not sufficiently aid them, very seldom rise to any very notable situation, unless their own great virtue and merit assists them. Now, how canst thou expect such assistance, if thine consists chiefly in speaking ill of thy fellow men? and what is to elevate me, when the utmost that I can do is to cut a caper? I am a dancer; thou art a backbiter. I, condemned to the gallows in my own country; thou, banished from thine for evil speaking. How can we expect to improve our condition?"
Clodio was silent, and paused before he replied; with which pause the author ends this chapter of his history.
