"Our present danger surpassed all the former ones which I had ever experienced, because a protracted dread, and a continued expectation of death, is more trying than a speedy one, which spares us all those horrors and agonies which are far worse than death itself. Seeing then that we were threatened with starvation, we came to a resolution, which was rash at least, if not quite desperate; and considering that the human mind can conceive no death more terrible than that by hunger, we determined to leave our vessel, and travel across the ice, to see if we could discover in the one we had seen in the distance, anything we could avail ourselves of, either by fair means or force.
"We carried this purpose into effect, and in a few minutes on the frozen waters was formed a squadron, small, perhaps, but composed of brave men, who, with myself as their leader, rolling, falling, and getting up again, reached at last the other vessel, for so it was, and pretty nearly the same size as our own. There were men in her, who, seeing us, and guessing our intentions, called out aloud, 'What do ye come here for, desperate men? what do ye seek? are ye come to hasten our death, or to die with us? Return to your ship, and if ye lack food, gnaw the rigging, and fill your stomachs with the pitchy wood, for if ye hope to have aid here, the hope is vain, and against the precepts of charity, which begins at home; for the two months during which this frost will last, we have one fortnight's provisions, and whether it is likely that we shall divide these with you, we leave you to consider upon.'
"To which I answered, 'In extreme cases we cannot stop to reason; receive us into your ship with good will and divide with us your provisions, which we come in quest of, and which we need: let us eat together in friendship, or we shall be obliged to have recourse to our arms, and to use force.' I answered in this manner because I did not believe that they spoke the truth about the quantity of provisions they had on board, but they, seeing themselves superior in numbers, and having the advantage in position, neither feared our threats nor listened to our entreaties, but flew to arms, and prepared to defend themselves. My men, who were rendered more courageous than common by desperation, attacked the ship, and succeeded in getting on board, and making themselves masters of her without any one even receiving a wound. A voice from amongst our company proposed that all the men should be put to death to lessen the number of mouths requiring food. I, however, could not agree to this, and, perhaps in order to help my wish of preserving their lives, Heaven came to our assistance, as I shall tell you by and bye; for first I must inform you, that I found this vessel to be the very pirate ship that had robbed me of my sister, and the fishermen of their young brides. Hardly had I made the discovery than I cried out, 'Ha, robbers? where have ye hidden those who are dear as our own souls? where are our beloved ones, whom ye have stolen from us? What have ye done with my sister Auristella? and where are Silviana and Leoncia, the young wives of my good friends, Carino and Solercio?'
"One of the pirates answered me, 'Those women whom you speak of that belonged to the fishermen, were sold by our captain, who is now dead, to Arnoldo, the prince of Denmark.'"
"That was true," said Arnoldo, "for I did buy Auristella, and her nurse Clelia, and two other very beautiful girls, from some pirates, who sold them to me at a price far below their value."
"Good Heavens," exclaimed Rutilio, "and by what circumlocutions, and through what curious links have you carried your wandering history, O Periander!"
"Out of kindness to yourself," added Sinforosa, "we would fain have you shorten your tale, which is as interesting as it is true."
"I will do so," said Periander, "if it is possible that great events can be narrated in a few words."
