“Be bold, Eustace; my grace can support you.” With these words, the voice died away, and was no more heard; and Eustace, after prayer and praise to God, rose from his knees, and returned to his own house.
But a few days had elapsed, ere the trials of Job came upon Eustace and his family; pestilence carried off his flocks and his herds, and his servants fled away, or died with their charges. Robbers plundered his palace, driving away the knight, his wife, and his sons, in poverty and nakedness. It was in vain that the emperor sought everywhere for the knight, for not the slightest trace of him could be found.
At length the unhappy fugitives, covered with such rags as they could obtain, reached the sea-shore, and besought a passage across the waters. The captain of the vessel was captivated with the beauty of Theosbyta, and consented to carry them over. No sooner were they on the further side, than he demanded of them money for their voyage.
“Good master,” said Eustace, “I am poor and destitute, and have no money.”
“Very well,” replied the captain; “thy wife will do as well; I take her as my slave; she will sell for the passage money.”
“With my life only will I part with her,” exclaimed the knight, as his wife clung to him in her distress.
“As you please, master; ho, men! seize the woman, and take her to my cabin; as for the man and his brats, heave them overboard.”
“Leave me, leave me, Eustace,” murmured Theosbyta; “save thyself and our children; I can but die once.”
With many a hard struggle, Eustace consented; he clasped his two boys by their hands, and led them from the ship.
“Ah, my poor children!” he cried; “your poor mother is lost; in a strange land and in the power of a strange lord must she lament her fate.”