execution a plan which, after mature The first two days that the brigantine At the dawn of the next day, which, according to the intention of Ricardo and Mahomet, was to witness either the fulfilment of their design, or their own destruction, they discovered a vessel which, with all force of sail and oar, was giving them chase. They feared it was a Christian corsair, from which they were none of them likely to escape without illusage: the Turks expected to be made captive; and the Christians, although they would regain their liberty, to be stripped and robbed. Mahomet and Ricardo would indeed have been quite satisfied with obtaining Leonisa's liberty and their own; but they knew that evil was to be apprehended from the brutality of the pirates; the profession of piracy being one of those which render all who follow them, of whatever country or religion, cruel and brutal. All, therefore, prepared for defence, rowing at the same time with all their might; but, in a few hours, they found their pursuers gaining upon them so fast, that, in less than two hours more, they were within cannon shot. Seeing this, they struck sail, quitted the oars, took up their arms, and awaited the attack; although the cadi told them not to be in any fear, for that the vessel was Turkish, and would do them no harm whatever. He immediately ordered a white flag, in token of peace, to be displayed at the stern of his vessel, in order that it might be seen by those who, in their eagerness for plunder, were rushing at a furious rate upon the devoted and almost defenceless brigantine. Mahomet just then turned his head, and discovered that a galiot was approaching them from the west, apparently of twenty benches. He told the cadi; and some Christian slaves at the oar said that this was a Christian vessel; all which doubled their fear and confusion, and they remained in anxious suspense, expecting and fearing the event. Willingly would the cadi at that moment have surrendered all his anticipated enjoyment to have found himself safe within the walls of Nicosia, so great was his perturbation; but his attention was quickly called to those in the former vessel, who, without any regard to his flag of amity, or to the religion which they professed, boarded the cadi's ship with such violence that they had nearly sunk it. The cadi then discovered that his assailants were soldiers from Nicosia. He divined what was the object of their pursuit, and gave himself up for lost and murdered; and, indeed, had not the soldiers been more eager to plunder than to slay, neither the cadi nor any of his people would have been left alive. But at the time when they were most ardently engaged in the work of pillage, a Turk suddenly cried out, "Soldiers, to arms!-a Christian vessel is bearing down upon us." And such appeared to be the case; for the vessel which the cadi's brigantine had discovered was approaching with Christian ensigns and colours, to assail Hassan's vessel as furiously as the latter had attacked that of the cadi; but before it came up, one at the prow asked, in the Turkish language, what vessel that was; and was answered that it belonged to Hassan Pacha, viceroy of Cyprus. "How comes it, then," resumed the Turk, "that you, who are Mussulmans, attack and plunder this vessel, which we know that the cadi of Nicosia is aboard of?" To this Hassan's men answered, that they knew nothing more of the matter than that he had ordered them to take the vessel, and that they, as his soldiers, bound to obey him, had executed his command. The captain of the vessel that came with Christian colours, having thus learned what he wanted to know, quitted Hassan's ship for that of the cadi, and at the first fire killed above half a score of the Turks who had entered it. He then proceeded to board it with great resolution; but scarcely had he and his men set foot on board, before the cadi discovered that his new assailant, instead of being a Christian, was no other than Ali Pacha, the enamoured of Leonisa, who had been lying in wait for him with the same intention with which Hassan had sent in pursuit of him, and who, in order that he might commit his theft with greater secresy, had clothed his soldiers in the Christian costume. The cadi, knowing the intentions of the enamoured and treacherous Pachas, raising his voice, began thus to denounce their wickedness:-"How is this, Ali Pacha, thou traitor, that, being a Mussulman, thou fallest upon me in the disguise of a Christian?—and you, ye traitorous soldiers of Hassan, what demon hath instigated you to commit so vile an outrage? How comes it that, to gratify the loose desires of him who has sent you hither, you thus lift your hands against your natural superior ?" At these words the conflict was suspended the soldiers on each side looking at and recognising each other, for they had all served under the same captain, and fought under the same banner; and being confounded by the remonstrance of the cadi and the consciousness of their crime, their resolution failed them, and they were disposed to sheath their scimitars. Ali alone shut his eyes and his ears to every thing; and, rushing upon the cadi, gave him such a cut on the head, that, had it not been defended by a hundred yards of muslin, which were wrapped round it, he would undoubtedly have cloven it in two. The cadi was, however, struck down between the benches; and as he fell he exclaimed, "Oh! cruel renegade, and enemy of the prophet, is there no one who will lift his hand to chastise thy enormous cruelty and insolence? How hast thou dared to lift thy hand and thy weapon against thy cadi—against a minister of Mahomet?" This appeal of the cadi gave additional effect to his previous denunciation, and the soldiers of Hassan, fearing lest those of Ali should snatch from their hands the prize which they had already considered as their own, resolved to continue the conflict. One of them, setting the example, was followed by all the rest; and they fell upon Ali's men with such vigour and impetuosity, that the latter, though much superior in number, were soon reduced to a few. They who were left, however, attacking in their turn, amply revenged their comrades, not leaving more than four of Hassan's men alive, and those severely wounded. and Mahomet were observing them by now and then putting their heads through the scuttle or hatchway of the after-cabin, to see in what all this clashing of arms was to end. Finding that nearly all the Turks were slain, and the survivors severely wounded, so that they might easily be despatched, they called to their assistance two cousins of Halima's, whom she had brought with her in order that they might assist in seizing the vessel; and, together with them and with her father, they leaped into the gangway, snatched up scimitars belonging to the slain, shouted Ricardo Liberty! liberty!" and, aided by the stout Greek rowers, they succeeded, with safety to themselves, in despatching the exhausted Turks. Then passing into Ali's galiot, which was left without defence, they took possession of it and all that it contained. One of the first that fell in the second encounter was Ali Pacha himself, who was cut down by a Turk, in revenge of the cadi. By the advice of Ricardo, they all immediately set to work to remove whatever was valuable in their own vessel, and in Hassan's, into Ali's galiot, which was larger, and adapted to any cargo or voyage. Its rowers, too, were Christians, who, being gratified with their liberty, and with many things which Ricardo distributed among them, offered to work the vessel to Trapani, or to the world's end, if he chose to order them. settled, Mahomet and Ricardo, rejoicing for the happy event, went to Halima, and told her that if she was disposed to return to Cyprus, they would man her own ves This being sel with good rowers, and would give her half the treasures which she had embarked; but she having, through all the terrors which she had experienced, preserved her passion for Ricardo, said that she would go with them to a Christian land; and at this her parents were exceedingly rejoiced. The cadi's senses returned; they dressed his wound as well as the circumstances would admit of their doing, and then told him that he must choose one of two things; either to be taken to a Christian country, or to return in his own vessel to Nicosia. He answered, that since fortune had been so unkind to him, he thanked them for the liberty which they gave him, and he wished to go to Constantinople and complain to the Grand Signior of the wrong that had been done him by Hassan and Ali. But when he learned that Halima was leaving him, and meant to turn christian, he was almost mad with rage and vexation. However, they fitted out his own vessel, provided him with everything necessary for his voyage, and also gave him a few of the zechins which had lately been his own. Having now resolved to return to Nicosia, he took leave of them all; but entreated that before he set sail, Leonisa would embrace him; which single favour, he said, would suffice to chase from his mind the memory of his misfortune. They all asked Leonisa to grant him that indulgence, as she might do it without offence to her modesty. She consented; the cadi then asked her to lay her hands upon his head, that he might have hopes of the cure of his wound; and she satisfied him in that particular also. This being done, and having bored and sunk Hassan's vessel, being favoured by a fresh breeze from the east, which seemed to court the sails, they gladly hoisted them, and in a very few hours they lost sight of the cadi's vessel, who, with tears in his eyes, was gazing in the direction in which the winds were wafting from him his wife, his treasures, his enjoyment, and almost his existence. CHAP. V. Fair ones, 't is said, there are, who slight A heart before a face. RICARDO and Mahomet pursued their voyage, with very different reflections from those of the cadi: they resolved not to touch at any place on the way; so they passed within sight of Alexandria, and without slackening sail, or having occasion to use the oars, they arrived at the island of Corfu, where they took in water: they proceeded immediately, passing by the Acroceraunian rocks; and on the second day they discovered at a distance the promontory of Passaro, the ancient Pachinus of the fertile Trinacria -one of the names given, on account of its triangular form, to the fruitful island of Sicily. The vessel flew on her prosperous course, within sight of that cape and of the then famed island of Malta, and in four days more, following the Sicilian coast, they discovered the island of Lampedosa,* and soon after that on which the corsair galiot had been wrecked, at the sight of which Leonisa shuddered, recollecting the imminent peril in which she had there been. The next day they saw before them their longdesired country: fresh joy filled their hearts; and their spirits were exhilarated by this new pleasure-one of the greatest which can be experienced in this life -that of returning after long captivity, in health and safety, to our native land. There is one which perhaps equals it, says the delightful Cervantes (and he had experienced both), which is, that of being victorious in battle. In the galiot had been found a chest full of small silk flags and streamers of different colours, with which Ricardo had the vessel adorned. It was a little after day-break, when they found themselves within a league of the city; and, rowing by divisions, and raising at intervals a joyful shout, they were approaching the harbour, about which they soon saw an immense number of people assembled, who, having observed this gaily adorned vessel coming so leisurely to land, had hastened down to the shore to obtain a nearer view. Meanwhile Ricardo had asked as a favour of Leonisa, that she would put on the very same dress and ornaments in which she had entered the tent of the two pachas, as he had a mind to put a pleasant deception upon her parents, with a view to give them an agreeable surprise. She did so; adding decoration to decoration, and beauty to beauty, for her countenance brightened with joy as she approached her native shore; and after all, smiles enhance the charms of a lovely face no less than tears,-as the rose which seems to triumph in bloom and gladness, is beheld with a more lively though less tender feeling of delight than the pale and drooping lily. Ricardo, likewise, put on * A small and fertile island in the Mediter ranean, about twelve miles in circuit. a Turkish dress, as did also Mahomet, and all the christians at the oar; the clothes of the Turks who had been slain affording them an ample supply. When they reached the mouth of the harbour, it was about eight in the morning, which was so bright and serene, that the heavens seemed to smile upon their joyous arrival. Before they entered the harbour, Ricardo had the artillery of the galiot discharged, consisting of one piece of cannon and two falconets, which were answered from the city by the like number of guns. The people on shore were in suspense, awaiting the arrival of the gallant-looking vessel. But when they descried the white turbans of those on board, whom they consequently took for Turks, they began to suspect some stratagem; the militia of the town seized their arms and ran down to the port, and the horsemen spread themselves along the shore: all which was very entertaining to those on board the galiot; who having entered the harbour, dropped anchor close to the shore; and immediately fixing the gang-board, all at once laying up their oars, they stepped ashore one by one, as in procession, and kissed the ground again and again, shedding tears of joy; a clear sign to those who stood gazing at them that they were christians, who had made themselves masters of a Turkish vessel. In the rear of the procession came Halima, with her father and mother and her two cousins, all in Turkish dresses and last of all came the beautiful Leonisa, in the same splendid attire in which the Jew had sold her, having her face, as on that occasion, covered with a veil of crimson taffety. She walked between Ricardo and Mahomet; and the eyes of the assembled multitude were instantly fixed upon them: on stepping ashore, they, like the rest, prostrated themselves and kissed their native soil. The governor of the city now approached them, as he clearly perceived that they were the most important persons of the party; but he had no sooner come near enough to observe their features, than he recognised Ricardo, and ran with open arms and with symptoms of great pleasure, to embrace him. With the governor came Cornelio and his father, and the parents and relatives of Leonisa, together with those of Ricardo; all of them being persons of the first consequence in the city. Ricardo embraced the governor and returned his gratulations. He then took Cornelio's hand, who, having discovered who he was, turned pale and almost trembled with fear at feeling his 66 grasp. With his other hand at the same time holding Leonisa's, Ricardo said, I pray you, my friends, of your courtesy, that before we enter into the city, and into the temple, to render due thanks to God for the great mercies he has vouchsafed to us in our misfortunes, that you listen to a few words which I am desirous of addressing to you." The governor told him in answer, to say whatever he pleased; for that they would all listen to him with pleasure, and in silence. was immediately surrounded by the principal persons present, and, elevating his voice a little, he addressed them to the following effect. He "You must well remember, my friends, the misfortune which happened to me a few months ago, in the garden by the salt mines, together with the loss of Leonisa. Neither can you have forgotten how solicitous I was to procure her liberty; since, forgetting my own, I offered for her ransom all that I possessed; though, indeed, I can presume but little on the merit of this apparent generosity, since it was but to ransom my dearer self. All that has since happened to us both, requires more leisure, a fitter opportunity and a more tranquil mind than I at this moment possess, to relate it. Suffice it for the present to say, that after various and extraordinary adventures, and after a thousand times despairing of any remedy for our misfortunes, heaven, in its infinite mercy, has at length restored us to our long-desired country, in happiness and wealth. But the satisfaction which I now feel is owing, not to my own share in our common good-fortune, but to the pleasure which I imagine this my lovely and constant enemy to feel, both in the recovery of her liberty, and in seeing before her, as she now does, the form which is dearest to her soul. I also rejoice in the general joy of those who have been my companions in calamity. But although misfortune will often change the disposition and vanquish the strongest resolution, it has been otherwise with the fair destroyer of my hopes; for, with more fortitude and firmness than can well be told, she has braved the tempest of her misfortunes, and resisted my ardent though honourable suit. I repeat, that I offered my property for her ransom, and in my sincere and honourable passion I yielded her my soul. I have since risked my life, much more for the sake of her liberty than of my own: and although to the mind of one more grateful, these might be obligations of some importance, yet I desire not that they should be so regarded; I only wish this one to be considered so, which I now confer." So saying, he raised his hand, and with all gentleness and delicacy uncovered the face of Leonisa. He then continued"Here, Cornelio, I deliver to you the treasure which you ought to value above all valuable things; and you, beauteous Leonisa,-you see that I give you to him who has ever borne you in remembrance: this I do indeed wish to be considered as an act of generosity, compared with which, to part with wealth, life, and honour, is nothing. Receive her, too happy youth,-receive her, and if thou art capable of appreciating such a treasure, thou art indeed the happiest upon earth. With her I will give thee all that falls to my share of the prize which heaven has given to us all, which I believe will be upwards of thirty thousand crowns. All this thou mayst enjoy to thy heart's con tent, in ease, quiet, and freedom; and heaven grant that it may be for many years. For my part, since, being without Leonisa, I shall be without happiness, I wish to be poor; for wanting her, life itself will be more than I can enjoy." : Here he was silent for a few moments, as if his voice was stifled; but before any one spoke he exclaimed-" Good heaven! how much do sorrows and disasters disturb the understanding! I, my friends, in my eagerness to do right, have not well considered what I have been saying for no one can bestow that which belongs to another. What authority have I over Leonisa, that I should give her to any one?-or how can I pretend to dispose of that which is so far from being mine? Leonisa is her own-and so much her own, that were she to lose her parents (whom heaven preserve many years!) there would be no one to control her will; and should the obligations which her good sense must tell her she owes to me, be considered as any obstacle to it, I cancel them from this moment. I must, then, retract what I have said: I do not give anything to Cornelio, for I have no power to do so : I only confirm the gift of my property to Leonisa, desiring no other compensation than that she should believe the sincerity of my passion, and that it never tended to any object unworthy of her incomparable modesty, worth, and beauty." Ricardo here ceased; upon which Leonisa answered him in these terms: "If, Ricardo, you imagine that during the time when you were enamoured and jealous of me, I granted any favour to Cornelio, you may well believe that it did not exceed the bounds of decorum, since it was under the guidance of my parents, who permitted it because they were desirous of obtaining him for my husband. If you are satisfied on that point, you will not, I think, have been less so with the experience which you have had of the modesty and propriety of my deportment. This I say, Ricardo, to give you to understand that I have always been at liberty-subject, I mean, to none but my parents, whom I now, with all due submission, entreat to give me leave to dispose of that freedom which your great valour and generosity have restored to me." Her parents said that they gave her the liberty which she requested, as they trusted in her prudence that she would use it in such a manner as should redound to her honour and advantage. "With this permission, then," resumed the discreet Leonisa, "I will risk appearing forward, that I may not appear ungrateful; and so, worthy Ricardo, my choice, which has hitherto been reserved, hesitating, and doubtful, declares itself in your favour. Hence men may learn that women are not all ungrateful, since I hereby shew my gratitude at least; I am yours, Ricardo, and yours I will be until death,-unless indeed some worthier object induce you to deny me your hand." At these words, so unexpected, Ricardo was transported with joy. So much was he affected, that he could not answer Leonisa otherwise than by falling on his knees before her, and taking her hands, which he kissed again and again, bathing them in tears of tenderness and love. Cornelio wept for vexation, the parents of Leonisa for joy, and the bystanders with admiration and sympathy. The bishop or archbishop of the city was present, and took the betrothed pair, with his benediction and license, to the great church, where, dispensing with the usual delay, he united them immediately. The rejoicing was general throughout the city, and was testified that night by a great number of illuminations, and for many days after by the games and entertainments given by the relatives of Ricardo and Leonisa. Mahomet and Halima returned to the bosom of the church; and the latter, finding it impossible for her to become the wife of Ricardo, consoled herself by espousing Mahomet, who, with the faith of his fathers, had resumed his Christian name of Francesco. Ricardo's |