"The sailor who had come with us, well pleased with this event, told the fishermen, about the ship which lay out in the offing, saying that the crew were corsairs; and that we feared lest they should gain possession of the lady who they saw there, and who was the daughter of a king. This story he judged it best to tell, in order to incline their hearts to defend her. They no sooner heard this than the sounds of rejoicing music ceased, and the warlike instruments which succeeded, seemed like a cry 'to arms, to arms,' on either shore. "Night now came on; we took refuge in the cabin of the newly-betrothed lovers. Sentinels were posted along the banks of the river, even as far as its mouth. The nets were cast in, the baskets baited, all with a view of regaling us, their new guests; and the more to show us honour and respect, the betrothed couples put off the solemnization of their marriage, leaving their cabins to Auristella and Clelia, and to the two brides; whilst they and their friends, with the sailor and myself, kept watch and guard over them. There was more than sufficient light in the sky, and also that afforded by the rising moon; and all around, the bonfires were still blazing, that had been lighted for the rejoicings over the wedding festival. It was resolved that the men should sup in the open air, the women in the cabins; so abundant was the food, that it seemed as if earth desired to surpass ocean, and ocean, earth--the one offering its flesh, the other its fish. "Supper ended, Carino took me by the hand, and walking with me along the river side, after manifesting various signs of an impassioned heart, with convulsive sighs he thus spoke: 'It surely must be by some miracle that thou hast been brought hither at this time and conjuncture, so as to delay my nuptials, and I feel as a certainty that my woes may find a cure through thy counsels. Therefore, although, doubtless, thou wilt deem me mad, or at least a person of singularly bad taste; yet, I wish thee to know that of the two fisher maidens whom thou sawest, the one ugly, the other beautiful, it has fallen to my lot to have the beautiful one for my wife, whose name is Silviana. I know not what thou wilt say, nor do I know how to account for my choice, but I adore Leoncia, the ugly maiden, beyond the power of doing otherwise; and I would have thee know that in my eyes, Leoncia from her many virtues is the loveliest of women. Moreover Solercio, the other bridegroom, is, I more than suspect, dying for Silviana. Thus are the inclinations of all four crossed, and this because we all desired to obey our parents and friends, who arranged the marriages for us; but I cannot think it reasonable for a man to consent that a burthen, which must endure for life, should be fixed upon his shoulders not by his own choice but for the pleasure of others. And although this very day we were to have given our consent and pronounced the 'Yes!' which was to