The health of the bewitched Antonio was now quite restored, and with his recovered beauty, increased Zenotia's passion, and made her more and more desirous of detaining him; for even those whose cases are most desperate, never give up deluding themselves with hope, so long as the beloved object is before their eyes: therefore with all the means her active mind could suggest, she cast about to throw impediments in the way of the departure of the guests, and went again to advise Polycarp on no account to let the daring crime of the barbarous homicide go unpunished, or at least that he should keep a threat of punishment hanging over his head. Polycarp was not, however, disposed to comply with the advice, "for," said he to Zenotia, "it will be an interference with Prince Arnoldo, under whose protection this youth is, and it will vex my beloved Auristella, who considers him as her brother; besides, his crime was accidental, and proceeded not from malice, but mischance; moreover, no one demands justice, and all those who know the man, affirm that he well deserved his death, for that he was the worst evil-speaker and slanderer that ever lived." "How is this, sire?" cried Zenotia, "after having settled the other day together that he was to be punished as an excuse for detaining Auristella,--you now seem averse to the measure. They will go, and she will not return; then will you lament your ill-advised consent to allow of her departure, when tears and lamentations will be of no avail. By giving up this boy to justice, and then acting towards him mercifully, you will preserve your character for a good and just king." Thus did Zenotia counsel Polycarp, who was now in one mind, now in another, as to what he should resolve to do, and how he could continue to detain Auristella without offending Arnoldo, whose power and valour he feared greatly. In the midst of all these considerations, and in the midst of those which Sinforosa was on her side also indulging, arrived the hour when Periander was to go on with his history, which he did in the following manner:-- "Lightly flew our ship as the winds impelled her--not a single man amongst us wished it otherwise--leaving our course to be as fate directed us. "Having sailed all that day, at the dawn of another the sentinel, on the topmast-head, cried aloud, 'A ship! a ship!' I asked what her course was, and how large she might be; he replied that, 'she was the same size as our own ship, and that she was ahead of us.'