All this delay, owing to the length of Periander's history, was so contrary to the wishes of Polycarp, that he could neither lend it his attention, nor mature his thoughts as to what he should do in order to keep Auristella without prejudice to the character he desired to preserve, of a generous and just king. He considered how high was the rank of some of his guests; first and foremost stood Arnoldo, the prince of Denmark, not by election, but hereditary right. In every word and action of Periander, in his noble and spirited demeanour, he plainly discerned some high-born personage; and in the lovely Auristella, an equally illustrious lady: he would willingly have accomplished his desire easily, without any circumlocutions or artifices, smoothing all difficulties by the veil of marriage, although his advanced years were, he could not conceal from himself, rather against it. His ideas were participated in and urged on by the artful Zenotia, with whom he arranged and agreed that before he gave Periander another audience, their plan should be put in execution. This was, to have a feigned alarm raised in the city, in which the palace should be set on fire in two or three places, which would force its inmates to seek for shelter, and throw everybody into confusion, in the midst of which, Auristella and the young Antonio were to be carried off by persons prepared on purpose, and the lady Polycarpa was directed to warn Arnoldo and Periander of the danger which threatened them, without discovering the intention of a robbery, but showing them a way to save themselves by getting to the shore, where in the harbour they would find a small vessel ready, in which they might make their escape. The night on which this was to happen, arrived, and at three o'clock in the morning the alarm began, which threw the whole city into confusion and terror. The flames began to blaze out, only equalled by those burning in the royal breast. Meanwhile the princess went calmly and composedly to warn Arnoldo and Periander of the designs of her treacherous and enamoured father, which, however, she did not reveal to the full extent of his dishonourable intentions. Arnoldo and Periander on hearing it, called Auristella, Maurice, Transila, Ladislaus, the two Antonios, Ricla, Constance, and Rutilio, and thanking Polycarpa for her advice, they assembled their little party, and putting the men in front, went as she had counselled them to do, and made their way to the harbour without any interruption, where they embarked instantly on board the little vessel, the master and pilot of which had been prepared, and paid beforehand by the king to set sail the moment the persons arrived, who seemed intending to take to flight, and not to stop till they reached England, or some other yet more distant place.