"In the meantime I was of service to him in various hunting parties, when I proved myself experienced and sagacious, and hardy in bearing fatigue and hardships, for the chase is something like war, and to it belong fatigue, hunger, and thirst, sometimes even death. The liberality of the Princess Sulpicia was unbounded to me and my companions, and the kindness and courtesy of the king equalled it. The twelve fishermen who had gone with Sulpicia were already rich; those who had been with me were become so. The ship was finished, and by the king's orders it was amply supplied with everything necessary, and I was appointed to command it, with free liberty to do exactly what I pleased; so after having kissed his hands for this very great benefit, I told him that I wished to obtain his leave to go and seek for my sister Auristella, who, as I had heard, was in the power of the King of Denmark. Cratilius gave me permission to do all I wished, saying that I had obliged him for ever by my good conduct; thus speaking like a king whose gracious acts are always enhanced by affability, and in Sulpicia also I found the same: her gentle breeding was accompanied by the most lavish generosity, so that I and all my people, enriched and well content, embarked without leaving a single one behind. Our first course was straight to Denmark, where I hoped to find my sister, but all I found there, was the intelligence that she and some other women had been stolen away from the sea-shore by some pirates. Thus my wanderings were to begin anew, and my grief and lamentations renewed, in which I was joined by Carino and Solercio, who imagined that their young wives shared the fate and captivity of Auristella." "Their suspicions," said Arnoldo, interrupting him, "were well founded." "We swept all these seas," continued Periander, "circumnavigated nearly every island round about, everywhere inquiring for tidings of my sister. It seemed to me, and doubtless may be thought of every great beauty, that charms such as hers could not remain long concealed, and that the light of her loveliness must shine out, let the place where she was confined be ever so dark; and her exceeding great prudence, I trusted, would be the clue whereby to extricate her from any labyrinth.