"Certainly not," answered Periander, "but to one very far distant; we are foreign pilgrims, going to Rome, but at present to Guadaloupe." "If," said he of the horse, "there is charity and courtesy in foreign lands, there may also be compassionate souls from thence." "Why not?" said Antonio. "Look you here now, sir, whoever you are; if you want any help from us, speak, and you will see whether you are right or not in your conjectures." "Take then," said the horseman, "take this chain of gold, which should be worth two hundred crowns; and take also this thing, which is priceless, at least I cannot name its value, and carry it to the city of Trujillo, where you will give it to one of two gentlemen, who are well-known both there and elsewhere: one is called Don Francisco Pizarro, and the other, Don Juan de Orellana, both bachelors, both free, both rich, and both extremely generous;" (thus saying, he placed in Ricla's arms, who, like a compassionate woman, stepped forward to receive it, a baby, which was beginning to cry, wrapt in clothes that might have been rich or poor, they could not tell which;) "and," continued he, "you will bid them keep it; and say, they shall soon know who it is, and the misfortunes that have brought it to them, if it ever comes there, and forgive my saying more, for I am pursued by my enemies; if they come up with you, and ask if you have seen me, tell them you have not, since there is no occasion for you to say you have seen me, or if you prefer it, you may say that three or four men on horseback have gone by, who went crying, 'For Portugal! for Portugal!' and now please God, I must not delay, for if fear lend spurs, sharper yet are those of honour," and so, touching the horse's sides with his, he vanished like a flash of lightning, not, however, before he had returned, rapidly exclaiming, "It is unbaptized," and then resumed his flight. Behold our pilgrims now, Ricla with the baby in her arms, Periander with the chain about his neck, and the boy Antonio with his bow ready strung, his father also holding in readiness the sword which was concealed in his staff; Auristella confounded and astonished at the strangeness of the adventure, and altogether wondering at it, and what would come forth from it. Auristella advised that they should make haste and find the herdsmen's fold, as there they might procure food to nourish this new-born infant, for by its small size and weak cries they guessed it could not be many hours old. They had hardly reached it, after many wrong turnings, and many stumbles and falls, when before they could ask whether the herdsman would give them a shelter for the night, a woman came up weeping, but not aloud, for she showed by her suppressed moans that she tried not to let her voice be heard. She was but half dressed, though the garments she had on, evidently proved her to be a person of some consequence.