Periander, impelled by his generous feelings, instantly went in, and, in a few minutes they saw him on the top of the tower engaged with the seeming madman, from whom he had taken a knife, and was trying to defend himself; but fate had determined that the tragedy of the man's life should end here, and both fell together from the height on the ground below. The madman had stabbed himself with the knife that Periander held, and Periander's eyes, nose and mouth were streaming with blood; for as he had no petticoats to sustain him, the fall took its effect, and he lay lifeless upon the earth. Auristella, seeing him thus, immediately supposed him dead; she threw herself upon his body, and, without caring who saw her, she pressed her mouth to his, as if she expected to receive some last breath or last token; but although there had been any such, she would not have received it, because the firmly-closed teeth would have denied its exit. Constance was in no condition to lend her aid, for she stood as if transfixed on the spot, her feet glued to the ground, as though she was taking root there, or as if she had been a marble statue. Antonio flew to assist the sufferers, and to separate the living from those he believed were dead corpses. Bartholomew was the only one of the party whose eyes expressed the grief that he felt in his heart, and he was weeping loudly. All being in this deep affliction, whilst as yet no one had uttered a word of speech, it was seen that a troop of people was approaching, who had probably from the high road perceived the persons falling from the tower, and came to ask what had happened. It was the travelling party of the three beautiful French ladies, Delicia, Bellarmina, and Felicia Flora. As soon as they came up, they recognized in Auristella and Periander the two pilgrims, whose marvellous beauty left an impression never to be forgotten by any one who had ever seen them. Scarcely had their compassion caused them to alight, in order to give some assistance if possible to the distress they saw before them, when they were assailed from behind by seven or eight armed men, who fell suddenly upon them; at sight of this, Antonio seized his bow and arrows, which were never far off, and which he always kept ready for defence or offence. One of the ruffians had seized upon Felicia Flora, and placed her on his saddle before him; then, turning to his companions, he said, "It is done, this one will do; let us be off." Antonio, who saw this discourteous act, fitted an arrow to his bow, extended to the utmost his left arm, and drew the string with his right till it touched his right ear, so that the two extreme points of the bow almost met, then, taking the robber who held Felicia Flora as his mark, let fly his arrow; without touching Felicia Flora, except a portion of the veil which covered her head, it pierced the ruffian through the body: one of his companions hastened to avenge him, and,