The duke finding that the angel of light he had adored had changed into one of darkness, feigned a tale which might form an excuse for his conduct, at least in some degree; and one day he came to Auristella's sick bed, with Periander present, and thus spoke:-- "Since fortune has proved adverse to my hopes, O beauteous lady! and will not permit me to indulge the desire I had of calling you my wife, before despair reduces me to such a condition as to threaten the loss of reason, (as it has well nigh taken my life,) I purpose to try my fortune elsewhere--for I know well that I have nothing to hope or expect here--although I should continue to try for it, and thus it might happen that I die miserably. I am summoned home by my mother: she has a wife in view for me; I wish to obey her. But when death assails me, there will be found engraven on my heart the memory of thy beauty and thy illness,--would to God I may not have to say of thy death!" His eyes were moist, and he dropped a few tears. Auristella could not answer him, or perhaps did not wish to do so in Periander's presence: the utmost she did was to put her hand under the pillow and draw forth her picture, which she returned to the duke. He kissed her hand for so precious a gift; but Periander stretching out his, took it and said, "If it does not displease you, noble sir, and if you will be so kind as to permit it, I entreat you to lend it me that I may accomplish a promise I have given, which, without prejudice to you, will do me great harm if I accomplish it not." The duke resigned it with fresh protestations of being ready to give up fortune, life, and honour itself for it, and more if he had it to offer; and from this time he separated himself from the brother and sister, meaning to see them no more in Rome--a prudent lover, and not the first perhaps who has known how to seize an opportunity that offers itself to him. All these things might have awakened Arnoldo to the perception of how much his hopes had diminished, and what danger he was in of losing the object of all his pilgrimages; and, in fact, he was quite inclined to accompany the duke, if not in his journey, at least in his intentions, and would have returned to Denmark, but love and his own generous heart forbade his doing this--leaving Periander when he needed consolation, and Auristella at the point of death. He visited her and renewed his proposals, determined to wait in hopes of better prospects, in spite of all the suspicions that oppressed him. [Illustration] CHAPTER X. _Auristella recovers her Health, because the Jewess leaves off her Sorceries, and makes a proposal to Periander that they shall not marry._