How Maurice foresees, by his astrological Knowledge, that an evil Accident will befall them at Sea.

All the persons who had escaped from the barbarous isle dungeons, embarked in the vessel which brought Maurice and Ladislaus, along with the officers and soldiers who guarded the prisoners. And in Arnoldo's ship were accommodated Periander, Auristella, Ricla and Constance, and the two Antonios, father and son, Ladislaus, Maurice, and Transila. Nor would Arnoldo permit Clodio and Rosamund to be left on the island; Rutilio, too, had a berth in his vessel. They took in water that night, and brought from the host of the inn all the provisions they could collect. Having prepared on all points for the departure, Maurice said, that if good fortune preserved them from a disaster that threatened them, the voyage would be a prosperous one; and that this evil which threatened, although on the water, would not, if it happened, proceed from any tempest or hurricane, but from treason, forged and devised by wicked and treacherous intentions.

Periander, who was always in fear when in Arnoldo's company, began to be alarmed lest this treason should be devised by the prince, in order to obtain the lovely Auristella, since he might easily carry her off when on board his own ship; but then he opposed to this, the generous nature of the prince, and would not believe it could be as he feared, since treachery lurks not in noble breasts. But, nevertheless, he failed not to ask and question Maurice very closely, touching the quarter from whence the threatened danger might be expected. Maurice answered, that this he could not tell; only he knew that the thing was to be, for certain, although he softened the severity of the evil, by assuring them that none of those who sustained it would lose their life, but only their peace of mind would suffer, because they would find their plans and designs frustrated and the failure of their best arranged hopes. To which Periander suggested, that their departure might be delayed a few days, as possibly the evil influences of the stars might change, or moderate with time. "No," replied Maurice, "better will it be for us to meet this danger, since it does not affect our lives, than to wait for perhaps some other which may prove more fatal." "Then," said Periander, "since the Fates will have it so, let us depart directly, and let Heaven do as it pleases, since nothing we can contrive will avert its wrath."

Arnoldo satisfied their host with magnificent and liberal gifts for his hospitality, and some in one ship, some in another, each one according to what best suited him, left the harbour, and made sail.

Arnoldo's ship went out of port bravely decked, and adorned with light streamers, and banners, and flying pendants: when she weighed anchor, the mist was dispersed by a salute of artillery; the joyous sounds of the clarion, and other musical instruments, filled the air; voices were heard repeating again and again, "a happy voyage; a happy voyage." Yet all the while did Auristella sit musing, with her head sunk upon her breast, full of sad presage of ills to come. Periander and Arnoldo kept looking at her, again and again; both holding her dear as the apple of their eye, the end of their thoughts and beginning of their joys.

The day closed in, and night came on, clear and serene: a gentle breeze dispersing the fleecy clouds which seemed else as if they would have met together.

Maurice fixed his gaze upon the heavens, and seemed to be again reading there, in imagination, the signs of what he had foretold; and to confirm anew the danger which impended; but nothing could he discover of the quarter from which it should come. In this disturbed state of mind, he fell asleep on the deck; and in a short time after awoke in a fright, crying out loudly, "Treason, treason, treason; awake, Prince Arnoldo, we are killed by your people."

At this cry, the prince, who was not sleeping, because he was in the same berth with Periander, rose, and coming up to Maurice, said, "What ails you, friend Maurice? Who has offended us? or who will kill us? Are not all in this ship our friends? Is not the crew composed of my own vassals and servants? Is not the sky clear and serene? The sea tranquil? And is not our ship sailing steadily, without touching any shoal, or sunken rock? Does any obstacle detain us? If there is nothing of all this, what are you afraid of, that you alarm us thus by your sudden terrors?"

"I know not," replied Maurice; "but, my lord, I pray you let the divers go down, and see that all is safe in the hold; for, unless it was a dream, I thought we were about to sink." Hardly had he spoken, when four or five seamen let themselves down into the bottom of the ship, and searched it thoroughly, for they were experienced divers. They found neither hole nor opening of any kind through which the water could enter, and returned to the deck, saying, that the ship was safe and sound; and that the water in the hold was thick and stagnant, a clear proof that no fresh water had made its way into the ship. "Then," said Maurice, "it must needs be, that I, like an old man, (since age is often fearful,) have been scared by a dream; and Heaven grant it may be only a dream; for I would rather appear a fearful old man, than be a true prophet."

"Then," said Arnoldo, "compose yourself, my good Maurice, for such dreams as these affright the ladies."

"I will if I can," he replied; and returned to his place on deck to lie down. In the ship an anxious silence prevailed.

Rutilio, who was seated at the foot of the mainmast, invited by the serenity of the night, and the quiet of the hour; or because he had a very fine voice, and that the sweet sounds of the wind, that gently murmured among the sails, reminded him of music, began to sing the following words in his own Tuscan tongue, which, if translated, run thus—
The Patriarch in days of yore
Fled from th' avenging hand,
Which, to a wide destruction doom'd
The whole offending land;
But to his servant warning gave,
Himself and all his kin,
The little remnant of mankind,
Rest safe the ark within.
Asylum blest! secure abode!
Which 'scaped th' inevitable death
That then embrac'd each living thing,
All creatures that drew breath.
And there, within that wondrous ark,
The lamb and lion dwell
In friendship, and the gentle dove
Sits by the falcon fell.
And so we see in these our days
It often does befall,
Such things there are, although there be
No miracle at all;
The most discordant souls on earth
In friendship will agree;
If in one common peril joined,
In fellowship they be.

Antonio, who best understood the words Rutilio sung, cried, "Well sung, Rutilio, if thou hast thyself composed those verses, thou art no bad poet; though I do not know how a dancing-master can be a good one; nevertheless, I am wrong in saying this, for I remember well that in my own land of Spain, there were poets of all professions." Maurice overheard him speak thus, and so did the prince and Periander, who could not sleep; and Maurice said, "It is very possible for an artizan to be a poet; poetry lying not in the fingers, but the mind; and the soul of a tailor is as capable of poetic feeling as that of a gentleman; for souls are all of equal rank, and of the same nature originally, but formed and fashioned by their Maker, and according to the temperament and disposition of the body in which each is enclosed, so appear............