What passed between Auristella and Sinforosa. All the Strangers resolve to quit the Island.

King Polycarp greatly enlivened by his amorous intentions, and quite confident and secure as to what Auristella's decision would be, set himself already to plan the festivals and rejoicings, which should celebrate the approaching wedding; in all which he never paused to consider the great disparity between his age and the intended bride's—the enormous distance of seventeen years and seventy; and even had he been sixty, the difference would still have been too great. Thus are even the wisest of men led away by the follies that love leads them into. Thus, are they who have not power to resist their amorous inclinations, subdued and carried away by the soft influence of the tender passion. Quite different was the case of Sinforosa, who felt no ways certain of what her fate would be; for, as is most natural, they who hope much, fear much; and those things which might have given weight to her hopes, such as her beauty, rank and station, and great merits, she considered as nothing, for it is a peculiar property of true love to make its votaries fearful that they are not worthy of the beloved object. Love and fear are so coupled together, that one is always to be found with the other; and true love is not arrogant, as some say, but humble, timid and retiring; and the more precious and inestimable is the thing beloved, the more does the lover tremble, lest by some fault of his own he should lose it. The fair Sinforosa considered all this quite differently from her father, and agitated between hope and fear, she went to seek Auristella, and learn from her what she had to expect. When she found herself with Auristella, and alone, as she desired to be, so anxious was she to know whether the tidings she had to impart were good or bad, that without uttering a single word, she fixed her eyes earnestly on her face, in order to discover there, the verdict of life or death. Auristella understood her meaning, and half-smiling, as if in token of encouragement, she said, "Although, lady, it does not seem that fear need put an axe to the root of your tree of hope, to cut it down; yet true it is that both your happiness and mine will have to be delayed some time, though it may at last come to pass; for there are certain impediments in the way of your desires, but not enough to make you despair of ever attaining them. My brother says, that such is your merit and beauty, they must perforce win the love of any man, and he is very sensible and grateful for the preference you honour him with, and for your wish to become his wife; but before this desirable event can be realized, it will be necessary to deprive the Prince Arnoldo of his hopes of obtaining me as his wife, and without doubt, this must be done if you should marry my brother; for you must know, my sister, that I can no more exist apart from Periander than can a body exist without a soul. Where he dwells, there must I too dwell; he is the spirit that animates me—and this being so, if he marries in this country, how could I live in Arnoldo's land, and my brother absent?

"Now, to escape this misfortune that threatens me, it is settled that we are to go with him to his kingdom, and from thence we shall ask leave to go to Rome, for the performance of a vow, to fulfil which, brought us from our own country, and I well know by experience that he will refuse me nothing I desire. Once at liberty, it will be easy to return to this island, and, by cheating his hopes, accomplish our own; I, marrying your father, and you, my brother."

To which Sinforosa answered, "How shall I thank you sufficiently, sweet sister, for all you have said; and so I will leave it as it stands, for I know not how to express myself. But what I would now wish to say, you must take more as a warning than a counsel; you are at present in this country, where my father rules, and he both can and will defend you from the whole world; and I do not think it would be well to place your safety in doubt. Would it not be very possible for Arnoldo to carry both you and your brother off by force; and is it not indispensable, if you agree to my father's wishes, that he should retain you in his own kingdom and house? Only give me the assurance that you willingly become my father's wife, and that your brother disdains not to be my lord and husband; and I will speedily smooth away all the difficulties that can possibly arise on Arnoldo's part."

To which Auristella answered, "Prudent men look to the future as well as to the present and the past. To inculpate your father in any forcible act of detention, would awaken the wrath of Prince Arnoldo, and he is a powerful prince, at least as great as your father; and a deceived and disappointed monarch soon thinks of vengeance, and thus instead of your gaining comfort by allying yourselves with us, we should only bring you evil, involving your country in war: and if you tell me that this will h............