there is one by your
side who will defend your life at the cost of his own." "Who doubts it,"
ejaculated Teodosia, on the other side, "since I am here?" Don Rafael,
who had seen and heard all this, followed his two companions, and took
sides as they did.

Marco Antonio was too busy smiting and defending himself to heed what
his two seconds had said; he could think of nothing but fighting, and no
man ever fought more bravely; but as the party of the town was every
moment increasing in numbers, the people of the galleys were forced to
retreat and take to the water. Marco Antonio retreated with the rest,
much against his will, still attended on either side by his two valiant
Amazons. By this time a Catalonian knight of the renowned House of
Cardonas, made his appearance on a noble charger, and, throwing himself
between the two parties, ordered the townspeople to retire. The majority
obeyed, but some still continued to fling stones, one of which unluckily
struck Marco Antonio on the breast with such force that he fell
senseless into the water, in which he was wading up to his knees.
Leocadia instantly raised and supported him in her arms, and Teodosia
aided her.

Don Rafael, who had turned aside a little to avoid a shower of stones,
saw the accident which had befallen Marco Antonio, and was hastening
forward to his aid, when the Catalonian knight stopped him, saying,
"Stay, senor, and do me the favour to put yourself by my side. I will
secure you from the insolence of this unruly rabble."

"Ah, senor!" replied Rafael, "let me pass, for I see that in great
danger which I most love in this world."

The knight let him pass, but before he could reach the spot, the crew of
the flagship's boat had already taken on board Marco Antonio and
Leocadia, who never let him out of her arms. As for Teodosia, whether it
was that she was weary, or overcome with grief to see her lover wounded,
or enraged with jealousy to see her rival with him, she had not strength
to get into the boat, and would certainly have fallen in a fainting fit
into the water, if her brother had not opportunely come to her aid,
while he himself felt no less torment than his sister at seeing Leocadia
go away with Marco Antonio.

The Catalonian knight being very much taken with the goodly presence of
Don Rafael and his sister (whom he supposed to be a man), called them
from the shore, and requested them to go with him, and they were
constrained to accept his frien