only three, besides Leonisa, who was still in her swoon. As for
me, I fell into their hands after receiving four ugly wounds, which,
however, I had revenged by laying four Turks dead upon the ground.

"The Turks having effected this onslaught with their usual expedition,
returned to their galleys, ill-satisfied with a success which had cost
them so dear. Having set sail they quickly arrived at Fabiana, where
mustering their hands to see who was missing, they found that they had
lost four Levantine soldiers whom they esteemed their best men. They
resolved to revenge the loss on me, and the commander of the galley
immediately ordered the yard-arm to be lowered in order to hang me.
Leonisa was present at all this. She had come to her senses, and seeing
herself in the power of the corsairs, she stood weeping and wringing her
delicate hands, without saying a word, but listening if she could
understand what was said by the Turks. One of the Christian slaves at
the oar told her in Italian that the captain had ordered that Christian
to be hanged, pointing to me, because he had killed in his own defence
four of the best soldiers belonging to the galley. On hearing this,
Leonisa (it was the first time she showed any pity for me) bade the
captive tell the Turks not to hang me, for they would lose a large
ransom, but return at once, to Trapani, where it would be paid them.
This, I say, was the first, as it will also be the last mark of
compassion bestowed on me by Leonisa, and all for my greater woe.

"The Turks believed what the captive told them: interest got the better
of their resentment, and they returned next morning with a flag of
peace. I passed a night of the greatest anguish, not so much from the
pain of my wounds, as from thinking of the danger in which my fair and
cruel enemy was placed among those barbarians. When we arrived at the
town one galley entered the port, the other remained in the offing. The
Christian inhabitants lined the whole shore, and the effeminate Cornelio
stood watching from a distance what was going on in the galley. My
steward immediately came to treat for my ransom, and I told him on no
account to bargain for it but for that of Leonisa, for which he should
offer all I was worth. I furthermore ordered him to return to shore, and
toll Leonisa's parents that they might leave it to him to treat for
their daughter's liberation, and give themselves no trouble about the
matter.

"The chief captain, wh