ry him to Trapani, or to the
end of the world, if he desired it. After this, Mahmoud and Ricardo,
exulting in their success, went to Halima, and told her that if she
desired to return to Cyprus they would give her her own brigantine, with
its full complement of men, and half the wealth she had put on board it;
but as her affection for Ricardo was unabated, she replied that she
would rather go with them to Christian lands, whereat her parents were
exceedingly rejoiced.

The cadi having by this time got upon his legs again, he, too, had his
choice given him either to go into Christendom or return to Nicosia in
his own vessel. He replied that, "as fortune had reduced him to his
present situation, he thanked them for the boon of his liberty; and that
he desired to go to Constantinople to complain to the Grand Signor of
the outrage he had received at the hands of Ali and Hassan." But when he
heard that Halima was leaving him, and intended to go back to
Christianity, he was almost beside himself. Finally, they put him on
board his own vessel, supplying him abundantly with all accessories for
his voyage, and even giving him back some of his own sequins; and he
took leave of them all with the intention of returning to Nicosia; but
first he entreated that Leonisa would embrace him, declaring that if
she would graciously grant him that favour, it would wipe out the
recollection of all his misfortunes. All joined in entreating Leonisa to
grant him what he so earnestly desired, since she might do so without
prejudice to her honour. She complied, and the cadi besought her to lay
her hands on his head, that he might have hopes of his wound being
healed.

These adieux concluded, and having scuttled Hassan's galley, they sailed
away with a favouring breeze and soon lost sight of the brigantine, on
the deck of which stood the unlucky cadi, watching with swimming eyes
how the wind was wafting away his property, his delight, his wife, and
his whole soul. With very different feelings did Ricardo and Mahmoud
pursue their way. They passed in sight of Alexandria, and without
shortening sail, or needing to have recourse to their oars, they touched
at Corfu, where they took in water; and then without more delay they
left behind them the ill-famed Acroceraunian rocks, and descried afar
off Paquino, a promontory of the most fertile Trinacria, at sight of
which, and of the illustrious island of Malta, their prosperous barque
seemed to fly across