whereas the contrary will betide your
men of the enemy's arrows, for that the thin strings will excellently
well take the wide-notched arrows; and so your men will have abundance
of ammunition, whilst the others will suffer default thereof.'

[Footnote 274: This name is apparently a distortion of the Arabic
_Amir Abdullah_.]

The king, who was a wise prince, was pleased with Martuccio's counsel
and punctually following it, found himself thereby to have won his
war. Wherefore Martuccio became in high favour with him and rose in
consequence to great and rich estate. The report of these things
spread over the land and it came presently to Costanza's ears that
Martuccio Gomito, whom she had long deemed dead, was alive, whereupon
the love of him, that was now grown cool in her heart, broke out of a
sudden into fresh flame and waxed greater than ever, whilst dead hope
revived in her. Therewithal she altogether discovered her every
adventure to the good lady, with whom she dwelt, and told her that she
would fain go to Tunis, so she might satisfy her eyes of that whereof
her ears had made them desireful, through the reports received. The
old lady greatly commended her purpose and taking ship with her,
carried her, as if she had been her mother, to Tunis, where they were
honourably entertained in the house of a kinswoman of hers. There she
despatched Carapresa, who had come with them, to see what she could
learn of Martuccio, and she, finding him alive and in great estate and
reporting this to the old gentlewoman, it pleased the latter to will
to be she who should signify unto Martuccio that his Costanza was come
thither to him; wherefore, betaking herself one day whereas he was,
she said to him, 'Martuccio, there is come to my house a servant of
thine from Lipari, who would fain speak with thee privily there;
wherefore, not to trust to others, I have myself, at his desire, come
to give thee notice thereof.' He thanked her and followed her to her
house, where when Costanza saw him, she was like to die of gladness
and unable to contain herself, ran straightway with open arms to
throw herself on his neck; then, embracing him, without availing to
say aught, she fell a-weeping tenderly, both for compassion of their
past ill fortunes and for present gladness.

Martuccio, seeing his mistress, abode awhile dumb for amazement, then
said sighing, 'O my Costanza, art thou then yet alive? It is long
since I heard that thou wast lost; no