invited him to his palace, where a feast wasprepared, and a chamber made ready for him. All the chiefs of theisland attended the feast, and were much pleased, as was the King, withhis wisdom and general information. The King, indeed, confessed that hewas superior to any of the councillors who sat at his council-table; andthis made them not a little jealous of him, as people of small minds areapt to be of strangers who surpass them in intellect. Meantime thePrincess listened attentively to all Alonzo said, and the interest shefelt ripened into a still warmer feeling--a feeling with which Borascoin his proper shape would never have inspired her. The stranger rapidlygained his way into her good graces, and days, weeks, and months passedhappily away without their finding them an hour too long.
STORY SIX, CHAPTER SIX.
Months wore on, and the wisdom of Alonzo had wonderfully increased theprosperity of King Zaphor's dominions. All the people began to respectthe stranger, and to look upon him as the husband of the Princess, andtheir future sovereign. One day, as Alonzo and Serena were wandering bythe shore, they saw approaching far off on the sea, a number of largecanoes. Alonzo regarded them attentively till he felt convinced thatthey were war-canoes full of warriors, intending to attack the island.So he hurried back to collect all the fighting men to repel the enemy.On came the canoes, and it was soon seen that Alonzo was not mistaken,for before the fighting men of the island could assemble, they had runupon the beach. Alonzo and a few followers were the only persons readyto meet, the invaders, who had already formed on the sand, expecting aneasy victory. With a sharp sword in his hand--a sword forged within thebowels of the earth, and which had been brought to him by a Sea Spiritfrom an island in the Mediterranean--he rushed down among them. Hissharp sword flashed fire, as he whirled it round his head, among theshowers of arrows which flew about him, and numbers of the enemy lay cutto pieces at his feet. Fearless of the deadly weapons aimed at him, sorapidly did he perform his work, that all the invaders were eitherdestroyed or had fallen on their knees to sue for mercy before the Kingand his followers could get up to the scene of action.
Thus the Island of Gracia was delivered from the greatest peril to whichit had ever been exposed. Then the King gave a banquet to commemoratethe happy event, and he summoned to it his lords and councillors, andall the chief men of the island, and they all came and congratulated theKing on his victory.
The King, however, graciously would not claim the credit which was nothis due; but, pointing to Alonzo, who sat on his right side, told themthat they owed their freedom to him. Then, taking him by one hand, hetook Serena by the other, and informed his chiefs that he thus betrothedthose whose hearts were already one, and he inquired whether they wouldconsent to receive the stranger as their future chief. No sooner hadthe King done speaking, than all the nobles arose, and exclaimed, "Hailto the brave stranger, our gallant defender! hail to Prince Alonzo, thehusband of our beloved Princess, our future sovereign!"
The King was much pleased with this expression of the loyalty of hissubjects, nor was the Princess less so at their approval of a husband towhom she was so devotedly attached. Thus the stranger Alonzo was raisedto the highest dignity of the state.
Nearly a year had passed since his arrival, when one day he espied alarge ship, under full sail, approaching the island. The people weresurprised, and many were much alarmed, for they had never before seen soextraordinary a sight. Some thought it some mighty sea-bird, and otherssome monster of the deep; but none could tell what the portend mightforbode. On the ship came, and, casting anchor, several of the crewlanded. They wandered about through the woods, singing and carousing,and otherwise amusing themselves. When also they happened to discoverany of the cottages of the natives, they did not scruple to enter, andto appropriate anything which struck their fancy. Alonzo was attendingto the affairs of state when news was brought him of the behaviour ofthe strangers, and that they were actually approaching the precincts ofthe Palace. On this he immediately sent out to put a stop to themischief. As he was proceeding a shriek reached his ear. He knew thevoice at once--it was that of the Princess Serena--and, rushing on withthe speed of lightning, he found her and her maidens in the rude graspof the strangers. When they saw him and his followers, while some heldfast the damsels, the rest advanced with arms in their hands to meethim. As, however, they got nearer to him, instead of attempting to runhim through with their swords, they shouted out, "'Tis he! 'tis he! ourlong-lost chief! Why, brave Captain Alonzo, we thought you long sincedead. What, don't you know us? Don't you remember Almagro, and Sancho,and Pedro?"
But Alonzo looked at them as on total strangers, for, of course, hecould not remember having ever seen them before. "I know you only fromyour own confession and your deeds to be wicked villains," he exclaimed;"and I order you instantly to quit this island, or I shall hand you overto the laws of the realm. I spare you now. Begone, but remember mywarning."
This made them very indignant. "What, not know your old friends? Come,come, you look very magnificent, doubtless, but we cannot let you or anyother man interfere with our proceedings."
As they said this, some drew their swords, while others attempted todrag off Serena and her maidens. The magic weapon of Alonzo was in hishand in an instant, and as it struck the blades of the pirates, for suchthey were, it shivered them to atoms. Some of the pirates were killed,but Alonzo was merciful, and the Princess being placed in safety, heallowed the rest to escape, as they fled before him. That day hepublished a decree banishing the pirates from the island, on pain ofdeath if they remained. Instead of going, however, they hid themselvesamong the rocks on the sea-shore, for the purpose of issuing forth atnight to weak their vengeance on one whom they supposed to have beentheir chief, but who had now become their enemy.
STORY SIX, CHAPTER SEVEN.
It required but one day to complete the year since the Princess Serenafirst beheld Alonzo, when, as they sat in her bower, watching the bluetranquil sea in the distance, he folded her in his arms, and told her,with a voice of tenderness, that he must for a short time quit her. Invain she endeavoured to draw from him the reason of his intendedabsence. He assured her that it would be but for a few short hours,that he must go to a distant part of the island, and that he wouldfaithfully return. She entreated to be allowed to accompany him, but tothat he could not consent. Had he entrusted his awful secret to her,though it would have terrified her to find that she had got a Spirit fora husband, it might have been happier for him.
Every argument which the Princess could use was employed in vain toinduce the seeming Alonzo to remain; far more powerful were the sterndecrees of Neptune. Once more pressing her to his heart, he torehimself from her, and rushed out along the beach till the tall rocks hidhim from her sight. The Princess remained bathed in tears, and overcomewith grief and forebodings of evil.
Meantime Alonzo wandered along the shore in search of some sequesteredcavern, where he might leave in security the mortal form he wore, whilehe repaired, according to his bounden duty, to Neptune's conclave. Forsome time he could not satisfy himself, for he was naturally fearful ofbeing disturbed or injured. Far, far better would it have been had heentrusted his body to the safe and loving care of the Princess. At lasthe discovered a cavern which could only be entered from the sea. Insideit there was a small extent of sand and several ledges of dry rock, towhich the waters never reached. Nothing could be better suited to hispurpose; so, standing at the mouth of the cave, he stretched out hishand over the sea, and uttered this potent spell:--
"Haste, wandering form, Dark mist o'er the main. From wind and from storm, I call thee again. I once bade thee retire, But now hither repair, Whether glowing in fire, Or sailing in air. Again this stern spell, Dark shape, thou must hear, Come, come, whence you dwell, Haste hither, appear!"
As he spoke a thick mist seemed to rise from the sea in the horizon,extending upward, and growing denser and denser, till it assumed thefaint outlines of Borasco's form. Then it glided forward, as if borneonward b
y a gentle wind, till it reached the mouth of the cavern.Meantime Alonzo placed himself on an upper ledge of the rock in anattitude of sleep, and forthwith his spirit passed into his proper form,from which an awful voice uttered these words:--
"Rest thee, mortal form, rest here, Till I once again appear. Cursed the hands that dare to smite thee, Or by injury to blight thee. Let with horror fate condemn them, And the raging seas o'erwhelm them."
While he was thus speaking, Borasco glided over the sea till hedisappeared in the far distance.
Now it happened, as we have said, that the pirates, whom Alonzo hadordered to quit the island, instead of so doing, had hid themselvesamong the rocks on the sea-shore, waiting for an opportunity to wreaktheir vengeance on him; and as they were rowing along in their boat,they reached the mouth of the cavern in which he had left the body ofAlonzo. Leaving their boat secured to a