The Wanderings of Persiles and Sigismunda: A Northern Story

The spirits of Antonio rose when he breathed again his native air. Ricla and her two children rejoiced to think that they soon should see,--she, her father and mother-in-law, an...

"It seems to me, my brother," said Auristella to Periander, "that troubles and perils are to be met with not only on the sea, but all over the earth; and that misfortunes and di...

Day came, and with it the thanks of hospitality received, and once more the pilgrims were on their way. As they were leaving the town, they fell in with the false captives, who...

Daylight was long in appearing, even to the eyes of those accustomed to the gloomy region, because the smoke and ashes of the fire, which still continued burning, impeded the su...

All the persons who had escaped from the barbarous isle dungeons, embarked in the vessel which brought Maurice and Ladislaus, along with the officers and soldiers who guarded th...

_Auristella is taken from her prison in the disguise of a man, in order to be sacrificed; a battle ensues among the barbarians, and the island is set on fire. A Spanish barbaria...

The tender years of Auristella, the yet tenderer years of Constance, and the middle age of Ricla, might well have called for all the pomp and luxury of equipages for so long a j...

Long pilgrimages involve various events, and as this variety is composed of different things, so also must the causes be different. Our history shows this well; the thread of it...

_He discovers who the Captain of the Ship is. Taurisa relates to him the story of how Auristella was carried off: he offers to go in search of her, and to be sold to the Barbari...

As our minds are ever in perpetual motion, and can neither stop nor rest except by God, who is our centre, and for whom we are created, it is no marvel that our thoughts should...

Short and quickly finished was the supper, but to sup without fear made it savoury. They replaced the torches with fresh ones, and although there was a good deal of smoke in the...

"If it be true, as I think it is, that we find a pleasure in listening to the storm without, when we are comfortably sheltered at home; and in recalling the perils of the past b...

"If you desire, sirs, to know the preamble and beginning of my story, I would tell it thus: Imagine me and my sister, with an old nurse of her's, on board a ship, the master of...

As they travelled, they amused themselves by talking over the past dangers, the good feeling of the Jadraque, the gallant conduct of the Priest, the zeal of Rafaella, whom they...

With good manners, great personal charms, and a richly adorned and splendid house, many defects will be overlooked, because a well-bred person does nothing that offends the eye,...

The agreeable way in which Periander told the story of his strange adventures, gave pleasure to every one of his hearers, except Maurice, who, when he was alone with his daughte...

There are in nature many things, of which we do not know the cause. Some persons have their teeth set on edge when they see a loaf cut with a knife; sometimes a man trembles at...

The ship was, as I have said, buried in the waters, and within her were the dead bodies sepulchred, as it seemed without a hope, and destitute of aid. But pitying Heaven, which...

Anger is said to be a revolution of the blood about the heart, which warms up at sight of the object which inflamed it, and sometimes with the bare recollection of the offence....

Cervantes makes extraordinary mistakes with the names of these northern countries; by Hibernia, he doubtless means Scotland. The absurd story of the Barnacle Goose was believed...

The inns at Lucca are large enough to lodge a whole regiment of soldiers; in one of these our pilgrims took up their abode, being directed thither by some of the guardians of th...

"That night," said he, "we all went over to a small island in the middle of the river, invited by its verdant appearance, and the tranquillity of the spot. The newly-married cou...

"My name is Rutilio, my native place Sienna, one of the most famous of Italian cities, my profession that of a dancing-master: I excelled in this, and if I had pleased I might h...

"In the briefest possible words with which a tale can be told, I will give you the history of my life, which will itself be brief also, if I am to give any credit to a certain d...

All this delay, owing to the length of Periander's history, was so contrary to the wishes of Polycarp, that he could neither lend it his attention, nor mature his thoughts as to...

"An island, which is situated not far from Ireland, is my native place. It is large enough to be called a kingdom, but is not hereditary, nor does it go by succession. The peopl...

King Polycarp greatly enlivened by his amorous intentions, and quite confident and secure as to what Auristella's decision would be, set himself already to plan the festivals an...

"When past sufferings are described in present prosperity, there is often greater pleasure in telling of them than there was pain in their endurance, but this cannot be said in...

_Sinibald, Renato's brother, arrives with good news from France. He comes to convey Renato and Eusebia home, and takes in his Ship, Arnoldo, Maurice, Transila, and Ladislaus. In...

Periander lay beside the tranquil stream; the clear and beautiful night and the murmuring waters were soothing companions: the trees too were company to him, and a fresh and gen...

History, poetry, and painting resemble one another, and so it appears that in writing history, one paints a picture; in painting, one composes a story; history does not always t...

_How Rutilio, being enamoured of Polycarpa, and Clodio of Auristella, wrote Letters declaring their Love; Rutilio, perceiving he has done wrong, burns his Letter without showing...

The health of the bewitched Antonio was now quite restored, and with his recovered beauty, increased Zenotia's passion, and made her more and more desirous of detaining him; for...

The instant that the king heard of Auristella's illness, he sent his physicians to visit her. They discovered that her ailment proceeded more from the mind than the body. Arnold...

Scarcely had our devout pilgrims set foot on one of the two entrances that lead to the valley, which is formed and enclosed by the lofty mountains of Guadaloupe, than at each fr...

The travellers were now approaching Rome, the sight of which rejoiced their hearts, and the joy which filled their souls also invigorated their bodies. The hearts of Periander a...

"Slumber had begun to take possession of the senses of my companions, and I began to question the one who was keeping watch with me, upon many matters important to mariners, and...

Very much did they all wish to know what causes had brought the unhappy fugitive lady into such a plight; and also the forsaken infant; but Auristella thought it would be better...

"The size, beauty, and spirit of the horse I have before described, made Cratilius value him very highly, and as desirous of having him tamed as I was to seize the opportunity o...

From this time Periander and Auristella beheld each other with different eyes, at least with other eyes did Periander look upon his Auristella, for now as it appeared to him, sh...

Hippolyta returned home more full of confusion than repentance, thoughtful, and more enamoured than ever, for although it is a fact, generally speaking, that disdain kills love...

Well pleased was Hippolyta to see what the arts of the Jewess had done in endangering the life of Auristella, for in a week she had become so entirely changed from what she was,...

It aroused the envy and indignation of the three French ladies to find how much more Auristella's portrait was valued by the duke than theirs, which they knew had been brought t...

The fair Isabella made haste to assume the part of a possessed one again, and her four new friends to support her by confirming the idea of her illness, and that she was verily...

Our history goes on to relate, that the insolence, or rather one should say, the shamelessness of Clodio, rose to such a height that he had the boldness to place the letter he h...

Water that is enclosed in a narrow vessel, whilst it is in the greatest haste to escape, is slowest to pour out, because the first drops are detained by those which follow, and...

Every one of our party had somebody with whom to exchange confidential conversation--Polycarp with his daughter; Clodio, with Rutilio; but the astounded Periander held converse...

The salute on both sides, land and sea, having passed as I already told, the ship came to an anchor and lowered her boat. The first person who got into it (after four sailors ha...

"The first thing that offered itself to my sight was the body of a barbarian hanging to a tree, by which I knew that I was in a country of savages, and immediately fear placed b...

Near the mouth of a deep and narrow dungeon, which was more like a tomb than a prison to its wretched inmates, stood Corsicurbo, the barbarian. He shouted with a terrible voice,...

O mighty power of jealousy! O infirmity, that art so planted in the heart, that thou canst only be uprooted thence with life itself! Ah! beauteous Auristella, stay and reflect e...

The enamoured Sinforosa listened attentively to the prudent counsels of Auristella; but without replying to them, she returned to take up again the thread of their past discours...

The sage advice that the three French ladies gave to the two mourners, Constance and Auristella, was of small avail, for in a recent grief there is no room for consolation. In t...

The pain and sensation of a fresh wound is hardly felt in the moment of anger and hot blood, which, after it becomes cold, causes an agony that is almost unendurable to the suff...

To which cries, replied the prince Arnoldo, "How is this, O learned Maurice? where are these waters which overwhelm us? where the waves that assail us?" The answer was given by...

It appears to me that unless patience had been supported by the pleasure which Arnoldo and Polycarp had in only looking at Auristella, and Sinforosa in gazing upon Periander, th...

"I awakened from my dream, as I told you, and held a council with my companions what course we should take, and it was resolved to go still as the winds should guide us, for as...

"Now," said the master of the inn, "I know not that I ought to say that I feel sorry for the fair weather which all the signs in the sky seem to promise at sea. The sun shines c...

In haste Periander flew to help him, and found that he was indeed quite dead; at which all present were greatly astonished, as well as shocked, by so strange and unforeseen an e...

So little certainty is there in all earthly joys, that no man can promise himself a moment of perfect security. Auristella repenting the declaration she had made of her wishes a...

Things sometimes happen in this world, that if people were beforehand to devise or project them, they never could succeed in so doing, and so from that and their rarity they pas...

I have here omitted a page which relates to a poet whose appearance once before I also left out. It appears to be introduced only for the purpose of saying a word in praise of F...

Our party wished to take Perpignan as their first entrance into France. The adventures of Ambrosia furnished them with conversation for some days, her great youth forming some e...

Whilst they were considering about this, afar off they discovered a ship, the sight of which revived their hopes; she came near, her sails were furled, her anchors lowered, and...

Chiefly did the general voice extol Auristella's superhuman beauty, exaggerating it even to the utmost. The house was encompassed by persons, brought by curiosity, and the desir...

As the boat approached the shore, the barbarians crowded together, each one eager to be the first to know who it could be that was coming in it; and as a sign that they would re...

Antonio remained not very well satisfied with himself for the deed he had done, for although assuredly a mistaken one, as he knew nothing of Clodio's faults, and did know and se...

Disease durst not at once, attack face to face Auristella's beauty, afraid lest its hideousness should be alarmed at so much loveliness, and so it began by the limbs. She was se...

"I went, as my father has told you, dressed in my bridal garments, escorted by all the brothers and near kinsmen of my intended husband. Among these was one I knew only too well...

Many and long were the disputes among our little band of pilgrims, whether the marriage of Isabella Castrucho, effected by so many devices and so much deceit, was valid or not....

Our pilgrims again are on their way. They were passed on the road by about seven or eight persons on horseback; among them was a woman seated upon a rich side saddle, on a mule,...

Four miles, or thereabouts, the four boats had gone, when they discovered a large ship, which going before the wind, with all her sails set, seemed coming on to attack them. Per...

It would seem as though the author of this history was more of a lover than an historian; for nearly the whole of the first chapter of his Second Book is spent in a definition o...

Whilst they were all discoursing thus, a sailor rushed into the inn, crying out, that a large ship, in full sail, was making straight for the harbour; "and no signal has she mad...

And thus the two jealous rivals and enemies departed, and took leave, the one of Periander, and the other of Croriano, both their hopes alike founded on air; each, however, bein...

Auristella longed greatly to know what had passed between Arnoldo and Periander, when they went forth from the inn, and waited for an opportunity to ask Periander; and also to h...

Cervantes makes strange blunders with these northern nations, of which he evidently knew very little. It seems singular, for one so well informed as he was on many points, to be...

The ship sailed, some among her crew lamented much the death of the two young officers. Another captain was chosen from among them, and they pursued their voyage without letting...

In this poet Cervantes describes himself. His first literary compositions were dramas; he was poor; he had returned home from his career as a soldier with the loss of his left h...

I omit this chapter, as it is quite unnecessary for the story, and an absurd relation concerning the two prisoners who came in the English ship with Maurice. The woman, who is c...