Presently the captain and governor of the city advanced towards them, perceiving that they were the principal persons belonging to the vessel.  The moment he set eyes on Ricardo he recognised him, ran to him with open arms, and embraced him with the liveliest demonstrations of joy.  With the governor came Cornelio and his father, Leonisa’s parents and relations, and those of Ricardo, all of whom were among the principal persons in the city.  Ricardo returned the governor’s embrace and his cordial greeting; held out his hand to Cornelio (who had changed colour at sight of him, and almost quaked for fear), and, holding Leonisa also by the hand, thus addressed the bystanders:  “Under your favour, gentlemen, I beg that, before we enter the city and the temple to return the thanks so justly due to our Lord for the great mercies vouchsafed to us in our distresses, that you will listen to a few words I have to say to you.”  The governor bade him say on, for all present would listen to him with pleasure and in silence.  All the principal people then formed a circle round him, and he addressed them as follows:—­

“You must well remember, gentlemen, the misfortune which befel me some mouths ago in the garden of the Salt Pits, and the loss of Leonisa:  nor can you have forgotten the exertions I made to procure her liberation, since, regardless of my own, I offered all I was worth for her ransom.  But this seeming generosity is not to be imputed to me as a merit, since I did but offer my fortune for the ransom of my soul.  What has since happened to us both requires more time to relate, a more convenient season, and a speaker less agitated than myself.  For the present, let it suffice to tell you that after various extraordinary adventures, and after a thousand disappointments of our hopes of relief, merciful Heaven has, without any merit of ours, restored us to our beloved country, with hearts full of joy and with abundance of wealth.  It is not from this, nor from the recovery of my freedom, that springs the incomparable pleasure I now experience, but from that which I imagine this sweet enemy of mine in peace and in war enjoys on seeing herself restored to freedom and to her birth-place.  Yet, I rejoice in the general joy of those who have been my companions in misery; and though grievous disasters are apt to alter the disposition and debase worthy minds, it has not been so with the fair destroyer of my hopes, for with more fortitude and invincibility than can well be told, she has passed through the wrecking sea of her disasters and the encounters of my ardent though honourable importunities.

“But to return to the point from which I set out:  I offered my fortune for her ransom, and with it the surrender of my soul’s desires; I strove for her liberation, and ventured more for her than for my own life.  All these things might seem to be obligations of some moment, but I will not have them regarded in that light; what I would have so considered, is that which I now do;”