I was taken
away with every mark of respect, and looked upon as one under special
favour of the Virgin. "Did I not say, my lord, that I should leave my
dungeon in honour?"
"You did, my friend," answered the inquisitor; and I heard him mutter,
"either there is such a person as the Virgin Mary, or you are a most
ready-witted scoundrel."
During my stay at Valencia, I was courted and feasted by everybody, and
sold my goods at an enormous price; for everyone thought that to possess
anything that had belonged to me must bring them good fortune. I
received many handsome presents, had divers requests to become a member
of the different fraternities of monks, and eventually quitted the town
with a large sum of money, with which I proceeded to Toulon, with the
intention of making some inquiry after my dear Cerise, whose image was
still the object of my dreams, as well as of my waking thoughts.
* * * * *
"Stop," said the pacha; "I wish to know, whether you believe that the
Virgin, as you call her, did thrust the head of the image into the hole
in the bottom of the ship."
"May it please your highness, I do not. I believe it originated from
nothing but cause and effect. It is the nature of a whirlpool to draw
down all substances that come within its vortex. The water pouring into
the bottom of the ship is but the vortex of a whirlpool reversed; and
the image of the saint, when it was thrown overboard to leeward of the
ship, which was pressed down upon it by the power of the wind, was
forced under the water, until it was taken into the vortex of the leak,
and naturally found its way into the hole.
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