426 IL BANCOLO. 
of astonishment. ‘ Yes, reverend Sir,” said the stranger ; my fa- 
ther was torn from the bosom of his family whilst I was yet an in- 
fant in the cradle; and it is to-day for the first time that Heaven 
has granted me the inexpressible satisfaction of beholding my parent. 
Eight days after my birth, my father, who, as you already know, 
was an officer of the customs at Palermo, was invited to go to the 
isle of Syea by some Greek merchants to whom he had rendered 
important services. He embarked at the port of Catania, and was 
never heard of more. My mother despatched to Syea messengers 
in whom she could repose confidence. The Greek merchants af- 
firmed that they had not seen my father, and that the vessel in 
which he had embarked had never arrived at Syea. It was gene- 
rally believed that he had perished: and you may judge of my min- 
gled feelings of astonishment and delight when I this morning 
heard from your lips the name of Paolo Bancolo. The name, the 
age, the date of his capture, all led me to believe that I was not de- 
ceived by the language of my heart. I hastened to the house of the 
Count de Larengon: my eyes fell upon the captive, and in an in- 
stant I clasped my father to my heart!” ‘ How inscrutable are the 
decrees of Providence!” exclaimed the monk. “But had you, 
Paolo, no means to inform your family that you still drew the breath 
‘of Heaven?” ‘We were captured,” answered the aged man, 
** when we were scarcely a few leagues at sea; and on our arrival 
at Tunis we were sold to the Dey, and were sent to assist at the 
works which were then in progress at a fortified town sixty miles 
inland ; and it was not until my age and infirmities rendered me 
unfit for further services that I was sent back to Tunis, where I 
was happy enough to meet you, my reverend father, when you re- 
stored me to freedom by leaving two monks of your order as hos- 
tages inmy stead.” The son of Paolo Bancolo here interrupted the 
narration of his father. ‘ How much,” said he, “do you think 
would be requisite for the ransom of the six hundred prisoners who 
still remain in servitude at Tunis?” “The Mahommedans,” replied 
the monk, “are relentless traffickers in humanity: they are not only 
rapacious, but almost insatiable. I still think, however, that with the 
assistance of five hupdred thousand livres, we might at length succeed 
in redeeming all our brethren from captivity.” -* Then, my reverend 
father,” answered the stranger, “it depends only upon your pleasure 
to receive this sum. You have been long inured to travel.” 
*“« Three-fourths of my life,” said the monk, “have been passed in 
foreign lands. I have made long voyages at sea; I have crossed the 
deserts of Africa, sustained by my confidence in God, and urged for- 
