Page:Peregrinaggio di tre giovani figliuoli del re di Serendippo.djvu/143

 They reasoned that Feristeno had escaped because the judgment of the King had violated Muslim law. But knowing the fierce nature of the king, who might think that the ministers had let Feristeno escape for money, for which they would suffer a cruel death, they decided not to reveal the event to him. And the ministers ordered to take a criminal condemned to die from another prison and throw him into the sea. And they would report to the King immediately that they had put Feristeno to death early in the morning.

The ministers carried this out immediately and it is hard to describe how happy and cheerful the King was when he heard the news of Feristeno's death. After he had informed Giulla's father that her husband had passed away, he was ordered to bring his daughter whom he wanted to legally marry, to him. The timid old man, afraid that what he believed had happened to Feristeno, may also be the fate of himself and his daughter, if he did not immediately comply with the King's order, made it understood that he could do with his daughter whatever pleased him or dispose of anything else he possessed.

The wretched girl was now in such a miserable and sorrowful state and knowing that she was going to be enjoyed for the pleasure of the King who had inflicted such a cruel death upon her Feristeno, was weeping hysterically and in desperation decided to kill herself.