and after gazing on the damsel and finding her very fair, turned to look at the gallant, whom with little trouble he recognized, and drawing nearer to him, he asked him if he were Gianni di Procida.  Gianni raised his head, and recognizing the admiral, made answer:—­“My lord, he, of whom you speak, I was; but I am now as good as no more.”  The admiral then asked him what it was that had brought him to such a pass.  Whereupon:—­“Love and the King’s wrath,” quoth Gianni.  The admiral induced him to be more explicit, and having learned from him exactly how it had come about, was turning away, when Gianni called him back, saying:—­“Oh! my lord, if so it may be, procure me one favour of him by whose behest I thus stand here.”  “What favour?” demanded Ruggieri.  “I see,” returned Gianni, “that die I must, and that right soon.  I crave, then, as a favour, that, whereas this damsel and I, that have loved one another more dearly than life, are here set back to back, we may be set face to face, that I may have the consolation of gazing on her face as I depart.”  Ruggieri laughed as he replied:—­“With all my heart.  I will so order it that thou shalt see enough of her to tire of her.”  He then left him and charged the executioners to do nothing more without further order of the King; and being assured of their obedience, he hied him forthwith to the King, to whom, albeit he found him in a wrathful mood, he spared not to speak his mind, saying:—­“Sire, wherein have they wronged thee, those two young folk, whom thou hast ordered to be burned down there in the piazza?” The King told him.  Whereupon Ruggieri continued:—­“Their offence does indeed merit such punishment, but not at thy hands, and if misdeeds should not go unpunished, services should not go unrewarded; nay, may warrant indulgence and mercy.  Knowest thou who they are whom thou wouldst have burned?” The King signified that he did not.  Whereupon Ruggieri:—­“But I,” quoth he, “am minded that thou shouldst know them, to the end that thou mayst know with what discretion thou surrenderest thyself to a transport of rage.  The young man is the son of Landolfo di Procida, brother of Messer Gianni di Procida, to whom thou owest it that thou art lord and king of this island.  The damsel is a daughter of Marin Bolgaro, whose might alone to-day prevents Ischia from throwing off thy yoke.  Moreover, these young folk have long been lovers, and ’tis for that the might of Love constrained them, and not that they would do despite to thy lordship, that they have committed this offence, if indeed ’tis meet to call that an offence which young folk do for Love’s sake.  Wherefore, then, wouldst thou do them to death, when thou shouldst rather do them all cheer, and honour them with lordly gifts?” The King gave ear to Ruggieri’s words, and being satisfied that he spoke sooth, repented him, not only of his evil purpose, but of what he had already done, and forthwith gave order to loose the two young folk from the stake, and