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for he apprehended it might strike against the plank, and do him a mischief;
and ever, as it came near him, he pushed it off with all the little force he
had in his hand. But, as it happened, a sudden gust of wind swept down upon
the sea, and struck the chest with such force that it was driven against the
plank on which Landolfo was, and upset it, and Landolfo went under the
waves. Swimming with an energy begotten rather of fear than of strength, he
rose to the surface only to see the plank so far from him that, doubting he
could not reach it, he made for the chest, which was close at hand; and
resting his breast upon the lid, he did what he could to keep it straight
with his arms. In this manner, tossed to and fro by the sea, without tasting
food, for not a morsel had he with him, and drinking more than he cared for,
knowing not where he was, and seeing nothing but the sea, he remained all
that day, and the following night. The next day, as the will of God, or the
force of the wind so ordered, more like a sponge than aught else, but still
with both hands holding fast by the edges of the chest, as we see those do
that clutch aught to save themselves from drowning, he was at length borne
to the coast of the island of Corfu, where by chance a poor woman was just
then scrubbing her kitchen-ware with sand and salt-water to make it shine.
The woman caught sight of him as he drifted shorewards, but making out only
a shapeless mass, was at first startled, and shrieked and drew back.
Landolfo was scarce able to see, and uttered no sound, for his power of
speech was gone. However, when the sea brought him close to the shore, she
distinguished the shape of the chest, and gazing more intently, she first
made out the arms strained over the chest, and then discerned the face and
divined the truth. So, prompted by pity, she went out a little way into the
sea, which was then calm, took him by the hair of the head, and drew him to
land, chest and all. Then, not without difficulty she disengaged his hands
from the chest, which she set on the head of a little girl, her daughter,
that was with her, carried him home like a little child, and set him in a
bath, where she chafed and laved him with warm water, until, the vital heat
and some part of the strength which he had lost being restored, she saw fit
to take him out and regale him with some good wine and comfits. Thus for
some days she tended him as best she could, until he recovered his strength,
and knew where he was. Then, in due time, the good woman, who had kept his
chest safe, gave it back to him, and bade him try his fortune.

Landolfo could not recall the chest, but took it when she brought it to him,
thinking that, however slight its value, it must suffice for a few days'
charges. He found it very light, and quite lost hope; but when the good
woman was out of doors, he opened it to see what was inside, and found there
a great number of precious stones, some set, others unset. Having some

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