CHAPTER V. " The strife of fiends is on the battling clouds, The glare of hell is in these sulphurous lightnings ; This is no earthly storm." TRUSTFULLY and gaily as Infancy embarks upon the un-tried ocean of existence, the lovers left the harbor of Mes-sina, and moved forth with their splendid convoy, upon the open sea. By day the galley of Berengaria chased the fly-ing shadows of the gallant Trenc-the-mere along the coast of Greece, or followed in its rippling wake among the green isles of the clustering Cyclades ; by night, like sea-fowl folding their shining wings, the vessels furled their snowy canvass, and with silver feet keeping time to the waves, danced forward over the glassy floor of the blue Mediter-ranean, like a charmed bride listening to the sound of pipe and chalumeaux that accompanied the spontaneous verse with which the royal troubadour wooed her willing ear. The treacherous calm thathad smiled upon the com-mencement of their voyage, at length began to yield to the changeful moods of the stormy equinox, which like a cruel sportsman, toyed with the hopes and fears of its helpless prey. Clouds and sunshine hurried alternately across the face of the sky. Fitful gusts of wind tossed the waves in air or plucked the shrouds of the ships and darted away, wailing and moaning among the waters. Then fell a calm —and then—with maddening roar the congregated floods summoned their embattled strength to meet the mustering winds, that, loosened from their caves, burst upon the sea with terrific; power. The females crept trembling to their couches, dizzy with pain and faint with fear. The sickness of Berengaria in-creased to that state of insensibility in which the body, palsied with agony, has only power to assist the mind in shaping all outward circumstances into visions of horror. 15 BERENGARIA OF NAVARRE. 225