father and mother were dead, and for some time he shut himself up
in his house and would see nobody, full of shame at having
forgotten them all these years. Then he begged that the old man
and his wife would remain with him, and take the place of his
parents.

For twelve years Fortunatus and Cassandra and their two little
boys lived happily in Famagosta. They had a beautiful house and
everything they could possibly want, and when Cassandra's sisters
married the purse provided them each with a fortune. But at last
Fortunatus grew tired of staying at home, and thought he should
like to go out and see the world again. Cassandra shed many tears
at first when he told her of his wishes, and he had a great deal
of trouble to persuade her to give her consent. But on his
promising to return at the end of two years she agreed to let him
go. Before he went away he showed her three chests of gold, which
stood in a room with an iron door, and walls twelve feet thick.
‘If anything should happen to me,' he said, ‘and I should never
come back, keep one of the chests for yourself, and give the
others to our two sons.' Then he embraced them all and took ship
for Alexandria.

The wind was fair and in a few days they entered the harbour,
where Fortunatus was informed by a man whom he met on landing,
that if he wished to be well received in the town, he must begin
by making a handsome present to the Sultan. ‘That is easily
done,' said Fortunatus, and went into a goldsmith's shop, where
he bought a large gold cup, which cost five thousand pounds. This
gift so pleased the Sultan that he ordered a hundred casks of
spices to be given to Fortunatus; Fortunatus put them on board