ney, being nearly the whole she
possessed. And now the stranger spoke severe things, charging her with
ingratitude and unkindness. He said: 'This youth, whom you see here, I
snatched from the jaws of death, and for his sake alone I came to
Illyria, and have fallen into this danger.' But the officers cared
little for hearkening to the complaints of their prisoner, and they
hurried him off, saying: 'What is that to us?' And as he was carried
away, he called Viola by the name of Sebastian, reproaching the
supposed Sebastian for disowning his friend, as long as he was within
hearing. When Viola heard herself called Sebastian, though the stranger
was taken away too hastily for her to ask an explanation, she
conjectured that this seeming mystery might arise from her being
mistaken for her brother; and she began to cherish hopes that it was
her brother whose life this man said he had preserved. And so indeed it
was. The stranger, whose name was Antonio, was a sea-captain. He had
taken Sebastian up into his ship, when, almost exhausted with fatigue,
he was floating on the mast to which he had fastened himself in the
storm. Antonio conceived such a friendship for Sebastian, that he
resolved to accompany him whithersoever he went; and when the youth
expressed a curiosity to visit Orsino's court, Antonio, rather than
part from him, came to Illyria, though he knew, if his person should be
known there, his life would be in danger, because in a sea-fight he had
once dangerously wounded the duke Orsino's nephew. This was the offence
for which he was now made a prisoner.

Antonio and Sebastian had landed together but a few hours before
Antonio met Viola. He had given his purse to Sebastian, desiring him to
use it freely if he saw anything he wished to purchase, telling him he
would wait at the inn, while Sebastian went to view the town; but
Sebastian not returning at the time appointed, Antonio had ventured out
to look for him, and Viola being dressed the same, and in face so
exactly resembling her brother, Antonio drew his sword (as he thought)
in defence of the youth he had saved, and when Sebastian (as he
supposed) disowned him, and denied him his own purse, no wonder he
accused him of ingratitude.

Viola, when Antonio was gone, fearing a second invitation to fight,
slunk home as fast as she could. She had not been long gone, when her
adversary thought he saw her return; but it was her brother Sebastian,
who happened to arrive at