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THE LABYRINTH OF THE WORLD
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day and by night, everyone can conceive what anguish and fear we felt. Then I said to myself: "Surely these seafaring men must be more pious than all other men in the world, they who never for an hour are sure of their lives?" But looking at them, I observed that they were all, without exception, eating gluttonously as in a tavern—drinking, playing, laughing, talking in an obscene manner; in fact, committing every sort of evil deed and licentiousness. Grieving at this, I begin to admonish them, and to beg them to remember where we were, and ceasing such things, to call unto God. But what avails it? Some laughed; others scoffed at me; others struck out at me; others wanted to throw me overboard. My guide Falsehood told me to be silent, and to remember that I was in a strange house, where it is best to be deaf and blind. "Oh, it is impossible," quoth I, "that this matter should end well when they have such customs!" Then they again laughed. Seeing such mischievousness, I was obliged to be silent, for I feared to receive a whipping from them.

(The Ship is submerged.)

17. At this moment the storm became stronger, and a terrible gale burst on us. Then, indeed, the sea, with its waves, begins to rise heavenward; then the waves pass us on from one to another as if we were balls; then the depths open up, and sometimes threaten to devour us, sometimes again toss