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Lu prinkipe ak lu prinkessa ya-reveni

Lu mane ya-veni klare super lu Karthagine, sed ante ke lu sole ya-askende alte, le strata ke ya-duke ad lu portu iam era plene de le homine, quia per le multe die lu urbe ya-exspekta lu reditu de lu prinkipe ak de lu nove uxore ke ille ya-nube in lu Konstantinopoli.
Morning came bright over Carthage, but before the sun had risen high, the streets leading to the harbour were already full of people, as for many days the city had been awaiting the return of the prince and the new wife he had married in Constantinople.

Maximu ya-sta apud lu porta de lu domu ak ya-spekta le homine ke ya-praeteri.
Maximu stood by the door of the house and watched the people passing by.

Le familia ya-vade pariter: le patre kum le filiu, le matre kum le parve infante, le vetere homine ke ya-ambula lente ak ya-sustine se kum lu bakulu, le iuvene ke ya-propera quia ille vole ya-veni ante le altere.
Families went together: fathers with sons, mothers with small children, old men walking slowly and supporting themselves with sticks, young men hurrying because they wanted to arrive before the others.

Altere ya-porta le flore; altere ya-loque de lu nave, de lu prinkessa, de lu matrimoniu ke iam ya-akkede in lu grande ekklesia de lu Konstantinopoli, ak de le festivitate ke lu Karthagine nunk ya-praepara pro le nove maritu.
Some carried flowers; others talked about the ship, the princess, the marriage that had already taken place in the great church of Constantinople, and the celebrations that Carthage was now preparing for the newlyweds.

De lu distante strata ya-veni le voke, ak super le domu lu sonu de le kampana ya-sona per lu mane.
Voices came from a distant street, and above the houses the sound of bells rang through the morning.

Marku ya-veni de intra lu domu.
Marku came out of the house.

“Patre, le homine iam ya-vade.”
“Father, the people are already going.”

“Jek ya-vide.”
“I see it.”

“Si nos ya-mane plus, nos nihil pote ya-vide.”
“If we wait any longer, we won’t be able to see anything.”

Maximu ya-spekta ad eum.
Maximu looked at him.

“Tu ya-dike hok ante ke jek ya-ede lu pane.”
“You said that before I ate my bread.”

“Ak nunk hok era plus vere.”
“And now it’s even more true.”

Titrit ya-appara post lu fratre.
Titrit appeared behind her brother.

“Ille ya-kogita ke lu tote Karthagine vole ya-sta ante eum.”
“He thinks the whole of Carthage wants to stand in front of him.”

“Non tote,” Marku ya-responde.
“Not all of it,” Marku replied.

“Sole le multe mille.”
“Only many thousands.”

Tazrint ya-veni ad lu porta ak ya-klaude eum post se.
Tazrint came to the door and closed it behind her.

“Nunk nos pote ya-vade ante ke le duo ya-inkipi lu krigu.”
“Now we can go before you two start a war.”

Titrit ya-ride.
Titrit laughed.

Marku ya-spekta eam, sed ille non ya-responde, quia ille iam ya-vade in lu strata ak ya-propera in lu parte de lu portu.
Marku looked at her, but he did not reply, because he was already heading down the street and hurrying towards the harbour.

Illus ya-ambula pariter.
They walked together.

Kiam illus ya-appropinqua ad lu grande strata, lu turba ya-fie plus dense, ak lu aspektu de lu urbe ya-muta.
As they approached the main street, the crowd grew denser, and the appearance of the city changed.

De le fenestra le pannu ya-pende; le rubre, le albe ak le purpure kolore ya-move sub lu leve ventu ke ya-veni de lu mare; apud le porta le homine ya-pone le flore ak le ramu; ak ante le taberna, ubi in lu solite mane le merkatore iam ya-vende le sue merke, le mensa era vakue, quia etiam le venditore ya-klaude lu negotiu ak ya-seque lu turba.
Cloths hung from the windows; red, white and purple colours stirred in the light breeze coming from the sea; people placed flowers and branches by the doors; and outside the shops, where on an ordinary morning merchants would already be selling their wares, the tables stood empty, because even the sellers had closed their businesses and joined the crowd.

Apud lu unu grande domu lu longe purpure pannu ya-pende de lu alte fenestra usque prope lu strata, ak Marku ya-mane breve ut ya-spekta eum.
At one large house, a long purple cloth hung from a high window almost to the street, and Marku stopped briefly to look at it.

“Hodie nemo ya-labora?” ille ya-roga.
“Is nobody working today?” he asked.

Maximu ya-responde:
Maximu replied:

“Lu labore ya-mane.
“The work can wait.

Lu prinkipe ke ya-reveni de lu Konstantinopoli kum lu nove uxore non ya-reveni le omne die.”
“A prince returning from Constantinople with his new wife does not come home every day.”

Marku ya-spekta ad lu patre.
Marku looked at his father.

“Tu ya-kogita ke illa vere ya-porta le kente homine kum eam?”
“Do you think she really is bringing a hundred people with her?”

Tazrint ya-subride.
Tazrint smiled.

“Lu kente?”
“A hundred?”

“Le homine in lu merkatu ya-dike lu kente.”
“The people in the market said a hundred.”

“Ante lu vespere ille ya-dike le mille,” Titrit ya-responde.
“By evening he’ll be saying a thousand,” Titrit replied.

“Jek non ya-dike ke jek ya-krede illus.”
“I didn’t say I believed them.”

“Sed tu ya-repete illus.”
“But you repeat them.”

Maximu ya-dike:
Maximu said:

“Lu rumore ya-vade plus rapide quam lu nave.
“Rumour travels faster than a ship.

Hodie nos ya-vide ke vere ya-veni.”
“Today we’ll see what really arrives.”

Lu familia ya-perge, sed dum illus ya-appropinqua plus ad lu mare, le sonu ya-fie plus varie: le kampana ya-sona de lu urbe, le nauta ya-klama de lu kar, le liberu ya-kurre inter le adulte, ak de ante ya-veni lu kontinue murmure de lu tante turba ke iam ya-imple lu portu.
The family continued on, but as they drew closer to the sea, the sounds became more varied: bells rang across the city, sailors shouted from the quay, children ran among the adults, and from ahead came the constant murmur of the great crowd that already filled the harbour.

Kiam illus tandem ya-veni ad lu portu, etiam Maximu ya-sile.
When at last they reached the harbour, even Maximu fell silent.

Lu portu, ke in lu solite die era lu loku de lu labore, de lu kommerkiu ak de lu perpetue motu, ubi le nauta ya-porta le fune, le baiulu ya-move le sakku inter le nave ak le horreu, le merkatore ya-disputa de lu pretiu ak le aliene voke ya-miske kum lu bizakene sermone, nunk ya-appara quasi lu altere loku, quia lu grande turba ya-imple lu tote spatiu apud lu aqua, le gardu ya-sta in lu ordine prope lu kar, ak inter illus ak lu mare ya-mane lu longe aperte via per ke lu prinkipe ak lu prinkessa debe ya-praeteri.
The harbour, which on an ordinary day was a place of work, trade and perpetual movement, where sailors carried ropes, porters moved sacks between the ships and warehouses, merchants argued over prices and foreign voices mingled with Bizaken speech, now seemed almost another place, for a great crowd filled the entire space beside the water, guards stood in formation near the quay, and between them and the sea a long open way had been left through which the prince and princess were to pass.

Le vetere homine ya-sta kum le pueru super lu umeru; le femina ya-tene le flore; le merkatore ke in le altere die ya-disputa forte de lu kesef nunk ya-sta kum le vakue manu ak ya-spekta lu mare.
Old men stood with children on their shoulders; women held flowers; merchants who on other days argued fiercely over money now stood empty-handed and gazed out to sea.

Le nobile ak le ministre ya-move apud lu aperte via, dum le gardu ya-mone le homine ke illus debe ya-mane retro.
Nobles and officials moved along the open way, while the guards warned the people that they must stay back.

Super lu turba le vexillu ya-move in lu ventu.
Above the crowd, a banner moved in the wind.

Titrit ya-spekta super se.
Titrit looked up.

“Patre, ya-spekta.”
“Father, look.”

Maximu ya-leva lu kapite.
Maximu raised his head.

Lu grande purpure vexillu ya-move super lu kar.
The great purple banner moved above the quay.

In lu mediu era lu auree leone kum le duo kapite, ak super le duo kapite era lu diadema kum lu kruke.
In the centre was a golden lion with two heads, and above the two heads was a crown with a cross.

Kiam lu ventu ya-fie forte, lu tote signu ya-appara; kiam lu ventu ya-minue, lu purpure pannu ya-pende ak lu auree leone paene ya-dispare.
When the wind grew strong, the whole emblem appeared; when the wind died down, the purple cloth hung slack and the golden lion almost disappeared.

Marku ya-dike:
Marku said:

“Lu vexillu de lu rege.”
“The king’s banner.”

“Ita.”
“Yes.”

“Jek non ya-vide eum ita grande antea.”
“I’ve never seen one so large before.”

“Forsitan tu non ya-sta ita prope antea,” Tazrint ya-dike.
“Perhaps you’ve never stood so close before,” Tazrint said.

Apud lu kar le gardu ya-move le homine retro.
At the quay the guards moved the people back.

Nemo vole ya-mane retro, quia omne vole ya-vide lu prime momentu kiam lu filia de lu romane imperatore, ke ya-nube lu prinkipe de lu bizakene regnu in lu Konstantinopoli, ya-pone lu pede super lu terra de lu Karthagine.
No one wanted to stay back, because everyone wanted to see the first moment when the daughter of the Roman emperor, who had married the prince of the Bizaken kingdom in Constantinople, set foot on the soil of Carthage.

Lu unu vetere viru apud Maximu ya-dike:
An old man beside Maximu said:

“Jek ya-veni ante lu sole.”
“I came before sunrise.”

Marku ya-spekta ad eum.
Marku looked at him.

“Tu ya-vide lu nave?”
“Have you seen the ship?”

“Non adhuk.”
“Not yet.”

“Ergo kur tu ya-veni ita mane?”
“Then why did you come so early?”

Lu vetere viru ya-spekta ad Marku quasi lu rogatione era stulte.
The old man looked at Marku as though the question were foolish.

“Ut jek ya-sta ante te.”
“So that I could stand in front of you.”

Titrit ya-ride forte, ak etiam Tazrint ya-subride.
Titrit laughed loudly, and even Tazrint smiled.

Subite de lu parte de lu mare ya-veni lu klamore.
Suddenly a shout came from the direction of the sea.

Lu turba ya-move quasi lu unu korpore.
The crowd moved as though it were a single body.

Le homine ya-leva le kapite, le pueru ya-inkipi ya-klama, le manu ya-attolle ak ya-indika ad lu mare, ak lu sonu ke antea era lu kontinue murmure nunk ya-fie lu unu grande voke.
People raised their heads, children began to shout, hands rose and pointed towards the sea, and the sound that had been a constant murmur now became one great voice.

“Nave!”
“Ship!”

“Ubi?”
“Where?”

“Ibi!”
“There!”

“Lu nave de lu prinkipe!”
“The prince’s ship!”

Marku ya-extende lu kollu.
Marku craned his neck.

“Jek non ya-vide.”
“I can’t see.”

Titrit ya-dike:
Titrit said:

“Tu era plus alte quam jek.”
“You’re taller than I am.”

“Hok non ya-iuva si le kente homine era ante me.”
“That doesn’t help if there are a hundred people in front of me.”

“Le mille,” Tazrint ya-dike.
“A thousand,” Tazrint said.

Marku ya-spekta ad lu matre.
Marku looked at his mother.

Illa ya-subride.
She smiled.

Postea Maximu ya-vide lu mastu.
Then Maximu saw the mast.

Primo sole lu summu ya-appara ultra le altere nave, ita parve ke lu mastu pote ya-dispare inter le mastu de lu portu; postea lu albe velu ya-appara sub lu forte lumine, deinde lu korpore de lu grande nave ya-veni lente in lu portu, ak apud eum ya-move le duo plus parve nave ke ya-seque eum usque ad lu kar.
At first only the top appeared beyond the other ships, so small that the mast could have disappeared among the masts in the harbour; then the white sail appeared in the bright light, and finally the hull of the great ship came slowly into the harbour, accompanied by two smaller ships that followed it all the way to the quay.

Lu sonu de lu turba ya-fie plus forte.
The sound of the crowd grew louder.

Marku nunk ya-vide lu nave.
Marku could now see the ship.

“Illa era ibi?”
“Is she there?”

“Nemo de nos pote ya-vide eam de hik,” Maximu ya-dike.
“None of us can see her from here,” Maximu said.

“Sed illa era super lu nave.”
“But she’s on the ship.”

“Ita, si lu nave non ya-perde eam per lu via.”
“Yes, unless the ship lost her on the way.”

Titrit ya-spekta ad lu patre.
Titrit looked at her father.

Maximu ya-subride.
Maximu smiled.

“Ak lu prinkipe?” Marku ya-roga.
“And the prince?” Marku asked.

“Etiam.”
“Him too.”

Titrit ya-dike:
Titrit said:

“Forsitan illus ya-spekta ad nos.”
“Perhaps they’re looking at us.”

Marku ya-ride.
Marku laughed.

“De ibi illus ya-vide sole lu turba.”
“From there they can only see the crowd.”

Titrit ya-spekta ad lu mare.
Titrit looked towards the sea.

“Nos era parte de lu turba.”
“We’re part of the crowd.”

Lu nave ya-appropinqua lente, ak dum le nauta ya-move super lu ponte, le homine super lu kar ya-klama le lor ordine.
The ship approached slowly, and as the sailors moved across the deck, the men on the quay shouted their orders.

Le fune akkede ya-praepara; le parve nave ya-move de lu via; lu unu post lu altere grande velu ya-fie minus plene; ak lu nave, ke ya-veni de ita longe per lu mare ak ya-porta le duo homine ut lu tote urbe hodie ya-klaude lu labore, ya-perde lente lu motu dum ille ya-appropinqua ad lu kar.
The ropes were prepared; the smaller ships moved out of the way; one after another the great sails grew slack; and the ship, which had come from so far across the sea and carried the two people for whom the whole city had stopped work today, slowly lost its momentum as it approached the quay.

Kiam lu nave ya-veni apud lu kar, lu turba ya-sile per lu momentu.
When the ship reached the quay, the crowd fell silent for a moment.

Lu subite silentiu era ita grande ke Maximu pote ya-audi lu aqua ke ya-feri lu latere de lu nave.
The sudden silence was so complete that Maximu could hear the water striking the side of the ship.

Lu fune ya-vola de lu ponte.
A rope flew from the deck.

Lu nauta ya-kape eum.
A sailor caught it.

Lu altere fune ya-seque.
Another rope followed.

Lu lignu ya-sona kontra lu kar, le homine ya-trahe, le nauta ya-klama, ak tandem lu grande nave ya-sta.
Wood sounded against the quay, the men pulled, the sailors shouted, and at last the great ship came to a halt.

Postea le kampana ya-sona.
Then the bells rang.

De lu urbe ya-veni lu forte sonu, lu unu post lu altere, ak lu portu ya-responde kum lu klamore de le homine.
From the city came their loud peals, one after another, and the harbour answered with the shouting of the people.

Le voke ya-surge, ya-miske kum le kampana ak kum lu sonu de lu mare, ak per lu breve tempore nemo pote ya-audi lu unu homine prope eum.
The voices rose, mingling with the bells and the sound of the sea, and for a short while no one could hear even the person beside them.

Titrit ya-kape lu manu de Tazrint.
Titrit took Tazrint’s hand.

“Matre.”
“Mother.”

“Ita.”
“Yes.”

“Illa nunk era in lu Karthagine?”
“Is she in Carthage now?”

Tazrint ya-spekta lu nave.
Tazrint looked at the ship.

“Ita.
“Yes.

Nunk illa era hik.”
“Now she is here.”

Super lu ponte ya-appara le prime homine.
The first people appeared on the deck.

Le nauta ya-move rapide, deinde le gardu ya-veni.
The sailors moved quickly, then the guards came.

Le alique viru kum le pulkre veste ya-sta apud lu ponte.
Some men in fine clothes stood by the gangway.

Post illus ya-veni le nobile homine de lu domu de lu prinkipe, ak le ministre ke ya-reveni de lu longe navigatione.
After them came noblemen of the prince’s household, and servants returning from the long voyage.

Marku ya-spekta sine ya-move.
Marku watched without moving.

“Ubi ille era?”
“Where is he?”

Maximu non ya-responde.
Maximu did not answer.

Deinde lu prinkipe ya-appara.
Then the prince appeared.

Lu klamore ya-surge ita forte ke per lu breve tempore Maximu pote nihil altere ya-audi.
The cheering rose so loudly that for a short while Maximu could hear nothing else.

Le manu ya-surge, le homine ya-klama lu nomine de lu prinkipe, ak lu unu femina ante Tazrint ya-fake lu signu de lu kruke.
Hands rose, people shouted the prince’s name, and a woman in front of Tazrint made the sign of the cross.

Lu prinkipe ya-sta super lu ponte, sed ille non era sole.
The prince stood on the deck, but he was not alone.

Apud eum ya-sta lu femina kum lu longe veste.
Beside him stood a woman in a long dress.

Titrit ya-respira forte.
Titrit drew a sharp breath.

“Lu prinkessa.”
“The princess.”

Nemo ya-responde ad eam.
No one answered her.

Per lu momentu lu prinkessa ya-mane silente apud lu maritu.
For a moment the princess remained silent beside her husband.

Illa ya-spekta de lu alte ponte ad lu portu ke era plene de le homine, ad le vexillu ke ya-move super lu kar, ad le albe domu ke ya-surge post lu mare, ak plus longe ad lu Karthagine, lu urbe ke usque ad hodie illa ya-ski sole de le verbu de lu maritu ak de le homine ke ya-veni de lu Afrika ad lu Konstantinopoli, sed ke nunk era ante le sue okulu ak debe ya-fie lu sue nove domu.
From the high deck she looked at the harbour filled with people, at the banners moving above the quay, at the white houses rising beyond the sea, and farther away at Carthage, the city which until today she had known only from the words of her husband and of the people who had come from Africa to Constantinople, but which now lay before her eyes and was to become her new home.

Lu ventu de lu mare ya-move lu margine de lu sue veste.
The sea breeze stirred the hem of her dress.

Super lu sue kapite lu leve pannu ya-move etiam, sed illa non ya-tene eum; illa ya-sta rekte apud lu prinkipe, dum lu tote portu ya-spekta eam.
The light cloth over her head moved too, but she did not hold it; she stood upright beside the prince while the entire harbour watched her.

Lu prinkipe ya-dike lu alique re ad eam.
The prince said something to her.

Illa ya-verte ad eum.
She turned to him.

Ille ya-indika lu urbe.
He pointed towards the city.

Lu prinkessa ya-seque lu sue manu kum le okulu ak ya-spekta iterum ad lu Karthagine.
The princess followed his hand with her eyes and looked again at Carthage.

Postea illa ya-subride.
Then she smiled.

Lu turba ya-klama iterum.
The crowd cheered again.

Marku ya-dike:
Marku said:

“Illa ya-subride ad nos.”
“She smiled at us.”

“Ad lu Karthagine,” Maximu ya-responde.
“At Carthage,” Maximu replied.

“Nos era lu Karthagine,” Titrit ya-dike.
“We are Carthage,” Titrit said.

Tazrint ya-spekta ad lu filia ak ya-subride.
Tazrint looked at her daughter and smiled.

Lu prinkipe ak lu prinkessa ya-deskende de lu nave.
The prince and the princess disembarked from the ship.

Ante illus le gardu ya-forma lu via, ak apud lu pede de lu ponte ya-exspekta le sakerdote, le prokere, le nobile homine ak le ministre de lu rege.
Ahead of them the guards formed a way, and at the foot of the gangway the priests, procurator, noblemen and ministers of the king were waiting.

Kiam lu prinkipe ya-veni ad lu terra, ille ya-saluta le homine ke ya-exspekta eum.
When the prince reached land, he greeted the people who were waiting for him.

Postea ille ya-verte, ya-spekta ad lu uxore ak ya-extende lu manu ad eam.
Then he turned, looked at his wife and held out his hand to her.

Lu prinkessa ya-deskende lu ultime parte de lu ponte ak ya-pone lu pede super lu kar.
The princess descended the last part of the gangway and set foot on the quay.

Lu klamore de lu turba ya-fie quasi lu sonu de lu mare kiam lu vehemente ventu ya-feri lu terra.
The roar of the crowd became like the sound of the sea when a violent wind strikes the shore.

“Ya-vive lu prinkipe!”
“Long live the prince!”

“Ya-vive lu prinkessa!”
“Long live the princess!”

“Ya-vive lu bizakene regnu!”
“Long live the Bizaken kingdom!”

Le voke ya-miske.
The voices mingled.

Le kampana ya-sona.
The bells rang.

Le vexillu ya-move super le kapite, ak lu auree leone kum le duo kapite ya-appara ak ya-dispare dum lu purpure pannu ya-move in lu ventu.
The banners moved above their heads, and the golden two-headed lion appeared and disappeared as the purple cloth moved in the wind.

Marku ya-klama kum le altere.
Marku shouted with the others.

Titrit primo ya-spekta eum.
At first Titrit looked at him.

Postea etiam illa ya-klama.
Then she too began to shout.

Maximu non ya-klama.
Maximu did not shout.

Ille ya-spekta ad lu prinkipe ak ad lu prinkessa dum illus ya-inkipi ya-ambula per lu via inter le homine, ak ille ya-kogita ke lu re ke ante le alique mense era sole lu rumore in lu merkatu nunk ya-sta ante eum in lu plena lumine de lu mane.
He watched the prince and princess as they began to walk along the way between the people, and he thought that what only a few months before had been merely a rumour in the market now stood before him in the full light of morning.

Lu prinkipe ya-reveni ad lu sue urbe, sed ille ke ya-abi de lu Karthagine sine lu uxore nunk ya-reveni kum lu filia de lu romane imperatore, kum lu femina ke ya-nube eum in lu Hagia Sophia, ak kum lu nove ligamine inter lu bizakene regnu ak lu grande imperiu de lu oriente; ak quamquam le homine kirke Maximu ya-spekta sole lu festu, lu veste ak lu iuvene prinkessa, ille ya-memini le verbu ke lu merkatore de lu Alexandria ya-dike in lu portu.
The prince had returned to his city, but the man who had left Carthage without a wife now returned with the daughter of the Roman emperor, with the woman who had married him in Hagia Sophia, and with a new bond between the Bizaken kingdom and the great empire of the East; and although the people around Maximu saw only the celebration, the fine clothes and the young princess, he remembered the words the merchant from Alexandria had spoken in the harbour.

Lu matrimoniu non ya-plake le Mahommetane rege.
The marriage does not please the Mohammedan kings.

Le verbu ya-reveni ad lu mente de Maximu sine ke ille ya-vole.
The words returned to Maximu’s mind against his will.

Per lu momentu ille ya-spekta ultra lu festu, ultra le vexillu ak le kampana, quasi post lu klare mane ak lu tante laetitia pote era lu alique re ke nemo adhuk pote ya-vide.
For a moment he looked beyond the celebration, beyond the banners and the bells, as though behind the bright morning and all that joy there might be something that no one could yet see.

Sed Titrit ya-trahe lu sue manu.
But Titrit pulled at his hand.

“Patre!
“Father!

Illa ya-veni!”
“She’s coming!”

Maximu ya-spekta iterum.
Maximu looked again.

Lu prinkessa nunk ya-praeteri prope illus.
The princess was now passing close to them.

Illa era iuvene.
She was young.

Le sue veste era pulkre ak dive, sed illa non ya-spekta kirke se kum lu superbia; illa ya-spekta le homine, le domu, le flore ak le pueru ke ya-klama ad eam, quasi illa vole ya-memini lu prime die kiam lu Karthagine ya-akkipe eam.
Her clothes were beautiful and rich, but she did not look around her with pride; she looked at the people, the houses, the flowers and the children who called out to her, as though she wanted to remember the first day when Carthage welcomed her.

Kiam lu parve pueru apud lu margine de lu via ya-leva le flore ad eam, illa ya-mane breve.
When a small boy at the edge of the way held up some flowers to her, she stopped briefly.

Lu gardu ya-move ante, sed lu prinkessa ya-extende lu manu.
The guard moved forward, but the princess held out her hand.

Illa ya-sume lu flore de lu manu de lu pueru ak ya-subride ad eum.
She took the flowers from the boy’s hand and smiled at him.

Lu turba ya-ride ak ya-klama, ak lu matre de lu pueru ya-leva le ambe manu kum lu tante laetitia ke Titrit etiam ya-ride.
The crowd laughed and cheered, and the boy’s mother raised both hands with such joy that Titrit laughed too.

Titrit ya-spekta kum le grande okulu.
Titrit stared wide-eyed.

“Illa ya-plake me,” illa ya-dike.
“I like her,” she said.

Marku ya-responde:
Marku replied:

“Tu non ya-ski eam.”
“You don’t know her.”

“Illa pote ya-plake me sine ya-ski eam.”
“I can like her without knowing her.”

Marku ya-aperi lu ore.
Marku opened his mouth.

Maximu ya-dike:
Maximu said:

“Non ya-inkipi.”
“Don’t start.”

Tazrint ya-ride.
Tazrint laughed.

Lu prokessione ya-perge lente de lu portu ad lu urbe.
The procession continued slowly from the harbour towards the city.

Ante ya-vade le gardu; post illus lu prinkipe ak lu prinkessa; deinde le prokere, le nobile homine, le ministre ak le homine ke ya-reveni kum illus de lu Konstantinopoli.
The guards went in front; behind them came the prince and princess; then the procurator, the noblemen, the servants and the people who had returned with them from Constantinople.

Retro illus le equu ak le kurru ya-porta le arka, le veste, le donu ak le altere re de lu longe itinere, dum apud le duo latere lu turba ya-move pariter kum lu prokessione, ya-klama, ya-ride ak ya-propera ut ya-vide iterum lu nove prinkessa.
Behind them horses and carts carried chests, clothes, gifts and other things from the long journey, while on both sides the crowd moved along with the procession, cheering, laughing and hurrying to catch another glimpse of the new princess.

Lu portu lente ya-fie plus vakue.
The harbour slowly grew emptier.

Maximu ak lu familia ya-mane per lu momentu apud lu aqua, quasi post lu tante sonu illus debe ya-akkipe iterum lu solite modu de lu portu ante ke illus pote ya-seque le altere.
Maximu and his family remained by the water for a moment, as though after so much noise they had to take in the harbour’s usual rhythm once more before they could follow the others.

Lu aqua adhuk ya-move apud lu kar.
The water still moved beside the quay.

Le nauta iam ya-reveni ad lu labore, le fune ya-tende inter lu nave ak lu terra, ak lu grande nave ke ya-porta lu prinkipe ak lu prinkessa de lu Konstantinopoli nunk ya-sta quiete post lu longe navigatione.
The sailors had already returned to work, the ropes stretched between the ship and the shore, and the great ship that had carried the prince and princess from Constantinople now lay still after its long voyage.

Super lu mastu lu parve vexillu adhuk ya-move in lu ventu.
Above the mast the small banner still moved in the wind.

Marku ya-spekta post lu prokessione.
Marku looked after the procession.

“Nos non ya-seque?”
“Aren’t we going to follow?”

Maximu ya-spekta ad Tazrint.
Maximu looked at Tazrint.

Tazrint ya-dike:
Tazrint said:

“Hodie nos ya-pote.”
“Today we can.”

Marku statim ya-move.
Marku immediately set off.

Titrit ya-kurre post eum.
Titrit ran after him.

Maximu ya-suspira, sed ille ya-subride.
Maximu sighed, but he smiled.

Deinde etiam ille ak Tazrint ya-seque le pueru, dum ante illus le kampana ya-sona super lu Karthagine, le purpure vexillu ya-move inter le albe domu, ak lu grande turba ya-porta lu nuntiu per le strata ke lu prinkipe iam ya-reveni ak ke lu prinkessa de lu Konstantinopoli nunk era in lu urbe.
Then he and Tazrint followed the children as well, while ahead of them the bells rang over Carthage, the purple banners moved among the white houses, and the great crowd carried the news through the streets that the prince had returned and that the princess from Constantinople was now in the city.

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