AWAY, away, Cypros! I can remain no more; my heart beats so.’ ‘Sweet lady,’ replied Cypros, ‘it is surprise that agitates you.’ ‘Is it surprise, Cypros? I did not know it was surprise. Then I never was surprised before.’

‘I think they were surprised, sweet lady,’ said Cypros, smiling.

‘Hush, you are laughing very loud, my Cypros.’ ‘Is that laughter, sweet lady? I did not know it was laughter. Then I never laughed before.’

‘I would they should know nothing either of our smiles or of our sighs, my Cypros.’

She who said this was a girl of eighteen summers; her features very Greek, her complexion radiant, hair dark as night, and eyes of the colour of the violet. Her beautiful countenance, however, was at this moment nearly shrouded by her veil, although no one could possibly behold it, excepting her attendant, younger even than herself, and fresh and fair as a flower.

They were hurrying along a wooden gallery, which led, behind the upper part of the divan occupied by the travellers, to the great square central tower of the quadrangle, which we have already noticed, and as the truth must always, or at least eventually, come out, it shall not be concealed that, availing themselves of a convenient, perhaps irresistible position, the fair fugitives had peeped into the chamber, and had made even minute observations on its inhabitants with impunity. Suddenly, Fakredeen rising from his seat, a panic had seized them and they hurried away.

The gallery led to a flight of steps, and the flight of steps into the first of several chambers without decoration, and with no other furniture than an Eastern apartment always offers, the cushioned seat, which surrounds at least two-thirds of the room. At length they entered a small alcove, rudely painted in arabesque, but in a classic Ionic pattern; the alcove opened into a garden, or rather court of myrtles with a fountain. An antelope, an Angora cat, two Persian greyhounds, were basking on the sunny turf, and there were many birds about, in rude but capacious cages.

‘We are safe,’ said the lady, dropping on the divan; ‘I think we must have been seen.’

‘That was clearly impossible,’ said Cypros.

‘Well, we must be seen at last,’ said the lady. ‘Heigho! I never shall be able to receive them, if my heart beat so.’

‘I would let them wait a few days, sweet lady,’ sai............