The distress painted on his manly features, was visible to Kara Aziek through her transparent veil--she hastened to efface it--“I must not detain thee here,” she said blushing, “even now my heart trembles for fear, I have done wrong in admitting thee into these apartments--but I could not deny myself the gratification of telling thee that I will not lose sight of thy poor friend; if money may avail, Gaspar shall regain his freedom, and return to Portugal to prepare the way for thee.--Go Prince! (for I cannot call thee Fabian now) go, and believe that Kara Aziek knows no other bliss on earth than that of trying to resemble the ministering spirits of Heaven. Thy rare example first taught her, that it is noble to live solely for others.” Sebastian’s heart made a more animated reply to this speech than he suffered to flow from his lips: her disinterested goodness was exalted in his eyes from the very circumstance which threatened to weaken its force: if she loved him, and felt that her peculiar happiness was only to be found in his presence, what heroic generosity was it, thus to sacrifice every selfish consideration, by seeking to procure for him the means of withdrawing to a rival and a distant land. After expressing some part of his feelings, and tenderly assuring her of his deep concern at her increased illness, he once more wrapped himself in the mantle, and passed with Benzaide through the outer chambers. On quitting that side of the Cassavee, Sebastian proceeded to see and thank Hafiz, to whom he owed the prompt interference of Aziek: his acknowledgements were received with a mixture of kindness and anger; for Hafiz was to lose his services a whole month, and could not comprehend what he wanted with liberty, when so indulged by him and the Almoçadem. From the gardens the unfortunate monarch proceeded to the scene of new labour; there he toiled under a sky like burning brass, without shelter, almost without sustenance; but his mind was too full of interesting thoughts to leave him time for noticing bodily suffering: Gaspar and far distant freedom, tortured remembrance. Though the strict command of her father deterred Kara Aziek from attempting to see Sebastian while he wore out his days of penance remote from Hafiz, she contrived to send him every night various refreshments, accompanied sometimes by short billets: in one of these she gave him the unexpected information of Gaspar’s being free, and now on his way to Portugal.