“Rely on him, sire, and if he still rule in the new world when your majesty receives this letter, follow me thither: O! trust not your precious life amongst a set of traitors, who have thirsted even for the blood of your humble messenger. “Obeying the call of a superior duty, I trust my family confidently to the Holy Spirit: fortunately no one knew more of me than my name, and my sisters may therefore live without fear of molestation. “I invoke Jesus, and the Virgin Mother, to hear all those prayers I daily put up for the good Kara Aziek and for my injured sovereign!--I throw myself at his august feet, and venture to kiss and to embrace his sacred hands.-- “The devoted GASPAR.” The first emotion of joy which had for some time warmed the frozen heart of Sebastian, now glowed there; transported out of himself by this unexpected assurance of his friend’s existence, he exclaimed aloud, “Not at his feet Gaspar, in your King’s arms!”-- A profound sigh followed these words, and Sebastian’s mind was soon filled with so many torturing remembrances of the worthlessness of others, that he forgot both his situation and his companions. Starting from a reverie at an action of Barémel’s, he addressed the awestruck girls, enquiring about their condition and their resources. From the younger he learnt that they obtained a living by working in vineyards, (their mother having died while Gaspar was in Africa,) and that the eldest might be married to the son of a wealthy muleteer, did she possess only a portion of five gold crowns. How often had the present of Kara Aziek kept Sebastian from feeling the sharpest sting of misery, an inability to reward services or to bestow relief! he now took out the Moorish handkerchief in which it was wrapt, and bidding Marakita advance, put into her hands some ornaments of precious stones; “Take these,” he said, “they are all that is left an injured monarch to bestow; they will enrich your husband, and enable you to give a portion to your young sister when she is of an age to marry: the remainder I go to share with Gaspar.--Do not shew these gems for awhile; I may then be far from pursuit--far from a country where love, loyalty, friendship, the ties of blood, and the closer bond of affection, exist no more for me.” Alarmed by the excessive wildness of the young monarch’s looks and voice, and well informed of his sad story, the two sisters shed tears in abundance, timidly asking a few questions, and scarce venturing to raise their eyes, while they invoked blessings on their royal benefactor and on their brother. Much affected, the King returned their blessings, adding with a strangely-frantic smile, “Hear me, ye guardian saints of Portugal,--unless I am Heaven’s outcast also!” The sun’s broad light now warned him to begone; and repeating his injunctions, he bade adieu to Marakita and her sister. CHAP. V.