In this situation she was taken to their hut some miles further down the coast, and remained there many days, almost expiring; at length the hand of Heaven raised her, and she was able to tell her name and rank. Deprived of her soul’s treasure, Kara Aziek believed that she should not tarry after him on earth, but she was willing to die on the bosom of her parent, and to receive the consolations of religion in her parting hour. She therefore gave orders for being conveyed to the Alcayde of the province, who deeming it his duty to forward her to her father, supplied her with guards and a physician, under whose protection she was moved in a sort of litter, by easy stages, from the kingdom of Suz to that of Fez. At this part of his narrative, the dervise suddenly broke off, “alas my memory!” he exclaimed, “this bird was to have been dispatched with tidings if I found thee--I see Tefza approaching along the road--thou hast no time to write--the sight of her bird will suffice--” “Stay Abensallah!” cried Sebastian, catching his arm as it was extended to give the dove liberty;--the dervise paused, while the King hastily pulled from his head a lock of hair, and pushing aside the loose sleeve of his habit, untwisted a braid of Kara Aziek’s, which from its length surrounded his wrist several times. The sight of that lovely-soft hair, revived the memory of her lovelier form, and Sebastian’s emotions now assumed a more passionate cast; his eyes sparkling with vehement wishes, floated in a kind of rapturous dizziness; half-closing them, he leaned for support against the shoulder of Abensallah: an ardent sigh burst from his oppressed heart. “Moderate this transport, my son!” said the dervise gravely, “or turn it towards that God to whom thou owest so much.”-- Sebastian blushed, and roused himself. “My heart _does_ overflow with gratitude;” he replied, “Heaven reads it: but surely I may be permitted to feel the value of what that Heaven restores?”-- As he spoke, he was weaving the locks of hair together, intending them to convey to Kara Aziek the sentiment of their inseparable union,----the gentle dove scarcely fluttered in Abensallah’s grasp, while Sebastian fastened the precious knot under her wing; no sooner was it fixed, than running to the furthest edge of the terrace, he unloosed the bird, which shot away with the velocity of light. Her white pinions, rendered visible by the darkening twilight, enabled them long to trace her course through air, but at length she diminished to a mere speck, and the next moment disappeared wholly. The eyes of the King remained fixed upon that part of the sky where she had vanished; Abensallah had just time to whisper that he would finish his story on the morrow, before Tefza joined them.