Kara Aziek under the command of her father, and himself in slavery, were ill able to give a happy change to their mutual destiny: it is true Abensallah had informed him that she would purchase his freedom through the medium of Benzaide’s brother-in-law, but observation of the Hadgé’s character warned him not to rely too much upon his acquiescence, and while contemplating the blind zeal of that devotee, he trembled to think, that after all, this bright dawn might darken, and the sun of felicity sink in clouds. The fourth day elapsed without bringing any intelligence from Benzeroel: every hour of those days had the King hurried to the terrace, and hastily glanced round the whole circle of air; in the evenings when Tefza was at the mosque, he repaired to his station, gazing with a throbbing heart, which mistook every cloud for a bird. The day was done, Tefza had come home and retired to rest, Sebastian sought the terrace again; he leaned over its railing, and his eyes wandered round a scene of solemn beauty. The “moon walking in brightness,” cast her sublime shadow upon the city below; the minaurets of its mosques, and the flat roofs of its houses were covered with light as with a mantle; profound repose rested on these buildings; but a moment before they had been full of hurry and noise: distant groves of tall palms, and the far-off mountains of Atlas with their snowy summits, glittered faintly on the horizon, filling the imagination with yet nobler images, and prompting genius and piety to awake together. The whole prospect breathed peace, and all nature appeared to feel in this majestic stillness the immediate presence of her Almighty Maker. Sebastian’s heart was touched, a sweet melancholy penetrated and filled it, never before had he thought of Kara Aziek with so little passion or so much love; never before had he contemplated eternity with her, with so much enthusiasm; he repeated her name softly, and some tears stole down his cheek. “O beautiful planet!” he exclaimed, fixing his swimming eyes on the orb above, “Thou alone art like my beloved! perhaps she is looking on thee at this moment, and thinking of her Sebastian: our souls are then meeting, Kara Aziek, sympathy unites them, though a hard fate separates our lives.--Are we not destined to live together in another world?--O yes, thou wilt abjure thy error, and give thyself to the God I worship.” He stopt, mused awhile, then recollecting the dove, again looked wistfully round. Perhaps some disaster had happened to her, some wandering Alarbe might have shot her as she flew! at so probable an idea composure vanished, and anxiety blended with pity began to encrease insupportably. But at that instant a bright speck is seen on the deep blue of the Heavens; it increases, approaches! soon the white wings of a bird are visible, they move swifter, they pause, it is the dove!