Tefza was out, and did not re-appear till night was far wasted: on seeing his slave quietly standing at the gate watching his return, he uttered an exclamation of joy; Sebastian then found that the Hadgé had been all these hours in search of him, whom he believed gone to put his threat of flight into execution. The garments of Tefza were dripping with wet, for it had rained heavily after sun-set, and he was too solicitous to get tidings of his runaway, to think of sheltering himself: he now embraced Sebastian, saying, he trusted that Alla had made him repent his cruel anger, and disposed him to continue happily with one who loved him like a father. Gratitude and compunction did indeed appear in the King’s reply, but he gently repeated his unaltered determination, even while occupied in changing the old man’s soaked galebia, with a careful tenderness hostile to his words. Tefza sighed, squeezed the Christian’s hand, and withdrew shivering to his chamber. The night was spent by Sebastian in such disturbance of mind as keeps sleep far distant: passion and gratitude urged him to fly to Kara Aziek; gratitude joined by honour forbade him to escape from Tefza. In the storm raised by those contradictory emotions, reason’s voice was unheard; what passion wished, she pronounced lawful, what her rival attempted to say was hastily silenced. Never before had Sebastian found it difficult to discover the path of duty; he dreaded his final decision, because it might be influenced by his desires, and nearly leaned to the erroneous side merely from fearing himself too much. The next morning however, found him resolved to regain his rightful liberty by any means, since he had neither consented to part with it, nor forfeited his claim by the commission of crimes: accident alone, not even the chance of War, had brought him into bondage; perhaps, he thought, they who enlist under her banners bind themselves to abide by her nicer laws; here, however, no laws exist to chain me.-- Cheered by the serenity which always follows a resolution grounded upon conscientious deliberation, he lightly left his room, and was proceeding out of the house with an intent of purchasing in Riffa some coarse habit to serve as a disguise, when a low groan arrested his steps; he listened,--another, and another followed,--they came from the sleeping-room of his master. Forgetful of all those anxieties which but a moment before had engrossed him, he pushed open the door, and cautiously entered; the sound of his tread startled Tefza, he faintly unclosed his eyes, exclaiming “ah! is it you, my son!--give me some drink--I am very ill.” Sebastian hastened to his bed-side, on touching Tefza’s hand he found it dry and burning; his eyes were heavy, his breath short--every symptom announced one of those malignant fevers which so frequently ravage Barbary, and are produced by excessive moisture after intense heats.