Babec indeed shared his regret, although he saw her joyfully nestling over her young ones in a cage of oziers, which Ismael had slung under the shade of a plane tree, near the cave;--without knowing where she was put, Tefza heard that she was given to Abensallah; and as doves in Barbary are considered the especial bird of God, he looked on such a present as a favorable omen. The travellers came up with the caravan, formed by the Basha’s people, after a journey of two days. With what tumult of heart did Sebastian behold the close litter of Kara Aziek! he dared not approach too near, lest the sound of her voice might reach him, and hurry him into a transport that must betray their attachment. Slowly traversing the desart of Zala, he and his pious companion shared in the advantages of the armed guard, and passed securely on through hordes of wandering people: at night he would draw near the tent where Aziek slept; his soul had no disquiet save for her safety; and for her he sometimes feared, when the indolent soldiers lay scattered about, offering an easy conquest to the robbers of those wilds. In one of these nights, when all the party were sunk to rest, Sebastian left the sleeping Tefza, and affecting to seek rest also, lay down before the women’s tent with Barémel at his side. As he lay, his ear caught the sound of a light tread; he drew back; some one advanced to the opening of the tent, as if to breathe fresher air; the person sighed,--ah! that soft but profound sigh, it could proceed from no other heart than Kara Aziek’s. Trembling with joy and apprehension, he now drew near again, and applying his face close to the tent, said in a low voice, “I am with thee, Aziek!” For a moment all was still; the next instant the drapery of the tent was drawn aside, and Kara Aziek herself appeared her face was lighted up with joy; she shrunk back, yet stretched out her arms towards him; he flew forward, he prest her to his heart, and then hastily relinquished her: she retreated quickly and dropt the curtain, while he threw himself again upon the ground. All this was done with such rapidity and in such silence, that he doubted whether he had or had not embraced the living Aziek; but transient was the doubt; sweet and consoling recollections succeeded. The throbbing of the faithful heart that had panted against his, yet seemed to say in every beat, “I am re-united to thee again--I will never belong to another!” Every thing appears possible to chaste and requited love: Sebastian now fondly believed that they were indeed re-united for ever; he dared presume that saints and angels, pleased with the sight of two hearts so purely attached, would plead for them in Heaven, and obtain their happiness of the Most High.