Like all other lovers he fancied that no one loved like him; like all other lovers he believed that _his_ passion must be crowned with success. Erring Sebastian! perhaps the very reason upon which thou didst ground this presumptuous certainty, should have been the awakener of thy fears! Happiness is not for mortality; and would not happiness uniformly result from the enjoyment of a virtuous affection exactly returned?-- He now calculated the number of days in which the caravan would arrive on the confines of Egypt, they must then separate: by the most sacred promise he was bound to accompany Tefza in his progress to the tomb of Mahomet, after which he would be free; but in the meantime what would become of Kara Aziek? would the laws of Moorish mourning protect her from the coarse passion of Ibrahim? She had assured him that they would.-- Satisfied with this assurance, (satisfied because his hopes were changed into confidence,) he revolved in his mind a multitude of visionary projects for her escape from the Basha, which alternately seized and abandoned, employed all his faculties so entirely, that he did not perceive himself deserted by Barémel.--The overjoyed animal had sprung into the tent after Kara Aziek, and now re-appeared; his master instantly felt the use that might be made of him, and extending an eager hand to his collar, found what he expected, a piece of writing beneath it. As he crushed the precious vellum in his hand, he darted round a glance of apprehension; no one had observed, for all were only beginning to rouse themselves from sleep.-- It was not till he had removed to a distance, and knew himself concealed by a cluster of palm-trees, that he opened and read these brief sentences. “We must not trust ourselves to behold each other again, while surrounded by the Basha’s people;--I know thou art near to me, and that must be sufficient--convey thy plans to me--rely on the eternity of my love--I will live and die, only thine.”-- Transported with a prospect of correspondence, yet determining to use it with prudence, Sebastian hid the letter in his breast, and hastened to rejoin his companions, who were by this time preparing to strike their tents and re-load their camels. As they rode slowly together in the track of the caravan, the persevering Hadgé resumed his old theme; both his eloquence and his pertinacity seeming to increase as he drew nearer the native country of Mahomet. Sebastian had no longer thoughts for so futile a subject: neither arguments nor bursts of scorn interrupted Tefza, and charmed with this fancied attention, the good man believed himself on the point of saving a soul from perdition.--