Again the opinion of Sebastian varied, and requiring the boy to calm himself, he succinctly related the interview between him and Prince Abbas: By this detail Zaphna learned that Abbas in reality knew nothing that could endanger the character or safety of his protectress, and this conviction quieted him: the honourable frankness of Sebastian heightened his esteem for the master he served, and wiping his tears, he said firmly, “I may not answer any question implied by this recital, but I venture to protest Sir Knight, that my lady is incapable of giving warrant to the Prince of Persia’s suspicions. A chaste woman believes herself safe everywhere, and she ventured therefore to visit a young warrior alone, in the dead of night. Think better of her than Prince Abbas does.”--Here Zaphna’s firmness forsook him, and he broke off with a deep sigh. There was something in the boy’s manner which perplexed Sebastian: this alternate appearance of timidity and of courage, this extreme sensibility to the cause of his mistress, nay more, the visible trouble excited in him by the name of Abbas, forced him to recur again to that suspicion which his friend had infused: he almost believed that he beheld in Zaphna the young Princess of Persia herself. At this idea, did “no thought infirm alter his cheek?”--did no throb of vanity or passion transiently disorder the movement of that heart, which ought never to have beaten but for Kara Aziek?--not one!--all the sensibilities of his age and nature glowed solely for her; in her was summed up to him everything that is tender, trusting, faithful, and delightful: he needed not the aid of principle to assist him in remaining true to one who loved him so devotedly.--The constancy and intensity of her love, had sealed his for eternity. “We will dismiss this subject;” said he, after a long and serious pause, “Suffice it that you tell your lady what we have discoursed on, lest any mischance should happen from the Prince’s rigorous attention to Persian customs: I would have nothing to reproach myself with. The Prince and I are now separated by our different duties; we command in different provinces; perhaps we may never meet again; one or both of us may fall in battle: should it be my fate, I charge you preserve his esteem to my memory.” This sad image excited such excessive emotion in Zaphna, that pale, trembling, and tearful, he spoke almost without consciousness, faltering out, “The Prince does not join you then--one of you may fall!--your injunction shall be obeyed--but O never may”----the incoherent sentence was lost in sighs. Grieved to have thus pained him, Sebastian indulgently bade him retire, Zaphna prest his hands on his bosom and disappeared.