As Kara Aziek hastened to follow the slow progress of Sebastian, some unfeeling wretches scoffingly bade her behold the King her husband, and admire the splendor of his array; she flashed on her insulters a glance of honourable indignation, for in her heart was love and veneration united for him they contemned. No fear, no shame could find entrance there: love raised to enthusiasm by grief and admiration, irradiated her features, and gave its former bright flush to her burning cheek: a single black garment wrapt her somewhat wasted figure; her head and feet were bare, by orders of the merciless Sossa; but those delicate feet rending their tender surface against the sharp pavement of the streets, and that hair which fell dishevelled in all its beauty around her, excited only the more compassion. Beauty is the most touching orator; and the loveliness of Kara Aziek heightened the effect produced by her devoted attachment to the husband she followed. As they moved along, preceded by a herald, proclaiming the offence and the sentence awarded to Sebastian, the murmurs which at first rose among the crowd, gradually died away, till an awful and unbroken silence universally prevailed. The people looked on each other with sorrow and amazement; while Sebastian now and then removing his eyes from Heaven, looked round upon the spectators with pardon and pity for their sin of consenting to so black an act. At times, when the herald called aloud, “this man whom traitors assert to be the King of Portugal, &c.” Sebastian would interrupt him in a loud voice, exclaiming, “and so I am,”--then resuming his calm attitude, proceed in dignified silence. Arrived at his place of destination, he turned to bid farewel to some of his humblest friends, whom he recognized amongst the crowd. “Friends!” he said, “ere you lose sight of me for the last time perhaps, bear witness that I testify to the truth of my own assertion: I am Sebastian King of Portugal; this matchless woman my lawful and beloved wife. I submit humbly to the will of God, not basely to the oppression of man: my body I account for nothing; and upon that only, may Philip heap indignity and pain; my soul, is above his reach. “From such of you as have suffered, or may suffer loss for my sake, I crave pardon and pity; the most grievous of my sorrow, is the consciousness of having caused sorrow to others: Heaven will reward you, since the unfortunate Sebastian has no longer any thing to bestow but his poor thanks.” He had scarce spoken, when the sound of weeping was heard, and a woman pressing forward, threw herself on the earth before him and Kara Aziek: it was Paula the widow of Gaspar. At sight of her, Sebastian turned pale from excess of emotion, and tears gushed from his eyes. “My poor Gaspar!” he exclaimed, “I regretted thee when I should have rejoiced! hadst thou lived to see this woeful day!”