The repast being over, the story-loving Saracens gathered around the Howadji, who continued to unfold the stores of his learning, descanting upon the beauties of the place, and the influences of the stars, that, like the generations of the earth, follow each other in solemn procession, through the heavens; and drawing from his memory gems of poetry appropriate to the time and occasion. Thus said he:-- "Open thine eyes to consider the Narcissus, Thou wouldst say it is the circle of the Pleiades around the sun; Yet since the Rose has removed the veil from before her cheek, The Narcissus has become all eyes to gaze upon her." "The Violet has felt humbled and concealed her head under the purple mantle that covers her; One would say that the verdure has formed beneath her feet inviting unto prayer." "Yet as the sun among the stars, and the rose among the flowers of the garden, So is the Beloved to the partial eyes of the lover." A voice singing or chanting in the Persian, seemed to reply from the precincts of the tomb:-- "Child of Adam, heir of worldly glory, let not Hope deceive thee, For I passed an undistinguished grave in the midst of a garden, And the narcissus, and the rose, and the violet clustered round it, And the star-like anemone shed its red light upon it. And I said, whose tomb is this? And the soil answered, Be respectful, for this is the resting-place of a lover." "So I said, God keep thee, oh! victim of love, For thou hast fallen beneath the simoom of passion, Or perished with the mildew of disappointment." The voice ceased--the company waited in silence for the renewal of the song: but the nightingale alone took up the strain, and the spreading of the tents and the sweet slumber that falls upon the weary, effaced the remembrance of the mysterious serenade from the minds of all but Cohr-Eddin. A superstitious fear weighed upon the spirit of the lover, and haunted his imagination. It was destiny warning him of disappointment, it was a rival triumphing in his chagrin; in either case it argued ill for the success of his suit, and robbed him of his rest. When they set forward the following morning, they again caught a glimpse of the unknown cavalier, spurring on before them, and a messenger, mounted on the fleetest steed of the party, was despatched to overtake the stranger, and learn his purpose. The mission was unsuccessful, and the affair was passed over in silence.