ay in tears and
weeping, calling for ever on Nouri and Houadir, and wishing that the
Prophet would permit her to follow them out of a world where she
foresaw neither comfort nor peace.

In the midst of these melancholy meditations, she was disturbed by a
knocking at the door. Urad arose with trembling, and asked who was
there.

"It is one," answered a voice in the softest tone, "who seeketh
comfort and cannot find it; who desires peace, and it is far from
him."

"Alas!" answered Urad, "few are the comforts of this cottage, and
peace is a stranger to this mournful roof: depart, O traveller,
whosoever thou art, and suffer the disconsolate Urad to indulge in
sorrows greater than those from which you wish to be relieved."

"Alas!" answered the voice without, "the griefs of the beautiful Urad
are my griefs; and the sorrows which afflict her, rend the soul of the
wretched Darandu!"

"Whatever may be the motive for this charitable visit, Darandu,"
answered Urad, "let me beseech you to depart; for ill does it become a
forlorn virgin to admit the conversation of the youths that surround
her: leave me, therefore, O swain, ere want of decency make you appear
odious in the sight of the virgins who inhabit the rocky banks of the
rapid Tigris."

"To convince the lovely Urad," answered Darandu, "that I came to
soothe her cares and condole with her in her losses (which I heard but
this evening), I now will quit this dear spot, which contains the
treasure of my heart, as, however terrible the parting is to me, I
rest satisfied that it pleases the fair conqueror of my heart, whose
peace to Darandu is more precious than the pomegranate in the sultry
noon, or the silver scales of ten thousand fishes enclosed in the nets
of my skilful comrades."

Darandu then left the door of the cottage, and Urad reclined on the
bed, till sleep finished her toils, and for a time released her from
the severe afflictions of her unguarded situation.

Early in the morning the fair Urad arose, and directed her steps to
the rocks of the Tigris, either invited thither by the melancholy
reflections which her departed mother occasioned, or willing to take a
nearer and more unobserved view of the gentle Darandu.

Darandu, who was just about to launch his vessel into the river,
perceived the beauteous mourner on the rocks; but he was too well
versed in love affairs to take any notice of her: he rather turned
from Urad, and endeavoured by his behaviour to