from her, which I did with great
care, Bennaskar commanded me to lift the body into the apartment, gave
me a phial of clear blue liquor, and ordered me to pour it into her
mouth, while he retired to the closet.

I willingly obeyed, and hastened to administer the liquid, while
Bennaskar retired.

The liquor was no sooner swallowed than the lovely female began to
move, and in a short time opening her eyes, she cast them upon me, and
shrieked out, clapping her hands together and crying, "O Allah, defend
me!"

Bennaskar at the same time spoke to her from the closet where he was
concealed.

"Hemjunah," said he, "are you as yet disposed to yield yourself to the
will of Bennaskar, or must we still experience the evils of opposite
enchantment?"

"Wretch!" answered the fair stranger, "I fear not the powers of your
accursed magic, for Macoma has assured me that you shall not be able
to harm me except with my own consent; and Mahomet, though for a time
he permits this enchantment, will at length assuredly deliver me."

"Then," answered Bennaskar, "must the lash be inflicted. Here,"
continued he, "slave Mahoud, inflict fifty lashes on that obdurate
female."

I took the chabouc from Bennaskar, and began, with trembling, my cruel
office, lamenting my own blind compliance in promising to obey a
monster whom I had mistaken for a friend.

As the lash touched the beautiful Hemjunah, she made the vaulted roof
re-echo with her cries; nor did my heart feel less sensibly the
strokes which I gave than her own. The tears trickled down my cheeks,
and I prayed inwardly to be delivered from the hateful task.

"What," said Bennaskar from the closet, "what doth Hemjunah now say to
my desires?"

"The hard-hearted and the cruel," said Hemjunah, faintly, "are the
last to win the soft affections of a female heart: rather let me die
than be the property of the vile Bennaskar."

"If so," said he, coming from the closet, "die: for the present I
resign my power. Let Macoma hide thee again in the dust of the earth."

Bennaskar no sooner appeared than the beautiful Hemjunah again seemed
to die away, and immediately a hissing noise was heard, and an ugly
dwarf arose from the trap-door, and took the body of Hemjunah and
replaced it in the earth, and the trap-door was closed with a roaring
noise.

Bennaskar then beckoned me to follow him, and leading me to the bath,
bade me wash and return to the saloon in my proper vestments.

I was so surp