Egypt--had erected, and which bore his imperial name. At length the
agent, for whom he waited, made his appearance. This man, though
actually a Turkish dependent in the service of the Florentine Envoy,
was, as before stated, neither more nor less than one of the numerous
spies placed by the reis-effendi round the person of that embassador.
Alessandro was aware of this, in consequence of the offers and
representations that had been made to him through the means of this
agent, and though the youth suspected that the man knew more concerning
the beauteous idol of his heart than he had chosen to admit, yet he had
seen enough to convince him of the inutility of questioning him on that
head.

It was, therefore, in silence that Alessandro followed his guide through
several by-streets down to the margin of the waters of the Golden Horn.
There a boat, in which two rowers and a female slave were seated, was
waiting.

"Here, must you be blindfolded," said the spy.

For a few moments Alessandro hesitated, in regret that he had gone so
far with this adventure. He had heard fearful tales of dark deeds
committed on the waters of the Bosporus and the Golden Horn; and he
himself, when roving during his leisure hours along the verdant banks of
those waters, had seen the livid corpse float with the tale-telling
bow-string fastened round the neck.

The spy seemed to divine his thoughts.

"You hesitate, signor," he said; "then let us retrace our way. But
remember," he added in a low tone, "that were treachery intended, it
would be as easy to perform the deed where you now stand, as on the
bosom of that star-lit gulf."

Alessandro hesitated no longer, but suffered himself to be completely
hooded in a cap which the spy drew over his countenance. He was then
conducted into the boat and guided to a seat next to the female slave.
The spy leapt upon the strand, the boatmen plied their oars, and the
skiff shot away from the bank, no one uttering a word.

[END OF PART I.]

_PART II._

CHAPTER XLV.

THE LADY OF CONSTANTINOPLE.

For upward of half an hour did the boat skim the surface of the Golden
Horn, the dip of the oars in the water and the rippling around the sharp
prow alone breaking the solemn silence of the night. At length the skiff
stopped, and the female slave took Alessandro's hand, whispering in a
low tone, "I will serve as thy guide, Christian; but speak not till thou
hast permission."

She then le