ge sound
so soft and musical upon my ears as now, flowing from those sweet lips
of thine."

"The Moslem maiden dares not listen to the flattery of the infidel,"
said the beauteous stranger in a serious but not severe tone. "Listen to
me, Christian, with attention, for our meeting must not be prolonged
many minutes. To say that I beheld thee with indifference when we first
encountered each other in the bazaar, were to utter a falsehood which I
scorn; to admit that I can love thee, and love thee well," she added,
her voice slightly trembling, "is an avowal which I do not blush to
make. But never can the Moslem maiden bestow her hand on the infidel. If
thou lovest me--if thou wouldst prove thyself worthy of that affection
which my heart is inclined to bestow upon thee, thou wilt renounce the
creed of thy forefathers, and embrace the Mussulman faith. Nor is this
all that I require of thee, or that thou must achieve to win me. Become
a true believer--acknowledge that Allah is God and Mohammed is his
prophet--and a bright and glorious destiny will await thee. For although
thou wilt depart hence without learning my name, or who I may be, or the
place to which you have been brought to meet me,--though we shall behold
each other no more until thou hast rendered thyself worthy of my hand,
yet shall I ever be mindful of thee, my loved one! An unseen, an unknown
influence shall attend thee: thy slightest wishes will be anticipated
and fulfilled in a manner for which thou wilt vainly seek to
account,--and, as thou provest thy talents or thy valor, so will
promotion open its doors to thee with such rapidity that thou wilt
strain every nerve to reach the highest offices in the state--for then
only may'st thou hope to receive my hand, and behold the elucidation of
the mystery which up to that date will envelop thy destinies."

While the lady was thus speaking, a fearful struggle took place in the
breast of Alessandro--for the renunciation of his creed, a creed in
which he must ever in his heart continue to believe, though ostensibly
he might abjure it--was an appalling step to contemplate. Then to his
mind also came the images of those whom he loved, and who were far away
in Italy:--his aunt, who had been so kind to him, his sister whom he
knew to be so proud of him, and Father Marco, who manifested such deep
interest in his behalf. But on his ears continued to flow the honeyed
words and the musical tones of the charming temptress; an