wn her life, is thyself!"

Ibrahim was for some minutes too much overcome by astonishment to offer
an observation--to utter a word; while the page remained kneeling at his
feet. Then suddenly it flashed to the mind of the grand vizier that the
only humble abode which he had entered since he had become an officer
holding a high rank in the service of Solyman, was that of his Greek
emissary, Demetrius; and it now occurred to him, that there was a
striking likeness between the young page and the beautiful Calanthe:
whom he had seen on that occasion.

"Constantine," he said, at length, "art thou, then, the brother of that
Demetrius whom I dispatched some three months ago to Florence?"

"I am, my lord--and 'tis our sister Calanthe of whom I have spoken," was
the reply. "Oh! pardon my arrogance--my presumption, great vizier!" he
continued, suddenly rising from his kneeling position, and now standing
with his arms meekly folded across his breast--"pardon the arrogance,
the insolence of my conduct," he exclaimed; "but it was for the sake of
my sister that I sought service in the household of your highness. I
thought that if I could succeed in gaining your notice--if in any way I
could obtain such favor in your eyes as to be admitted to speak with one
so highly raised above me as thou art, I fancied that some opportunity
would enable me to make those representations which have issued from my
lips this day. How patiently I have waited that occasion, Heaven knows!
how ardent have been my hopes of success, when from time to time your
highness singled me out from amongst the numerous free pages of your
princely household to attend upon your privacy--how ardent, I say, these
hopes have been, your highness may possibly divine. And now, my lord,
that I _have_ succeeded in gaining your attention and pouring this
secret into your ears, I will away to Calanthe and impart all the
happiness that is in store for her. Though the flowers may hold up their
heads high in the light of the glorious sun, yet she shall hold hers
higher in the favor of your smile. Generous master," he added, suddenly
sinking his voice to a lower tone and reassuming the deferential air
which he had partially lost in the excitement of speaking, "permit me
now to depart."

"This evening, Constantine," said the grand vizier, fixing his dark eyes
significantly upon the page, "let your sister enter the harem by the
private door in the garden. Here is a key; I will give