la's absence that I could dwell on her portraiture.
She had just turned her fourteenth year; and though certainly not
considered, even in the east, as matured, yet, forced like a flower,
fanned by the sultry west wind, into early developement, her form, like
its petals bursting through the bud, gave promise of the rarest beauty
and sweetness. Nurtured in the shade, her hue was pale, but contrasted
with the date-coloured women about her, the soft and transparent
clearness of her complexion was striking; and it was heightened by
clouds of the darkest hair. She looked like a solitary star unveiled
in the night, The breadth and depth of her clear and smooth forehead
were partly hidden by the even silky line from which the hair arose,
fell over in rich profusion, and added to its brightness; as did the
glossy, well-defined eye-brow, boldly crossing the forehead, slightly
waved at the outer extremities, but not arched. Her eyes were full, even
for an orientalist, but neither sparkling nor prominent, soft as the
thrush's. It was only when moved by joy, surprise, or sorrow, that the
star-like iris dilated and glistened, and then its effect was most
eloquent and magical. The distinct ebon-lashes which curtained them were
singularly long and beautiful; and when she slept they pressed against
her pale cheeks, and were arched upwards.

"That portion of the eye, generally of a pearly whiteness, in hers was
tinted with a light shade of blue, like the bloom on a purple grape, or
the sky seen through the morning mist. Her mouth was harmony and love;
her face was small and oval, with a wavy outline of ineffable grace
descending to her smooth and unruffled neck, thence swelling at her
bosom, which was high, and just developing into form. Her limbs were
long, full, and rounded, her motion was quick, but not springy, light
as a zephyr. As she then stood canopied beneath the dense shade of that
sacred Hindoo tree, with its drooping foliage hanging in clusters round
her, in every clasped and sensitive leaf of which a fairy is said to
dwell, I fancied she was their queen, and must have dropped from one of
the leaves, to gambol and wanton among the flowers below. Running to
her, I caught her in my arms, and said, 'I watched your fall, and have
you now, dear sprite, and will keep you here!'--pressing her to my
bosom.

"'Oh, put me down! You hurt me,--I have not fallen,--oh, let me go!'

"'Will you promise then not to take flight to your leafy