whereupon he came in confused and trembling as if he were going to
encounter a host of enemies. Leonisa was seated at the foot of a great
marble staircase, in the dress in which she had appeared before the
pashas. Her right arm resting on her knee supported her head, and her
back was towards the door by which Mario entered, so that though he
advanced to where she sat, she did not see him.

Ricardo cast his eyes all round the place when he entered; all was
silence and solitude till he turned his gaze to where Leonisa sat.
Instantly he was seized with a thousand conflicting emotions. He was
within twenty paces of the object of his soul's desire; but he was a
captive, and the glory of his life was in the power of another. Thus
agitated with fear and exultation, joy and sadness, he advanced towards
her slowly, until Leonisa suddenly turned round and her eyes met his
earnest gaze. He stopped, unable to move another step. Leonisa, who
believed him to be dead, was struck with awe and consternation at seeing
him so unexpectedly before her. With her eyes still fixed upon him and
without turning her back, she retreated up four or five stairs, took a
little cross from her breast, kissed it again and again, and crossed
herself repeatedly, as though a being from the other world stood before
her. Ricardo presently recovered himself, and perceiving from Leonisa's
gestures what was the cause of her terror, he said, "It grieves me,
beautiful Leonisa, that the news which Mahmoud gave you of my death was
not true, so that I might be free from the fear I now feel lest the
rigour you have also shown towards me still subsists entire. Set your
mind at ease, lady, and come down; and if you will do what you have
never yet done--approach me--you will see that I am not a phantom. I am
Ricardo, Leonisa,--Ricardo the happy, if you will bid him be so."

Here Leonisa put her finger to her lips, giving Ricardo to understand
that he should be silent or speak more low. Gathering a little courage,
he drew near enough to hear her whisper thus: "Speak softly, Mario (for
so I hear you are now called): talk of nothing but what I talk of, and
bear in mind that if we are overheard it will be the cause of our never
meeting again. I believe that Halima, our mistress, is listening to us:
she has told me that she adores you, and has sent me here as her
intercessor. If you will respond to her desires, you will consult the
interest of your body more than of your s