urkish mariners and some Greek Christians. He put all
his wealth on board it; Halima, too, left nothing of value behind her,
and asked her husband to let her take her parents with her that they
might see Constantinople. Halima entertained the same designs as Mahmoud
and Ricardo; she intended, with their help, to seize the brigantine, but
would not make this known to them until she found herself actually
embarked. Afterwards she proposed to land among Christians, return to
her old creed, and marry Ricardo; for she had reason to suppose that
bringing so much wealth with her, he would not fail to take her to wife
on her again becoming a Christian.

Ricardo had another interview with Leonisa, and made known to her the
whole scheme they had projected; and she in return apprised him of the
designs of Halima, who kept no secret from Leonisa. After mutual
injunctions of secrecy, they bade each other adieu until the day of
embarkation. When it arrived, Hassan escorted the party to the shore
with all his soldiers, and did not leave them until they had set sail.
Even then he never took his eyes off the brigantine until it was out of
sight. It almost seemed as if the sighs heaved by the enamoured
mussulman swelled the gale, and impelled with more force the sails that
were wafting away his soul. But as love had allowed him no rest, but
plenty of time to consider what he should do to escape being killed by
the vehemence of his unsatisfied desire, he immediately put in operation
a plan he had long matured. He put fifty soldiers, all trusty men, bound
to him by many favours received and expected, on board a vessel of
seventeen benches, which he had secretly fitted out in another port;
and he ordered them to pursue and capture the brigantine with all its
wealth, and put every soul on board to the sword, with the exception of
Leonisa, whom he desired to have as his own sole share of the immense
booty. He also ordered them to sink the brigantine, so that no trace of
her fate might remain.

Animated with the hope of plunder the soldiers proceeded with the utmost
alacrity to execute the pasha's orders, which seemed the more easy as
the crew of the brigantine were unarmed, not anticipating any such
encounter. It had been now two days under sail, which seemed two
centuries to the cadi, who would fain, on the very first of them, have
carried his design into effect. But his two slaves represented to him
the absolute necessity that Leonisa shou