est despair.

When Hussain arrived home, he ordered his daughter to go to bed
immediately, that she might rise with the early dawn, bathe, perform
her devotions, and prepare for a long journey which they would make
together. Poor Gulhyndi passed the night in the greatest affliction,
being convinced that her father had arranged every thing for flight,
and that she had seen Ali for the last time.

Early the next morning Hussain entered her chamber, and seeing her on
her knees in fervent prayer, retired until she had finished; he then
ordered Maria to go to her room. He now said to his daughter: "I was
delighted to see you praying so fervently. I doubt not but that Allah
will forgive the sins that you have committed in this world against
your father and your honour. All is now over in this world. My enemy
has triumphed; he has won the heart of the caliph, and Haroun al
Raschid will use his power, and have me executed if I do not comply
with his wish. As ever since I commenced life, honour always had a
higher worth than life itself, I now much prefer death to disgrace.
But I will not quit this world until I have deprived you of the
possibility of degrading me after my death, by a shameful alliance with
the son of my worst enemy. The prophet has given every Mussulman the
right of chastising his children, and has made him the master of their
lives. As a wise guardian, who sees that the flower which he has
carefully cultivated will, in time, be destroyed by worms, so do I
pluck you, fair bud, that you may not wither disgracefully. I take you
with me to the everlasting habitations, and hope to answer there for
this act with a good conscience. Praised be Allah, the Lord of the
creation, the Judge of the last day, the most merciful Being!"

With these words he took a dagger from his bosom, and plunged it into
the heart of the beautiful Gulhyndi. For an instant he held his
daughter, who was now pale in his arms, looked at her, and then laid
her gently on the ground. He now took a blue silk cord, put it round
his neck, drew it tight without trembling, and thus voluntarily cut
short his days, faithful to his pride and implacability.

The following morning the caliph went for Hussain and Gulhyndi; only
their corpses were found. Ali shed many tears on the pale face of his
Gulhyndi, but they could not wake her. It being a custom with the
Mohammedans to bury their dead three hours after their decease, Hussain
and his d