aughter were deposited immediately in a burial vault outside
of the city, whither Ali followed his beloved. When all had retired,
he alone continued sitting in the burying-ground, on her tomb. In the
clear night, when the moon illumined the tomb, he said, after a deep
silence: "I must see her once more; the sacred moon shall once more
shine upon her in my arms, before her beautiful body is reduced to
dust." As he said these words, he saw something moving in the high
grass between the graves. In hopes that it was the grave-digger, he
went near, to ask him to lift the stone from the tomb. On approaching
quite close, he discovered that it was Lockman, and shuddered at
meeting this little monster on so sacred a spot. By the pale moonlight
he appeared to him more hideous and fiend-like than formerly. "What
are you doing here?" he asked him.

"I assist my master, as I am ever wont to do."

"I no longer want your assistance; you are the cause of her misfortune
and her death; you seduced me to see her; without me she would still
live and be happy."

"Would you rather wish never to have seen her?"

"Go call the grave-digger, and then go home."

"The grave-digger is from home; I know what you want, and can afford
you better assistance than he."

"You shall not move the stone from the grave."

"That would be of little use, for she is not in it."

"She is with Allah, but her body is there. I have myself lowered the
coffin into the vault, and have never since left the spot."

"Where her body is, there she also is," said Lockman; "but neither of
them is in the vault."

Having said these words, he picked up a human bone from the ground, and
knocked with it gently three times on the stone, which moved of its own
accord. "Now look in," said he.

Ali looked, and saw Gulhyndi's and Hussain's coffins standing open and
empty. "Heaven! what is this?" cried Ali, rending his clothes in
despair.

"Gulhyndi is not dead," said Lockman; "she lives, and still lives for
you; if you wish to see her, go some night across the desert. Rest
yourself near the spring of Ali Haymmamy, and then go towards the ruins
of Babylon; towards the west there is a large grotto of marble; at its
entrance you will find me ready to conduct you to your beloved. Banish
fear from your heart, and harbour no unworthy suspicion towards your
friend and protector."

When Lockman had thus spoken, he went away and disappeared among the
graves, a few pa