but Amine in the world.

One morning, as they were seated upon a green bank picking the flowers
that blossomed round them, and tossing them away in pure listlessness,
Amine took the opportunity that she had often waited for, to enter
upon a subject hitherto unmentioned.

"Philip," said she, "do you believe in dreams? think you that we may
have supernatural communications by such means?"

"Of course we may," replied Philip; "we have proof abundant of it in
the holy writings."

"Why, then, do you not satisfy your scruples by a dream?"

"My dearest Amine, dreams come unbidden; we cannot command or prevent
them--"

"We can command them, Philip; say that you would dream upon the
subject nearest to your heart, and you _shall_!"

"I shall?"

"Yes! I have that power, Philip, although I have not spoken of it.
I had it from my mother, with much more that of late I have never
thought of. You know, Philip, I never say that which is not. I tell
you, that, if you choose, you shall dream upon it."

"And to what good, Amine? If you have power to make me dream, that
power must be from somewhere."

"It is, of course: there are agencies you little think of, which, in
my country, are still called into use. I have a charm, Philip, which
never fails."

"A charm, Amine! do you, then, deal in sorcery? for such powers cannot
be from Heaven."

"I cannot tell. I only know the power is given."

"It must be from the devil, Amine."

"And why so, Philip? May I not use the argument of your own priests,
who say, 'that the power of the devil is only permitted to be used
by Divine intelligence, and that it cannot be used without that
permission?' Allow it then to be sorcery, or what you please, unless
by Heaven permitted, it would fail. But I cannot see why we should
suppose that it is from an evil source. We ask for a warning in a
dream to guide our conduct in doubtful circumstances. Surely the evil
one would rather lead us wrong than right!"

"Amine, we may be warned in a dream, as the patriarchs were of old;
but to use mystic or unholy charms to procure a vision, is making a
compact with the devil."

"Which compact the devil could not fulfil if not permitted by a higher
power. Philip, your reasoning is false. We are told that, by certain
means, duly observed, we may procure the dreams we wish. Our
observance of these means is certainly the least we can attend to, to
prove our sincerity. Forgive me, Philip, but are not observances