dissipation,
with a broken constitution and ruined mental faculties to the grave.

Komel seemed gradually to settle down to a quiet and even half
satisfied consciousness of her situation. True, she could not but
often sigh for her home and parents, but with her more settled
condition fresh spirits had come to her features, and renewed
energies were depicted in every movement of her graceful and lovely
form. Though constantly surrounded by a troop of slaves, chosen
solely for their personal beauty and the charms that made them excel
their sex generally, still she outshone them all, and that, too,
without the simplest effort to do so; and yet for all this, so sweet
was her native disposition, and so winning and gentle her spirit at
all times, that they loved her still as at first, without one
thought of envy or jealousy.

So far as her companions were concerned, therefore, she could hardly
have been more happily situated than she was, and for their kindness
she strove to manifest the kind, affectionate promptings that
actuated her heart. She even joined them in many of their games and
sports, though most of her time was passed alone, save that the
idiot boy almost ever sought her out, and came and slept at her
side, or seemed to do so, only too much delighted when she showed
him any little, careful attention, and watching her when she did not
observe him, with an intensity that seemed strange in one who was
not supposed to be possessed of any actual reasoning powers, or
indeed of much brains at all.

Having no mental occupation, the poor boy, who was, as far as his
physical developments went, a specimen of rare youthful beauty and
grace of form, employed a large portion of his time in such
exercises and feats of agility as a sort of animal instinct might
lead him to attempt, and thus Komel was often startled by suddenly
beholding him dangling by his feet from some lofty cypress, swinging
to and fro like a monkey; or to observe him turning a series of
summersets, in a broad circle, with such incredible swiftness as to
cause all distinctness of his form to be lost, producing a most
singular and magical appearance. Then, perhaps, after forming a
circle thus on the green sod he would suddenly plunge into its
midst, coil himself up like a snail, or put his head between his
feet, and thus go to sleep, or lie there as still as though he had
been a stone, for hours at a time.

Thus, days and weeks passed on in the same rou