all, and, after the
usual salutations of reverence to the lady, spoke earnestly in a low
voice. The lady listened with great attention, and then, taking out her
tablets from her girdle, she wrote a few words and gave a leaf to the
tall negro, who bowed and retired. Then she waved her hand, and the
maiden who was reading closed her book, rose, and, pressing her hand to
her heart, retired.

It seemed that the young Emir had arrived at the pavilion, and prayed
that, without a moment's delay, he might speak with the Lady of Bethany.

The curtain was again withdrawn, a light step was heard, the young man
who had recently passed Tancred on the road to Jerusalem bounded into
the room.

'How is the Rose of Sharon?' he exclaimed. He threw himself at her feet,
and pressed the hem of her garment to his lips with an ecstasy which
it would have been difficult for a bystander to decide whether it were
mockery or enthusiasm, or genuine feeling, which took a sportive air to
veil a devotion which it could not conceal, and which it cared not too
gravely to intimate.

'Ah, Fakredeen!' said the lady, 'and when did you leave the Mountain?'

'I arrived at Jerusalem yesterday by sunset; never did I want to see you
so much. The foreign consuls have stopped my civil war, which cost me a
hundred thousand piastres. We went down to Beiroot and signed articles
of peace; I thought it best to attend to escape suspicion. However,
there is more stirring than you can conceive: never had I such
combinations! First, let me shortly tell you what I have done, then what
I wish you to do. I have made immense hits, but I am also in a scrape.'

'That I think you always are,' said the lady.

'But you will get me out of it, Rose of Sharon! You always do, brightest
and sweetest of friends! What an alliance is ours! My invention, your
judgment; my combinations, your criticism. It must carry everything
before it.'

'I do not see that it has effected much hitherto,' said the lady.'
However, give me your mountain news. What have you done?'

'In the first place,' said Fakredeen, 'until this accursed peace
intrigue of the foreign consuls, which will not last as long as the
carnival, the Mountain was more troubled than ever, and the Porte,
backed up by Sir Canning, is obstinate against any prince of our house
exercising the rule.'

'Do you call that good news?'

'It serves. In the first place it keeps my good uncle, the Emir Bescheer
and his sons, prisoners