refused, to become the companion, rather
than the captive, of the Queen of the Ansarey; so that she might find
some opportunity of communicating with her two friends, of inquiring
about her father, and of consulting with them as to the best steps to be
adopted in her present exigency.

The interview, from which so much was anticipated, had turned out as
strange and as distressful as any of the recent incidents to which it
was to have brought balm and solace. Recognised instantly by Tancred and
the young Emir, and greeted with a tender respect, almost equal to the
surprise and sorrow which they felt at beholding her, Astarte, hitherto
so unexpectedly gracious to her captive, appeared suddenly agitated,
excited, haughty, even hostile. The Queen had immediately summoned
Fakredeen to her side, and there passed between them some hurried and
perturbed explanations; subsequently she addressed some inquiries to
Tancred, to which he replied without reserve. Soon afterwards, Astarte,
remaining intent and moody, the court was suddenly broken up; Keferinis
signifying to the young men that they should retire, while Astarte,
without bestowing on them her usual farewell, rose, and, followed by her
maidens, quitted the chamber. As for Eva, instead of returning to one of
the royal apartments which had been previously allotted to her, she was
conducted to what was in fact a prison.

There she had passed the night and a portion of the ensuing day, visited
only by Cypros, who, when Eva would have inquired the cause of all this
mysterious cruelty and startling contrast to the dispositions which had
preceded it, only shook her head and pressed her finger to her lip, to
signify the impossibility of her conversing with her captive.

It was one of those situations where the most gifted are deserted by
their intelligence; where there is as little to guide as to console;
where the mystery is as vast as the misfortune; and the tortured
apprehension finds it impossible to grapple with irresistible
circumstances.

In this state, the daughter of Besso, plunged in a dark reverie, in
which the only object visible to her mind's eye was the last glance of
her dying father, was roused from her approaching stupor by a sound,
distinct, yet muffled, as if some one wished to attract her attention,
without startling her by too sudden an interruption. She looked up;
again she heard the sound, and then, in a whispered tone, her name----

'Eva!'

'I am her