t is you
who told the Queen this story. You are the somebody who has invented
this fatal falsehood. What was your object I care not to inquire,
knowing full well, that, if you had an object, you never would spare
friend or foe. Leave me. I have little wish to live; but I believe in
the power of truth. I will confront the Queen and tell her all. She will
credit what I say; if she do not, I can meet my fate; but I will not,
now or ever, entrust it to you.'

Thereupon Fakredeen burst into a flood of passionate tears, and,
throwing himself on the ground, kissed Eva's feet, and clung to her
garments which he embraced, sobbing, and moaning, and bestowing on her
endless phrases of affection, mixed with imprecations on his own head
and conduct.

'O Eva! my beloved Eva, sister of my soul, it is of no use telling you
any lies! Yes, I am that villain and that idiot who has brought about
all this misery, misery enough to turn me mad, and which, by a just
retribution, has destroyed all the brilliant fortunes which were at last
opening on me. This Frank stranger was the only bar to my union with
the sovereign of these mountains, whose beauty you have witnessed, whose
power, combined with my own, would found a kingdom. I wished to marry
her. You cannot be angry with me, Eva, for that. You know very well
that, if you had married me yourself, we should neither of us have been
in the horrible situation in which we now find ourselves. Ah! that would
have been a happy union! But let that pass. I have always been the most
unfortunate of men; I have never had justice done me. Well, she loved
this prince of Franguestan. I saw it; nothing escapes me. I let her know
that he was devoted to another. Why I mentioned your name I cannot
well say; perhaps because it was the first that occurred to me; perhaps
because I have a lurking suspicion that he really does love you. The
information worked.

My own suit prospered. I bribed her minister. He is devoted to me. All
was smiling. How could I possibly have anticipated that you would ever
arrive here! When I saw you, I felt that all was lost. I endeavoured to
rally affairs, but it was useless. Tan-cred has no finesse; his replies
neutralised, nay, destroyed, all my counter representations. The Queen
is a whirlwind. She is young; she has never been crossed in her life.
You cannot argue with her when her heart is touched. In short, all is
ruined;' and Fakredeen hid his weeping face in the robes of Eva.