e for your forgiveness?"

"On one condition, sultan, and swear that you will grant what I
require."

"I do, by Allah!"

"It is, that you send me back to my own country."

Not to detain your highness by dwelling too long upon what passed, it
will suffice to say, that notwithstanding the intreaties of the sultan,
and the pleadings of my own heart, my resolution was immovable. Every
arrangement was made for my departure, and during the preparations, the
sultan was continually with me, persuading me to abandon the idea. The
magnificence and liberality which he showed in the costly presents
bestowed upon me, that I might return with honour and wealth to my own
country, more than once made me waver in my resolution. The evening
before my departure he made a last attempt, but in vain. My refusal was
at least softened by the tears which I shed, for now that the time of
departure was so near, I felt how truly, how devotedly I was attached to
him. We parted; I threw myself on the couch, and wept till the dawn of
day, when I was summoned to commence my journey.

As your highness may be aware is the custom, when my brother was
executed, all his property was seized by the sultan, and distributed
among the favourites. The new capitan pacha who succeeded my brother
was called Abdallah, and was said to be an excellent soldier. Part of
my brother's property was made over to him, and among the rest the
Georgian slave, who had been the ruin of my brother, and had so fatally
destroyed my happiness. To show me every attention and respect, the
sultan had ordered Abdallah in person to escort me to my own country,
with a picked body of cavalry. The cavalcade was magnificent--treasure
had been heaped on treasure--present upon present; twenty women of my
own country, and numerous slaves had been permitted to attend upon me,
and the procession wore the appearance of a pageant. I ascended my
litter with an aching heart; and, journeying by easy stages, arrived at
the land of my nativity. The borders were passed, and Abdallah
requested me to write an acknowledgment that he had done his duty, which
the sultan would require of him upon his return. I gave him the paper;
and, professing many wishes for my future happiness, he assembled his
troops, and the escort turned the heads of their neighing steeds towards
the city, where my heart had truly been left behind.

It will now be necessary to revert to the Georgian slave, who had been