of his character; and that daughter was in the hands
of the king who had sentenced the father to the tortures of the
Inquisition! To what dangers might she not be subjected, by the
intolerant zeal of conversion! and could that frame, and gentle heart,
brave the terrific engines that might be brought against her fears?
"Better," thought he, "that she should perish, even by the torture,
than adopt that hated faith." He gnashed his teeth in agony at either
alternative. His dreams, his objects, his revenge, his ambition--all
forsook him: one single hope, one thought, completely mastered his
stormy passions and fitful intellect.

In this mood the pretended santon met Boabdil. He represented to the
king, over whom his influence had prodigiously increased since the
late victories of the Moors, the necessity of employing the armies of
Ferdinand at a distance. He proposed, in furtherance of this policy,
to venture himself in Cordova; to endeavour secretly to stir up those
Moors, in that, their ancient kingdom, who had succumbed to the
Spanish yoke, and whose hopes might naturally be inflamed by the recent
successes of Boabdil; and, at least, to foment such disturbances as
might afford the king sufficient time to complete his designs, and
recruit his force by aid of the powers with which he was in league.

The representations of Almamen at length conquered Boabdil's reluctance
to part with his sacred guide; and it was finally arranged that the
Israelite should at once depart from the city.

As Almamen pursued homeward his solitary way, he found himself suddenly
accosted in the Hebrew tongue. He turned hastily, and saw before him an
old man in the Jewish gown: he recognised Elias, one of the wealthiest
and most eminent of the race of Israel.

"Pardon me, wise countryman!" said the Jew, bowing to the earth, "but I
cannot resist the temptation of claiming kindred with one through whom
the horn of Israel may be so triumphantly exalted."

"Hush, man!" said Almamen, quickly, and looking sharply round; "I thy
countryman! Art thou not, as thy speech betokens, an Israelite?"

"Yea," returned the Jew, "and of the same tribe as thy honoured
father--peace be with his ashes! I remembered thee at once, boy
though thou wert when thy steps shook off the dust against Granada.
I remembered thee, I say, at once, on thy return; but I have kept thy
secret, trusting that, through thy soul and genius, thy fallen brethren
might put off sackcloth a