treacherous Governor lavished upon him. Meanwhile the hope of
finding a suitable moment to reproach him for his apostasy made him
submit to those honors which his uncle caused to be rendered to him.
The Governor evaded with address the chance of being alone with Huon
and spent all the morning in taking him through his gardens and palace.
At last, when the hour of dinner approached, and the Governor took him
by the hand to lead him into the dining-hall, Huon seized the
opportunity and said to him in a low voice, "O my uncle! O Prince,
brother of the Duke Sevinus! in what condition have I the grief and
shame of seeing you!" The Governor pretended to be moved, pressed his
hand, and whispered in his ear, "Silence! my dear nephew; to-morrow
morning I will hear you fully."
Huon, comforted a little by these words, took his seat at the table by
the side of the Governor. The Mufti, some Cadis, Agas, and Santons,
filled the other places. Sherasmin sat down with them; but Floriac, who
would not lose sight of his guests, remained standing, and passed in
and out to observe what was going on within the palace. He soon
perceived a number of armed men gliding through the passages and
antechambers connected with the dining-hall. He was about to enter to
give his guests notice of what he had seen when he heard a violent
noise and commotion in the hall. The cause was this.
Huon and Sherasmin were well enough suited with the first course and
ate with good appetite; but the people of their country not being
accustomed to drink only water at their meals, Huon and Sherasmin
looked at one another, not very well pleased at such a regimen. Huon
laughed outright at the impatience of Sherasmin, but soon, experiencing
the same want himself, he drew forth Oberon's cup and made the sign of
the cross. The cup filled and he drank it off, and handed it to
Sherasmin, who followed his example. The Governor and his officers,
seeing this abhorred sign, contracted their brows and sat in silent
consternation. Huon pretended not to observe it, and having filled the
cup again handed it to his uncle, saying, "Pray, join us, dear uncle;
it is excellent Bordeaux wine, the drink that will be to you like
mother's milk." The Governor, who often drank in secret with his own
favorite Sultanas the wines of Greece and Shiraz, never in public drank
anything but water. He had not for a long time tasted the excellent
wines of his native land; he was sorely tempted to dri
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