ack, to have a sight of his unknown
songstress. He asked Captain Hogg to bring on shore some inch line, and
he contrived to make a ladder with three or four poles which were
upstairs, used for drying linen. He fixed them against the wall without
noise, all ready for the evening. It was a beautiful clear moonlight
night, when he went up, accompanied by Jack. The air was again sung,
and repeated by. Gascoigne, who then softly mounted the ladder, held by
Jack, and raised his head above the wall; he perceived a young Moorish
girl, splendidly dressed, half lying on an ottoman, with her eyes fixed
upon the moon, whose rays enabled him to observe that she was indeed
beautiful. She appeared lost in contemplation; and Gascoigne would have
given the world to have divined her thoughts. Satisfied with what he
had seen, he descended, and singing one of the airs, he then repeated
the words, "Do not be afraid--I love you--I cannot speak your language."
He then sang another of the airs, and after he had finished he again
repeated the words in Arabic; but there was no reply. He sang the third
air, and again repeated the words, when, to his delight, he heard an
answer in Lingua Franca.

"Can you speak in this tongue?"

"Yes," replied Gascoigne, "I can, Allah be praised. Be not afraid--I
love you."

"I know you not; who are you? you are not of my people."

"No, but I will be anything that you wish. I am a Frank, and an English
officer."

At this reply of Gascoigne there was a pause.

"Am I then despised?" said Gascoigne.

"No, not despised, but you are not of my people or of my land; speak no
more, or you will be heard."

"I obey," replied Gascoigne, "since you wish it, but I shall pine till
to-morrow's moon. I go to dream of you. Allah protect you!"

"How amazingly poetical you were in your language, Ned," said Easy, when
they went into their room.

"To be sure, Jack, I've read the _Arabian Nights_. You never saw such
eyes in your life: what a houri she is!"

"Is she as handsome as Agnes, Ned?"

"Twice as handsome by moonlight."

"That's all moonshine, and so will be your courting, for it will come to
nothing."

"Not if I can help it."

"Why, Gascoigne, what would you do with a wife?"

"Just exactly what you would do, Jack."

"I mean, my dear Ned, can you afford to marry?"

"Not while the old governor lives, but I know he has some money in the
funds. He told me one day that I could not expect more th