ncess, but an unhappy stranger, who intended soon to have
left this country, in which I am now to be imprisoned for ever.'
'Whoever, or whencesoever, you are,' returned the Arab, 'your dress, and
that of your servants, show your rank to be high, and your wealth to be
great. Why should you, who can so easily procure your ransome, think
yourself in danger of perpetual captivity? The purpose of my incursions
is to increase my riches, or, more properly, to gather tribute. The sons
of Ishmael are the natural and hereditary lords of this part of the
continent, which is usurped by late invaders, and low-born tyrants, from
whom we are compelled to take, by the sword, what is denied to justice.
The violence of war admits no distinction: the lance that is lifted at
guilt and power, will, sometimes, fall on innocence and gentleness.'

"'How little,' said I, 'did I expect that yesterday it should have
fallen upon me!'

"'Misfortunes,' answered the Arab, 'should always be expected. If the
eye of hostility could learn reverence or pity, excellence, like yours,
had been exempt from injury. But the angels of affliction spread their
toils alike for the virtuous and the wicked, for the mighty and the
mean. Do not be disconsolate: I am not one of the lawless and cruel
rovers of the desert; I know the rules of civil life: I will fix your
ransome, give a passport to your messenger, and perform my stipulation,
with nice punctuality.'

"You will easily believe, that I was pleased with his courtesy: and,
finding, that his predominant passion was desire of money, I began now
to think my danger less, for I knew that no sum would be thought too
great for the release of Pekuah. I told him, that he should have no
reason to charge me with ingratitude, if I was used with kindness, and
that any ransome, which could be expected for a maid of common rank,
would be paid; but that he must not persist to rate me as a princess. He
said he would consider what he should demand, and then, smiling, bowed
and retired.

"Soon after the women came about me, each contending to be more
officious than the other, and my maids, themselves, were served with
reverence. We travelled onwards by short journeys. On the fourth day the
chief told me, that my ransome must be two hundred ounces of gold; which
I not only promised him, but told him, that I would add fifty more, if I
and my maids were honourably treated.

"I never knew the power of gold before. From that time,