ties which he acknowledged that she
possessed; and _now_ he would recollect the disgrace, the unmerited
disgrace, he had suffered through her means and he would then canvass
whether she really did believe him an intruder in her chamber for other
motives than those which actuated him or whether she had taken advantage
of his indiscretion. These accounts were nearly balanced in his mind:
he could have forgiven all if he had thought that Amine was a sincere
convert to the Church; but his strong conviction that she was not only
an unbeliever, but that she practised forbidden arts, turned the scale
against her. He watched her narrowly and when in her conversation she
showed any religious feeling, his heart warmed towards her: but when, on
the contrary, any words escaped her lips which seemed to show that she
thought lightly of his creed, then the full tide of indignation and
vengeance poured into his bosom.

It was in crossing the Bay of Bengal, to pass round the southern cape of
Ceylon, that they first met with bad weather; and when the storm
increased, the superstitious seamen lighted candles before the small
image of the saint which was shrined on deck. Amine observed it, and
smiled with scorn; and as she did so, almost unwittingly, she perceived
that the eye of Father Mathias was earnestly fixed upon her.

"The Papooses I have just left do no worse than worship their idols, and
are termed idolaters," muttered Amine. "What, then, are these
Christians?"

"Would you not be better below?" said Father Mathias, coming over to
Amine. "This is no time for women to be on deck; they would be better
employed in offering up prayers for safety."

"Nay, father, I can pray better here. I like this conflict of the
elements; and as I view, I bow down in admiration of the Deity who rules
the storm--who sends the winds forth in their wrath, or soothes them
into peace."

"It is well said, my child," replied Father Mathias; "but the Almighty
is not only to be worshipped in his works, but in the closet, with
meditation, self-examination and faith. Hast thou followed up the
precepts which thou hast been taught?--hast thou reverenced the sublime
mysteries which have been unfolded to thee?"

"I have done my best, father," replied Amine, turning away her head, and
watching the rolling wave.

"Hast thou called upon the Holy Virgin, and upon the saints--those
intercessors for mortals erring like thyself?"

Amine made no answer; she