ertificate of your death,
I immediately imagined that he wanted it in order to induce Amine to
marry him. But where is she? is the question. If we could only find
out that soldier, we might gain some information."

"Depend upon it, she is here," replied Philip, clenching his hands.

"I am inclined to think so," said Krantz; "that she is alive, I feel
assured."

The conversation was continued until the moon rose, and threw her beams
over the tumbling waters. Philip and Krantz turned their faces toward
the sea, and leant over the battlements in silence; after some time
their reveries were disturbed by a person coming up to them with a
"_Buenos noctes, signor_."

Krantz immediately recognised the Portuguese soldier, whose conversation
with him had been interrupted.

"Good night, my friend! We thank Heaven that you have no longer to turn
the key upon us."

"Yes, I'm surprised!" replied the soldier, in a low tone.--"Our
Commandant is fond of exercising his power; he rules here without
appeal, that I can tell you."

"He is not within hearing of us now," replied Krantz. "It is a lovely
spot this to live in! How long have you been in this country?"

"Now thirteen years, signor, and I'm tired of it. I have a wife and
children in Oporto--that is, I _had_--but whether they are alive or not,
who can tell?"

"Do you not expect to return and see them?"

"Return--signor! no Portuguese soldier like me ever returns. We are
enlisted for five years, and we lay our bones here."

"That is hard indeed."

"Hard, signor," replied the soldier in a low whisper; "it is cruel and
treacherous. I have often thought of putting the muzzle of my arquebuse
to my head; but while there's life there's hope."

"I pity you, my good fellow," rejoined Krantz; "look you, I have two
gold pieces left--take one; you may be able to send it home to your poor
wife."

"And here is one of mine, too, my good fellow," added Philip, putting
another in his hand.

"Now may all the saints preserve you, signors," replied the soldier,
"for it is the first act of kindness shown to me for many years--not
that my wife and children have much chance of ever receiving it."

"You were speaking about a young European woman when we were in the
dungeon," observed Krantz, after a pause.

"Yes, signor, she was a very beautiful creature. Our commandant was
very much in love with her."

"Where is she now?"

"She went away to Goa, in company with a priest