ombre_ whom the alguazils were so
lately seeking. Beware! his presence may get us into trouble."

"Ha! are you the fellow who played the alguazils such a trick?" cried
several of the young men.

Instead of replying, the stranger stamped with his foot; and, as if the
stamp had been the blow of an enchanter's wand, two folding-doors,
opposite to those by which he had entered the apartment, suddenly
opened, and four dancing figures, with flesh-coloured silk masks upon
their faces, and clothed in tightly-fitting dresses of the same
material, bounded into the room.

"Senorias! _Por el amor de Dios!_" cried the banker, imploringly.

As he spoke, two guitar-players, who accompanied the dancers, began
twanging their instruments; and the young men, absorbed in contemplation
of the graceful and luxuriant forms of the two female dancers, paid no
attention to his entreaties and warnings. Hastily gathering up his bank,
he packed it into a box, and left the saloon with all possible despatch.

And now, to the music of the guitars and the clatter of the castanets,
the two couples of dancers began a performance, of which the most vivid
pen would fail to portray the graceful and fascinating voluptuousness.
They commenced with the bolero, and thence glided, with a stamping of
the feet and whirling of the arms, into the more licentious fandango.
But the sensual character of the latter dance was so far veiled and
refined by the grace and elegance of the dancers, that what is usually
a mere appeal to the senses, became in their performances the very
poetry of motion. The young noblemen remained as though entranced, their
eyes fixed upon the dancers, and totally unable to give utterance to
their delight. While thus absorbed, they were suddenly startled by a
hoarse inarticulate sound, proceeding from the further corner of the
room. At the same moment the dance ceased; dancers and musicians retired
through the door by which they had entered, and a figure became visible
that will probably excite the astonishment of the reader as much as it
did that of the young cavaliers who now first perceived it.

Upon an ottoman extending along one side of the apartment, there
reclined, in a half-lying, half-sitting posture, a person whose dress
was that of a Moslem of the highest rank. His robe and turban were both
green, and in the folds of the latter was interwoven a chain, or wreath,
of precious stones, of extraordinary beauty and apparent value. In