or aborigine was completely at the mercy of this
grotesque specimen of humanity.

Grinning over him with spite and mischief in his looks, the dwarf
stamped on the floor; presently there came two slaves, who, without
further notice than a blow now and then when resistance was offered,
bound him with stout cords, and bade him lie there until he should be
further disposed of. Inquiry was vain as to the cause of this
treatment. Bound hand and foot, he was then tossed with little
ceremony and less compunction into a corner of the room, and there
left to bemoan his hard fate. Perched just above his head sat the
cunning raven, who eyed him as though with serious intentions of
pecking at him in his present defenceless condition. He was soon aware
of this additional source of alarm, and as the bird's eye brightened
and twinkled with greedy anticipation, he rubbed his rapacious beak on
the perch, apparently whetting it for the feast. He then jumped down
on the floor, and hopping close to his victim, gave a hoarse and
dismal croak, a death-warning, it might be, to the unfortunate
captive. He tried to burst his bonds, and shrieked out in the
extremity of his alarm. His struggles kept the bird at a distance, but
it continued to survey him with such a longing, liquorish eye, that
the poor culprit felt himself already writhing, like another
Prometheus, under the beak of his destroyer. His terror increased. It
might be some demon sent to torment him; and this conviction
strengthened when he saw the dismal and hideous things that surrounded
him. Just as his agony was wrought to the highest pitch he heard
footsteps. Even the sound was some relief. He knew not what further
indignities--not to say violence--he might expect; but at all events
there would be a change, and it was hailed as an alleviation to his
misery.

The soothsayer presented himself, attended by the ugly dwarf.

"A stupid barbarian thou sayest the Fates have sent us?" said the
Chaldean, as he entered. "Bridle thine impious tongue, Merodac; what
the dweller in immortal fire hath decreed will be accomplished, though
by weak and worthless creatures such as these. What ho! stranger,
whence art thou? and why art thou moved so early across our
threshold?"

"My lord," said the prisoner, in a tone of entreaty, "these bonds are
unlawful--I am a freed man. Though a Briton, I am no slave; and I
beseech you to visit this indignity on that rogue who hath so scurvily
entreated me.