terior when the effervescence within, as he afterwards
admitted, almost blew his head off like a champagne cork.

By degrees he calmed down, ceased breaking the point of his pencil, and
used his india-rubber less frequently. Then he took to colour and the
brush, and here the tide began to turn in his favour. _Such_ a subject
surely never before sat to painter since the world began! He became
engrossed in his work. The eyes became intent, the hand steady, the
heart regular, the whole man intense, while a tremendous frown and
compressed lips told that he "meant business!"

Not less intense was the attention of the Moor. Of course we cannot
tell what his thoughts were, but it seemed not improbable that his
eccentric recklessness in violating all his Mohammedan habits and
traditions as to the seclusion of women, by thus exposing Hester to the
gaze of a young infidel, had aroused feelings of jealousy and suspicion,
which were not natural to his kindly and un-Moorish cast of soul.

But while young Foster was employed in the application of his powers to
energetic labour, the old Moor was engaged in the devotion of _his_
powers to the consumption of smoke. The natural results followed.
While the painter became more and more absorbed, so as to forget all
around save his sitter and his work, the Moor became more and more
devoted to his hookah, till he forgot all around save the soporific
influences of smoke. An almost oppressive silence ensued, broken only
by the soft puffing of Ben-Ahmed's lips, and an occasional change in the
attitude of the painter. And oh! how earnestly did that painter wish
that Ben-Ahmed would retire--even for a minute--to give him a chance of
exchanging a word or two with his subject.

But the Moor was steady as a rock. Indeed he was too steady, for the
curtains of his eyes suddenly fell, and shut in the owlish glare with
which he had been regarding the middy. At the same moment a sharp click
and clatter sent an electric thrill to the hearts of all. The Moor's
mouthpiece had fallen on the marble floor! Ben-Ahmed picked it up and
replaced it with severe gravity, yet a faint flicker of red in his
cheek, and a very slight air of confusion, showed that even a
magnificent Moor objects to be caught napping by his slaves.

This incident turned Foster's thoughts into a new channel. If the Moor
should again succumb to the demands of nature--or the influence of
tobacco--how could he best make use of