flection of a light on the winding passage, and could distinguish the fall of feet treading softly on the pavement. Fear for a moment possessed his breast, as he expected death was hasting to him before its appointed time; and his firm mind was scarcely recovered from the boding shock when he saw a female enter the place where he lay, with a lamp burning in her hand.

The gloomy cavern and the cold midnight air had chilled the blood and terrified the mind of the affrighted damsel, and she stood shivering before the sultan, unable to utter the motives of her visit.

The sultan, not less alarmed though less fearful than before, asked her on what errand she came through the horrors of the night.

First,' said the damsel, kneeling, 'let me, O stranger! loose you from these ignomi⚫nious chains.'

Upon which she took from her bosom the keys which unlocked the fetters, and released the sultan from his confinement.

• Gentle damsel!' said Adhim, 'what means this unexpected kindness?'

'I am,' answered she, the only daughter ' of Colac, the keeper of these dungeons, and

'am called Kufan, because of the blackness ' of my eyes; but were my eyes like jet, and 'more brilliant than the diamond, yet never can they be fixed on a more lovely object 'than on him who now stands before me.'

'What!' said Adhim, O wretched Kufan! ' have none of thy father's friends demanded thee, that thou comest at midnight among 'these damp walls to find thy paramour, and one, or I am much mistaken, whom thou 'hast never yet seen?'

O foolish young man!' said she, ''tis enough for you to know that Kufan loves, and you are happy;-happy, indeed, when love is the price of liberty!'

'Disgrace to your soft sex,' said Adhim, starting from her, avaunt! for rather had I bear my chains than meet a monster who belies her nature.'

Yet hear me, fool!' said she, ere day 'break in upon us, and cut off all future hope: 'I have the keys of every barred door which 'shuts you from mankind, and freedom waits "without to lead you into safety, if my love be 'first preferred.'

I would not wish to live,' said Adhim, on such mean terms: no, Kufan, base minds

' alone can love for profit; but thou hast cast thy sex's decent virtues far away, as I have 'heard in Europe's colder clime, where some 'bold females walk abroad usurping manly 'vice, and cast their nauseous wild embrace " on every passer by.'

Then,' said Kufan, her eyes flashing with indignant malice, 'die, cold senseless wretch! ' and cheap thy sacrifice of life, which is al'ready more than half extinct.'

As Kufan uttered these words, the arched passages of the dungeon echoed with an uncommon noise.

The sultan Adhim, conscious of his situation, was vexed in his heart that he had suffered Kufan to unlock his fetters; and he doubted not but those who were entering would suppose that he had consented to the damsel who was thus manifestly aiding his

escape.

In the midst of his anxiety and discontent the vile Lemack entered the dungeon, supported by Colac the keeper, holding a bloody scymitar in his hand.

'Slave!' said he to Colac, where is this rebel, whom justice wakes to punish at this silent hour of night? Other sultans leave the

'execution of their orders to the meanest of 'mankind, but they who hope to have them well 'performed should act the executioner them'selves. Yesah!' continued Lemack, starting, whom have we here? Damned Colac! dost thou solace thus thy prison guests, and 'make a seraglio of my dungeon?'

Colac, no less surprised at seeing his daughter with his prisoner than Lemack, was about to answer him, when the tyrant struck his scymitar into his heart, and fell with the murdered Colac on the ground.

Kufan screamed at the sight: for Kufan loved her dear parent with a noble fondness; and, though vicious in her mind, was yet tender and grateful to the father of her life.

Lemack struggled on the pavement to recover his feet; but the fumes of wine overpowed him, and in broken accents he stammered forth execrations on the author of his misfortune.

Adhim, perceiving no one came to the assistance of Lemack, seized the scymitar which the tyrant had plunged into the breathless body of Colac, and was about to strike it into the heart of Lemack; but seeing him breathless and extended, the sultan forbore: No,'

6

said he, thou art not fit to die, nor would it 'well become a noble spirit to finish that little of thee which vice hath spared.'

Then seizing on Kufan, as she knelt before her expiring parent

Damsel,' said he, I admire your filial piety and tenderness:-but the time is big 'with strange events, and will not yield her ' precedence even to nature; wherefore rise, and help me drag this unwieldy corse to

yonder chains and hear me, damsel-be obedient, and I will pardon and reward thee; for know, O Kufan! it is Adhim that directs your arm.'

Kufan, astonished at the words of Adhim, fell at his feet, and was about to reply; but he obliged her to rise, and by degrees they pulled along the stupified body of Lemack, and secured him with fetters and chains: then taking off his royal vestments, Adhim put them on himself, and commanding the virgin to continue in the dungeon, without making any alarm he passed through the arched passages, locking and barring the doors, and ascended into the court of the palace with the bloody scymitar in his hand.

VOL. II.

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