The Weekly register., 1844-07-20


ly by the touching pathos Of his voice.
A pause ensued.
Sir MINSTREL she said suddenly you
pine for your country-do you not?
Can | forget the home where was
born, or the church-yard where my fa-
theirs sIeep?' he answered sadly. Again
there was a pause, and there seemed TO
be struggle in the Iady's bosom
When she spoke, there was a deep emo
tion in her voice.
'And would you run the peril of
reaching The Christian camp, ifyour
escape hence was connived ai?'
Dear lady, yes!'
You shall go. Tonight there will
/ be one at the seaward postern-you are
allowed the freedom Of the interior
the gate will be opened for you and
boat at hand. And may the God you
worship bless and preserve you and
she turned away TO hide her tears.
A new light broke in on the minstrel.
Could it be that he was teloyed? Was
this the cause ofthe kindness with which
he had been treated? With a sudden
| hope he wasabout 10 fling himselfat the
feet Of the princess when one Of her ia
theirs eunuchs entered the apartment,
and he was forced to resume his instru-
ment in order TO conceal his emotion
No further opportunity to speak with
his mistress occurred during the day,
and he left her presence curing the eve
ming in despair; should he avail himself
Of her offer to escape? If he were
certain of her love, nothing could in
duce him TO fy without her; but did she
love him?-This question the captive
could not answer. Harrassed with
doubts, he saw the appointed hour ar
rive, without having come to any con-
clusion. A new hope now arose. lie
would meet his mistress at the postern:
Alas! there was no one there but an
eunuch, whom she had bribed, who was
perversely silent. The minstrel was
still in doubts when lights were seen in
the garden, advancing towards the post
ern. No time was TO be lost. The eu-
much pushed him into the boat, the
crew Of hich Instantly rowed off from
land, and the captive, yielding TO his
fate, bade farewell forever 10 the Emir's
daughter.
But he could not forget her. Even
afer arriving at the christian camp,
and resuming his round, (for all had
thought him dead his only thought was
the Saracen beauty, and long he lin
gered in Palestine, when his interest
should have called him home, hoping to
hear Of her. But despair at length
took possession of him, and he returned
sadly to Europe, where the fairest Ia
dies of his own gay province strove in
vain TO win him, by their smiles.
Oh! had he known the agony with
which the Emir's daughter watched
from her tower, his departmental he
been told how, day By day, she sought
10 CLEAN some intelligence Of his arri-
val at the christian camp, he would have
left his broad possessions at once and
found his way back TO her, through
thousand perils, rather than she should
consider him ungrate(ul.-But little did
he immagine the sacrifice she had
made. Since the first day she saw the
pale but still noble looking captive, she
had surrendered to him her heart, and
the offer ofhis freedom sprang from the
heroic wish TO see him happy, even at
the sacrifice OF his company. Had he
spoken his love then, and she almost
wished he would, few words would
have induced her to sacI ifice- her father
country, and faith, to follow him but he
was silent and she feared her love was
despised. Still her noble heart refused
TO take its revenge by interrupting his
escape; but she watched his departue
hoping TO the last that he would COM
municate with her; and when she could
no more catch the shadowy figure Of
the receding boat, she flung herself on
her cushions and wept as if her heart