The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-06-25

has concealed her faee-she threw her
self on the divan beside her lover, and
lavished upon him all those terms Of en-
dearment, of which the Eastern tongue is
so profuse. She rem owed the fez cap
that he wore, and toyed with the short
clustering curls of his hair and reposing
her head upon his breast, looked up into
his face with soft glow on her features
and tendernss in her eye, that trans
formed her into another woman from the
eagle-eyed and imperious Nezle Khanum
of every day. She seemed to renew her
own youth wish proximity to this young
lover, the beauty of whose face and form
were well calculated to inspire admiration
10 the heart of woman.
The hours glided away, and the inter
view had been prolonged until the first
faint streaks in the Eastern sky heralded
the approach of dawn. The youa.g man
glanced up through the open lattice and
said:
''The morning hour approaches, and l
must tear myself away from Paradise be-
fore dawn; and the balbuf has not yet
been told why the rose ssnmoned him to
her bower SO urgently on this, most IA
yored of all the days of his life"
As he spoke, the face of the princess,
so radiant and loving until now, suddenly
changed its expression. The smile faded
away from her lips,- the light of love from
her eye, and the soft glow of gratified
passion was succeeded by the red flush
of anger She half withdrew her form
from the encircling arm of her lover, and
removed her hand from his brow, where
it had rested carelessly. Then cold,
cruel expression crept over her counten-
ance, and cleaned out of her glittering
ewes. She seemed suddenly to have re-
called some painful and irritating memo
nv, which the presence of her lover had
caused her to forget, but which his words
recalled. Her tone grew measured and
hard as she resumed:
s.There was time when the bulbul
needed no messenger to summon him to
the bower of the rose When the gar
den where she dispensed her perfume
was haunted by his presence and when
his wings could not bear him swiftly
enough back to her, from wanderings
But now it is different The bulbul
must be lured back and no sooner has
be been shared, than his wings futter
impatiently to fly again. But the pretty
bird should know"-and she cast upon
him look full of menace aud of mockery
-''that this cage is strong. and he may
be made to sing in captivity, as other
birds have before him. For the rose has
thorns as well as sweetness ever; and
those who have tasted the one. may feel
the other, tooe'
There was no love now In the face or
in the eyes that looked upon him, and
the man felt his peril-saw, too late, the
trap into which he had walked blindfolded.
But he summoned all his courage and his
craft to meet the emergency and battle
the danger.
"Why is the star of my night so sud-
denly overloaded % he asked, with
rea. or feigned anxiety. Why is her
light drawn from her worshipper 7, What
sin has her servant committed, that the
ire of the Great Lady should visit him !?
Heis innocent of intending offenee-ig
norant of having given any-and why
should the Khanum speak as though to
one who had provoked her displeasure z
IF his visits have not of late been fire.
quent, it is because he feared to intrude
without invitation for it needed but the
intimation that he would be welcome, and
behold him at the feet of her, who has
honored him with her favor !"
ssThou hast the tongue as we'll as the
sleek skin of the serpent" answered the
princess, half relenting, half offended
ssBut thou knowest L possess the serpent
Charm, and can handle thee with impuni-
ty. Thou hast not spoken truly to me !;
thou has acted falsely and treacherously,
too. And to the pale, scentless Ingleez
lily thou hast chanted thy love lays, in
place of the full blown rose Lie not to
me, for I well know how the shameless
face of that unvailed woman hath been
seen with thine on the kzbekieh, day
after day To the scorn and shame of
womanhood, she hath cast love looks on
| thy dainty face in the sight of all men
even to the moekery of the donkey boys
of the streets. Further do / know, how
the shameless Infdel, in defiance of all
modesty and decency, hath passed a
whole day in thy house !" and the prin-
cess spat upon the ground in token OF
loathing. II know too. the story of the
tame serpent, with which thou did deceive
the poor silly Ingleez. and thatother trick
of upsetting the shameless thing in the
Nile mud, 10 parade thy bravery again
/ before her Yet, with her kisses warm
upon the false lips, thou darest come and
talk of love to me, while I am weak fool
enough to listen, forgetting all of these
| things, and all my just resentment, like
silly girl Have not spoken truly
| Answer, o man of double face and forked
tongue ?"
Over the face of Askaros-Ror it was
he to whom the princess spoke-there
had, in spite of his self control, passed
many changes, as the furious woman went
on Apprehension, indignation, rage,
shame and disgust rapidly chased each
other over his expressive features and
when the princess ceased, from sheer
exhaustion, overpowered by the passions
that ragged within and tore her like so
many devils, he raised his crest haugh-
lily.
| No trace of hu,nility or of reverence in
his face or voice now, but withasteadfast
| light in his eye, and resolve written on