"She would smile, and unwilling to render my young mind gloomy, forbore to shew how unlikely such an event was to occur. She frequently assured me, that she had no longer any desire of returning to her native country unaccompanied by me; for that she loved me with the fondness of a mother, and could not bear to part with the only object of her affection. From her story, I gathered that she had been left with an only brother, an orphan; that though of a noble family, their fortune was not large, and that she had been educated in a Convent, whither her friends wished her to end her days, that a larger portion of wealth might devolve on the brother, who was some years younger than herself. To this she would have consented, had she not loved, and been beloved, by a young and handsome Cavalier, whose family however refused their consent on account of her want of fortune. For several years she struggled with the importunities of her friends and the pleadings of her lover; at length the latter prevailed, and she consented to elope with him. But a little, very little time were they blessed in each other's society.

66

They had withdrawn to an obscure village on the sea coast, thinking that in case of pursuit they might embark for Italy: the place was attacked by Corsairs, who frequently land for the sake of pillage. The youth and beauty of Olinda made her a desirable prize; she, with two or three more young women were led off to the Pirates vessel, when a party of peasants, headed by her husband, attempted a rescue; but in vain were their desperation and bravery against

well-armed barbarians. Olinda saw the party take to flight, and her husband killed with repeated wounds; she was conducted to Barbary, and, as I have before informed you, became the property of my father.

"The violence of her first grief had subsided into a gentle calm, and her attachment to me had subsequently rendered her situation even pleasant. She had never attempted to regain her liberty by application to her friends, well knowing that her marriage had offended them, and that they would have refused her assistance; her brother, she feared, might partake in their sentiments, and who, being moreover of a gay and dissipated disposition, was the less likely to forego his pleasures and diminish his resources by ministering to her misfortunes. She would frequently lament that his impetuous temper and libertine pursuits had disappointed the early promise of his generous and talented mind. Yet more frequently would she dwell with sisterly delight on his fine and manly form, and the hardy, gallant feats of his boyhood. Strange as it may appear, by frequently listening to her recitals, I *became as intimately acquainted with his person (or with a phantom of my own imagining) as though he had actually stood before me.

"In my lonely musings, my romantic sketches, my waking and sleeping dreams, he was the hero of my fancy-reformed, noble, and enterprising. With such a delicious vision absorbing all my thoughts, was it wonderful that I shrunk with horror from the idea of being given to some old and apathetic Moor as a

wife? that I still maintained as girlish an appearance as possible? and, that I might escape notice, requested my father to allow me almost constantly, to reside with my dear Olinda at a small country house?—I had lost my mother some years before, and about this time I observed, that although my father was equally indulgent and fond, he passed less of his time with me. I therefore remained unmolested in my loved retreat, attended only by Olinda and a few slaves of both sexes. The gardens were extensive, but had been neglected and suffered to run wild and luxuriant. A stunted plantation, or rather wilderness, formed the boundary toward the sea coast, whose sharp and briny vapours distorted the forms and shrivelled the foliage of these sturdy dwarf cedars. Hither it was my custom to walk, both at evening and when the sun was at the hottest; the shade of the trees, and the refreshing sea breeze, afforded a cool retreat. Here too was a small marble pavilion, refreshed by a clear fountain, whose waters, gushing from a grotesque head, fell with gentle plashings in an ebony basin; round which roses of brightest hue and fullest perfume clustered profusely. From some cause, this little building was shunned by our household slaves. Some faint remains of a legend were yet extant, of a lady who had been there murdered by her husband for visiting a concealed lover; while others deemed it the haunt of some Peri, who would surely punish the rash intruder upon her solitude.

"Notwithstanding these reports, Olinda and myself

had passed many happy days in this quiet spot, unvisited by either fay or spirit; our books, our music, our embroidery were there.

"One morning, unattended by my friend, who had been indisposed, I walked hither. The night had been stormy and boisterous; and, though midsummer, the paths were strewed with leaves and blossoms that had been whirled from their stems by the fury of the wind. The air was sultry and unrefreshing, and still foreboded thunder and tempest.

"I had despatched my attendants to the sea-side, to look for shells and sea-weed, which the last night's storm might have cast on shore; and taking the small basket of fruit from one of them, which contained my breakfast, determined to seek the coolness of the Peri's grot, to relieve the langour which pervaded my limbs, arising from the oppression of the atmosphere. I entered carelessly, and had just deposited my little load; when a deep sigh roused my attention, and my. eyes rested on a young man, sleeping upon the piled cushions. Though alone, I felt not fear: accustomed to security and protection, I dream't not of violence or wrong. Alas! these fears have been acquired by an acquaintance with the polished part of mankind."Here the narrative of Zulema was interrupted by some sad, bitter reflections, which stole tears from her eyes, and caused her head to droop yet more forlornly on her throbbing bosom.

Alvarez, much interested in her story, would have attempted to soothe her, had he not known that such

a passion of grief was likely the sooner to abate from being uncontrouled.

And in a few moments the sorrowing-one, suppressing her emotion, resumed. "I will endeavour,” said she, "to check these bursts of sorrow, which remembrance calls from me, and to relate my story without comment or apology; though according to the refined opinions of your nation, the latter may be considered necessary. My youth, simplicity, and romantic notions are my only excuse. But to continue-I drew nearer the sleeper: his face and form were of the finest order, and I beheld realized the phantom of my imaginings; he, who had so often filled my waking and sleeping thoughts. I gazed with an intentness, with a mixture of anxiety and pleasure, until the loud beatings of my heart were audible-I wondered if this were real, or only the workings of my fancy; and in my strong excitement, knelt by his side and laid my hand on his.

"He awoke-surprise and pleasure were in his first look, and when he found that I neither fled nor was alarmed, he threw himself at my feet, and conjured me to protect him from my countrymen; who, should they discover him, would seize and sell him for a slave, or put him to a cruel death. He informed me, that he had been wrecked on the preceeding night, and with difficulty saved himself from the fury of the waves by swimming to shore; that, nearly exhausted, he had reached the place where I now found him, and though dreading to be discovered, had fallen asleep.