read attentively after him, and in this way acquired the right
pronunciation. These were holidays for little Almansor, as the
professor never let him go away unrewarded, and he often carried back
with him costly gifts of money or linen, or other useful things which
the doctor would not give him.

So lived Almansor for some years in the capital of the Franks; but
never did his longing for home diminish. When he was about fifteen
years old, an incident occurred that had great influence on his
destiny. The Franks chose their leading general--the same with whom
Almansor had often spoken in Egypt--to be their king. Almansor could
see by the unusual appearance of the streets and the great festivities
that were taking place, that something of the kind had happened; but he
never once dreamed that this king was the same man whom he had seen in
Egypt, for that general was quite a young man. But one day Almansor
went to one of the bridges that led over the wide river which flowed
through the city, and there he perceived a man dressed in the simple
uniform of a soldier, leaning over the parapet and looking down into
the water. The features of the man impressed him as being familiar, and
he felt sure of having seen him before. He tried to recall him to
memory; and presently it flashed upon him that this man was the general
of the Franks with whom he had often spoken in camp, and who had always
cared kindly for him. He did not know his right name, but he mustered
up his courage, stepped up to him, and, crossing his arms on his breast
and making an obeisance, addressed him as he had heard the soldiers
speak of him among themselves: "_Salem aleicum_, Little Corporal!"

The man looked up in surprise, cast a sharp look at the boy before him,
recalled him after a moment's pause, and exclaimed: "Is it possible!
you here, Almansor? How is your father? How are things in Egypt? What
brings you here to us?"

Almansor could not contain himself longer; he began to weep, and said
to the man: "Then you do not know what your countrymen--the dogs--have
done to me, Little Corporal? You do not know that in all this time I
have not seen the land of my ancestors?"

"I cannot think," said the man, with darkening brow, "I cannot think
that they would have kidnapped you."

"Alas," answered Almansor, "it is too true. On the day that your
soldiers embarked, I saw my fatherland for the last time. They took me
away with them, and one general, who pitied m