Bishop, "my inclination hath ever been towards a
military life. At present, mutilated and banished as I am, I rather affect
the crown of martyrdom."

"Thou shalt receive it by instalments," said the Emir. "Thou shalt work at
the new pavilion in my garden."

Unceasing toil under the blazing sun, combined with the discipline of the
overseers, speedily wore down Gaddo's strength, already impaired by
captivity and ill-treatment. Unable to drag himself away after his
fellow-workmen had ceased from their labours, he lay one evening, faint and
almost senseless, among the stones and rubbish of the unfinished edifice.
The Emir's daughter passed by. Gaddo was handsome and wretched, the
Princess was beautiful and compassionate. Conveyed by her fair hands, a cup
of Bishop Addo's wine saved Bishop Gaddo's life.

The next evening Gaddo again lingered behind, and the Princess spoke to him
out of her balcony. The third evening they encountered in an arbour. The
next meeting took place in her chamber, where her father discovered them.

"I will tear thee to pieces with pincers," shouted he to Gaddo.

"Your Highness will not be guilty of that black action," responded Gaddo
resolutely.

"No?" roared the Emir. "No? and what shall hinder me?"

"The Lacrima Christi will hinder your Highness," returned the far-seeing
Gaddo. "Deems your Highness that Bishop Addo will send another cupful, once
he is assured of my death?"

"Thou sayest well," rejoined the Emir. "I may not slay thee. But my
daughter is manifestly most inflammable, wherefore I will burn her."

"Were it not better to circumcise me?" suggested Gaddo.

Many difficulties were raised, but Ayesha's mother siding with Gaddo, and
promising a more amicable deportment for the future towards the other
lights of the harem, the matter was arranged, and Gaddo recited the
Mahometan profession of faith, and became the Emir's son-in-law. The
execrable social system under which he had hitherto lived thus vanished
like a nightmare from an awakened sleeper. Wedded to one who had saved his
life by her compassion, and whose life he had in turn saved by his change
of creed, adoring her and adored by her, with the hope of children, and
active contact with multitudes of other interests from which he had
hitherto been estranged, he forgot the ecclesiastic in the man; his
intellect expanded, his ideas multiplied, he cleared his mind of cant, and
became an eminent philosopher.

"Dear son," said t