"Your highness may recollect that I was seated--"

"Yes, in our presence," interrupted the pacha; "such was our
condescension to a Giaour. Now go on with your story."

"With due submission to your highness, I was seated on a sofa, between
my mother Donna Celia and my mistress Donna Clara."

"Very true; I recollect now that you were."

"A hand clasped in the hand of each."

"Exactly," replied the pacha, impatiently.

"And was about to tell a story of my own invention, to deceive the old
lady my mother."

"Anna Senna! curses on your mother!" cried the pacha, in an angry tone.
"Sit down and continue your story. Is a pacha nothing? Is the lion to be
chafed by a jackall? Wallah le Nebi! By God and the Prophet! do you
laugh at our beard? The story!"

"The story requested by your highness," replied the slave, with great
coolness, "was commenced in the following words."

STORY OF THE MONK.

What occurred during my infancy, my dearest mother, I do not recollect;
but I can retrace to the age of seven years, when I found myself in
company with a number of others, from the squalling infant of a few days
old, up to about my own age. I also recollect that our fare was
indifferent, and our punishment severe.

"Poor child!" exclaimed Donna Celia, pressing my hand which was still
locked in hers. I continued there until the age of ten, when an old lady
who came to the Asylum, took a fancy to me; for I often heard it
remarked, that I was a very handsome boy, although I have rather grown
out of my good looks lately, Clara.

A pressure of my other hand, and a negative smile, was the answer; and I
proceeded--

The old lady Donna Isabella, who was of the noble family of Guzman,
wanted a page, and intended to bring me up in that capacity. She carried
me to her house, where I was clad in a fancy dress. I used to sit by her
side on the carpet, and run upon any message which might be required; in
fact, I was a sort of human bell, calling up every body and fetching
every thing that was wanted; but I was well fed, and very proud of a
little dagger which I wore in my girdle. The only part of my education
to which I objected, was learning to read and write from a priest, who
was domiciled in the family, and who had himself as great an aversion to
teaching as I had to learning. Had the affair rested entirely between
us, we might have arranged matters so as to please both parties; but as
the old lady used to prove my acquirements