deprived us of
our lovers, and if it depends on us the whole world shall suffer as much
as we do!'

This unexpected reply was heard with amazement by all present, and the
Bassa entreated the speaker to tell them her story. Having obtained
permission of her sister, she began:

_THE STORY OF THE FAIR CIRCASSIANS_

'We were born in Circassia of poor people, and my sister's name is
Tezila and mine Dely. Having nothing but our beauty to help us in life,
we were carefully trained in all the accomplishments that give pleasure.
We were both quick to learn, and from our childhood could play all sorts
of instruments, could sing, and above all could dance. We were, besides,
lively and merry, as in spite of our misfortunes we are to this day.

'We were easily pleased and quite content with our lives at home, when
one morning the officials who had been sent to find wives for the Sultan
saw us, and were struck with our beauty. We had always expected
something of the sort, and were resigned to our lot, when we chanced to
see two young men enter our house. The elder, who was about twenty years
of age, had black hair and very bright eyes. The other could not have
been more than fifteen, and was so fair that he might easily have passed
for a girl.

'They knocked at the door with a timid air and begged our parents to
give them shelter, as they had lost their way. After some hesitation
their request was granted, and they were invited into the room in which
we were. And if our parents' hearts were touched by their beauty, our
own were not any harder, so that our departure for the palace, which had
been arranged for the next day, suddenly became intolerable to us.

'Night came, and I awoke from my sleep to find the younger of the two
strangers sitting at my bedside and felt him take my hand.

'"Fear nothing, lovely Dely," he whispered, "from one who never knew
love till he saw you. My name," he went on, "is Prince Delicate, and I
am the son of the King of the Isle of Black Marble. My friend, who
travels with me, is one of the richest nobles of my country, and the
secrets which he knows are the envy of the Sultan himself. And we left
our native country because my father wished me to marry a lady of great
beauty, but with one eye a trifle smaller than the other."

'My vanity was flattered at so speedy a conquest, and I was charmed
with the way the young man had declared his passion. I turned my eyes
slowly on him, and the lo