that worldly policy demands your parley with
the men of Belial."

"Doubtless not--doubtless not," returned the king, quickly: then,
muttering to himself, "how wondrously doth this holy man penetrate into
all our movements and designs!" he added, aloud, "Let the messenger
enter."

Perez bowed, and withdrew.

During this time, the young prince reclined in listless silence on his
seat; and on his delicate features was an expression of weariness which
augured but ill of his fitness for the stern business to which the
lessons of his wise father were intended to educate his mind. His,
indeed, was the age, and his the soul, for pleasure; the tumult of the
camp was to him but a holiday exhibition--the march of an army, the
exhilaration of a spectacle; the court as a banquet--the throne, the
best seat at the entertainment. The life of the heir-apparent, to the
life of the king possessive, is as the distinction between enchanting
hope and tiresome satiety.

The small grey eyes of the friar wandered over each of his royal
companions with a keen and penetrating glance, and then settled in the
aspect of humility on the rich carpets that bespread the floor; nor did
he again lift them till Perez, reappearing, admitted to the tent the
Israelite, Almamen, accompanied by a female figure, whose long veil,
extending from head to foot, could conceal neither the beautiful
proportions nor the trembling agitation, of her frame.

"When last, great king, I was admitted to thy presence," said Almamen,
"thou didst make question of the sincerity and faith of thy servant;
thou didst ask me for a surety of my faith; thou didst demand a hostage;
and didst refuse further parley without such pledge were yielded to
thee. Lo! I place under thy kingly care this maiden--the sole child of
my house--as surety of my truth; I intrust to thee a life dearer than my
own."

"You have kept faith with us, stranger," said the king, in that soft and
musical voice which well disguised his deep craft and his unrelenting
will; "and the maiden whom you intrust to our charge shall be ranked
with the ladies of our royal consort."

"Sire," replied Almamen, with touching earnestness, "you now hold the
power of life and death over all for whom this heart can breathe a
prayer or cherish a hope, save for my countrymen and my religion. This
solemn pledge between thee and me I render up without scruple, without
fear. To thee I give a hostage, from thee I have but a promis