ed himself by her side. His countenance was pale, his heart
trembled.

'This garden,' at length he observed in a low voice, 'this garden, a
brief, brief space has glided away since first I wandered within its
beauteous limits, and yet those days seem like the distant memory of
another life.'

'It is another life,' said the princess. 'Ourselves, the world, all
forms and usages, all feelings and all habits, verily they have changed,
as if we had breathed within another sphere.'

''Tis a great change.'

'Since first you visited my bright kiosk. Pretty bauble! I pray it may
be spared.'

'It is sacred, like yourself.'

'You are a courteous conqueror.'

'I am no conqueror, fair Schirene, but a slave more lowly than when I
first bowed humbly in your presence.'

'And bore away a token not forgotten. Your rosary is here.'

'Let me claim it. It has been my consolation in much peril, beauteous
lady. On the eve of battle I wound it round my heart.'

She held forth the rosary, and turned away her head. Her hand remained
in his; he pressed it to his lips. His right arm retained her hand; he
wound the other round her waist, as he fell upon his knee.

'O beautiful! O more than beautiful! for thou to me art like a dream
unbroken,' exclaimed the young leader of Israel, 'let me, let me breathe
my adoration. I offer thee not empire: I offer thee not wealth; I offer
thee not all the boundless gratification of magnificent fancy,--these
may be thine, but all these thou hast proved; but, if the passionate
affections of a spirit which never has yielded to the power of woman or
the might of man, if the deep devotion of the soul of Alroy, be deemed
an offering meet for the shrine of thy surpassing loveliness, I worship
thee, Schirene. I worship thee, I worship thee!

'Since I first gazed upon thee, since thy beauty first rose upon my
presence like a star bright with my destiny, in the still sanctuary
of my secret love, thy idol has ever rested. Then, then, I was a thing
whose very touch thy creed might count a contumely. I have avenged the
insults of long centuries in the best blood of Asia; I have returned,
in glory and in pride, to claim my ancient sceptre; but sweeter far than
vengeance, sweeter far than the quick gathering of my sacred tribes, the
rush of triumph and the blaze of empire, is this brief moment of adoring
love, wherein I pour the passion of my life!

'O my soul, my life, my very being! thou art silent, but thy si