not of myself, but of Almah.

"And Almah?" I cried.

"Almah," said Layelah--"she will have the same; you are both included
in the same sentence."

At this a groan burst from me. Horror overwhelmed me. I threw myself
down upon the floor and covered my face with my hands. All was lost!
Our fate--Almah's fate--was darkness, imprisonment, and death. Could
anything be imagined that might mitigate such woes as these? Could
anything be conceived of as more horrible? Yes; there remained
something more, and this was announced by Layelah.

"Finally," said she, "it has been decreed that you shall not only have
the blessing of death, but that you shall have the rare honor of
belonging to the chosen few who are reserved for the Mista Kosek.
Thus far this had not been granted. It was esteemed too high an honor
for strangers; but now, by an exercise of unparalleled liberality, the
Grand Council of Paupers have added this, as the last and best, to the
high honors and rewards which they have decreed for you and Almah."

To this I had nothing to say; I was stupefied with horror. To such
words what answer could be made? At that moment I could think of
nothing but this tremendous sentence--this infliction of appalling
woes under the miserable name of blessings! I could not think of
Layelah; nor did I try to conjecture what her motives might be in thus
coming to me as the messenger of evil. I could not find space amid
my despair for speculations as to her own part in this, or stop to
consider whether she was acting the part of a mere messenger, or was
influenced by resentment or revenge. All this was far away from my
thoughts; for all my mind was filled with the dread sentence of the
Council of Paupers and the baleful prospect of the woes that awaited
us.

On the next jom I saw Almah. She had already learned the awful
tidings. She met me with a face of despair; for there was no longer
any hope, and all that remained for us was a last farewell. After this
we parted, and each of us was taken to our respective prison.

I was taken along dark passages until I came to a cavern with a low,
dark portal. Upon entering I found the darkness deeper than usual,
and there was only one solitary lamp, which diffused but a feeble ray
through the gloom. The size of the place could not be made out. I
saw here a group of human beings, and by the feeble ray of the lamp
I perceived that they were wan and thin and emaciated, with scant
clothing, all in