to hear. There was one song especially dear, in which
Hadassah had herself woven prophetic promises into verse. The rhymes
might be rude, and altogether unworthy of their theme; but when softly
warbled by Zarah's melodious voice, they appeared to the aged listener
like the very breathing of hope.

LAY OF ZION.

"Jerusalem, thou sittest in the dust,
God's heavy judgment on thy children lies;
But He in whom their fathers put their trust
Shall bid thee yet, as from the grave, arise.[1]
Oh, Zion, discrowned Queen!
A throne awaits for thee;[2]
For glorious thou hast been,
All glorious shalt thou be.[3]

"Behold the white-winged ships from Tarshish strand,[4]
Shall bear thy sons and daughters o'er the wave;
All nations call thee blessed, delightsome land,[5]
Which God of old to faithful Abraham gave.[6]
Oh, Zion, &c.

"Ephraim with Judah God shall then restore,[7]
The Hand that severed, now uniteth them;
Ephraim shall envy, Judah, vex no more,[8]
All shall rejoice in thee, Jerusalem.
Oh, Zion, &c.

"Assyria, Egypt, shall with Israel join,[9]
(The land where Daniel trod the lion's den,
The land where Pharaohs bowed at Apis' shrine),
Oppressors once--but more than sisters then.
Oh, Zion, &c.

"God shall a wall of fire round thee abide,[10]
To guard thee as the apple of the eye;[11]
Rejoicing as the bridegroom o'er the bride.[12]
For He hath pardoned thine iniquity.[13]
Oh, Zion, &c.

"The mountains may depart, the hills may shake,[14]
But nought thy Saviour's love from thee shall sever,
The mother may her sucking child forsake,
God thy Redeemer shall forsake thee never.[15]
Oh, Zion, discrowned Queen!
A throne still waits for thee;
For glorious thou hast been,
All glorious shalt thou be."

[1] Isa. lx. 1.

[2] Isa. xxii. 23.

[3] Isa. lx. 13, 14.

[4] Isa. lx. 9.

[5] Mal. iii. 12

[6] Gen. xiii. 15.

[7] Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 17.

[8] Isa. xi. 13.

[9] Isa. xix. 24.

[10] Zech. ii. 5.

[11] Zech. ii. 8.

[12] Isa. lxii. 5.

[13] Isa. xliv. 22.

[14] Isa. liv. 10.

[15] Isa. xlix. 15.

CHAPTER XIV.

A CRISIS.

Lycidas, in the meantime, was chafing in wild impatience under the
trial of Zarah's almost perpetual absence. He could no longer watch
her, no longer listen to her, except when his strainin