now low murmurs of
applause, now muttered expressions of wonder, now sighs and tears,
and sometimes, what it was far more difficult to extract from such an
audience, a tribute of smiles, and even laughter.

During the recitation, the attention of the exile, however abstracted by
his own deep sorrow, was occasionally awakened by the low wail of a dog,
secured in a wicker enclosure suspended on one of the camels, which, as
an experienced woodsman, he had no hesitation in recognizing to be that
of his own faithful hound; and from the plaintive tone of the animal, he
had no doubt that he was sensible of his master's vicinity, and, in his
way, invoking his assistance for liberty and rescue.

"Alas! poor Roswal," he said, "thou callest for aid and sympathy upon
one in stricter bondage than thou thyself art. I will not seem to heed
thee or return thy affection, since it would serve but to load our
parting with yet more bitterness."

Thus passed the hours of night and the space of dim hazy dawn which
forms the twilight of a Syrian morning. But when the very first line of
the sun's disk began to rise above the level horizon, and when the very
first level ray shot glimmering in dew along the surface of the desert,
which the travellers had now attained, the sonorous voice of El Hakim
himself overpowered and cut short the narrative of the tale-teller,
while he caused to resound along the sands the solemn summons, which the
muezzins thunder at morning from the minaret of every mosque.

"To prayer--to prayer! God is the one God.--To prayer--to prayer!
Mohammed is the Prophet of God.--To prayer--to prayer! Time is flying
from you.--To prayer--to prayer! Judgment is drawing nigh to you."

In an instant each Moslem cast himself from his horse, turned his face
towards Mecca, and performed with sand an imitation of those ablutions,
which were elsewhere required to be made with water, while each
individual, in brief but fervent ejaculations, recommended himself to
the care, and his sins to the forgiveness, of God and the Prophet.

Even Sir Kenneth, whose reason at once and prejudices were offended by
seeing his companions in that which he considered as an act of idolatry,
could not help respecting the sincerity of their misguided zeal, and
being stimulated by their fervour to apply supplications to Heaven in a
purer form, wondering, meanwhile, what new-born feelings could teach
him to accompany in prayer, though with varied invocation