last melancholy consolation,
was denied to her. She prayed fervently to heaven, and her
supplications, pronounced in the sincerity of her heart, served only to
console her. No help came: eagerly she cast her eyes around, and clung
with fond endearment to the wildest hopes that ever fancy created.--She
hailed with a fluttering expectation the least sound, for in it she was
willing to fancy a deliverer. The distant tramp of a horse, or the bark
of a dog, failed not to raise hopes which tended only to render her
distress more poignant by disappointment.

Her mind, worn out in this conflict, began to lose its powers of
consciousness, and as they approached the town, she gradually fell into
a state of passive despair. She saw without emotion a group of men
standing at the entrance, who, in conjunction with some ragged children,
as soon as she was perceived, raised an exulting shout.

A Christian captive! a Christian captive!--And presently three or four
armed Moors came forward, to whom Malique related his adventure. They
then proceeded altogether through the principal street of the town of
Alhacen, which was at that time the headquarters of the Moors, who fell
within the jurisdiction of the rebel chief Caneri. The town presented a
most dismal and disconsolate aspect; the inhabitants bearing in their
appearance a proof of their miserable wandering life, and seeming all
prepared to abandon their precarious tenements at the first summons.
Indeed the late losses which they had sustained, and more especially the
surrender of Lanjaron, contributed, to keep them in a state of continual
alarm. This feeling was considerably augmented by the intelligence they
had just now received, that Alonso de Aguilar, the most renowned and the
most redoubtable of their enemies, was rapidly advancing against El Feri
de Benastepar. However, as they had nothing to lose,--no riches to
abandon--no pleasures to relinquish--no comforts to forget, the
expression of their countenances exhibited a cold resignation, blended
with gloomy ferocity.

The party that conducted Theodora having traversed the town, stopt at
its extremity, before a house which appeared somewhat in better order
than the rest, in front of which several armed Moors were pacing to and
fro.

Malique demanded an immediate interview with Caneri, which was denied
him on the plea that the chief was at the moment deeply engaged in a
conference with the most important amongst the Moors. Soo