allows, the
murmur of the fountain, melted into tears the load that weighed upon
her breast, and her sorrow dissolved into lamentation: Sekina went
to pluck the pears which grew in abundance round the church; and
Seltanetta could freely yield to nature.

But sudden, raising her head, she uttered an exclamation of surprise!
before her stood a well-made Avaretz, stained with blood and mire.
"Does not your heart, do not your eyes, O Seltanetta, recognize your
favourite?" No, but with a second glance she knew Ammalat; and
forgetting all but her joy, she threw herself on his neck, embraced
it with her arms, and long, long, gazed fixedly on the much-loved
face; and the fire of confidence, the fire of ecstasy, glimmered
through the still falling tears. Could then the impassioned Ammalat
contain his rapture? He clung like a bee to the rosy lips of
Seltanetta; he had heard enough for his happiness; he was now at the
summit of bliss; the lovers had not yet said a word of their love,
but they already understood each other. "And dost thou then, angel,"
added Ammalat, when Seltanetta, ashamed of the kiss, withdrew from
his embrace: "dost thou love me?"

"Allah protect me!" replied the innocent girl, lowering her eyelashes,
but not her eyes: "Love! that is a terrible word. Last year, going
into the street, I saw them pelting a girl with stones: terrified I
rushed hone, but nowhere could I hide myself: the bloody image of
the sinner was everywhere before me, and her groan yet rings
unceasingly in my ears. When I asked why they had so inhumanly put
to death that unhappy creature, they answered, that she loved a
certain youth!"

"No, dearest, it was not because she loved one, but that she loved
not one alone--because she betrayed some one, it may be, that they
killed her."

"What means '_betrayed_,' Ammalat? I understand it not."

"Oh, God grant that you may never learn what it is to betray; that
you may never forget me for another!"

"Ah, Ammalat, within these four days I have learned how bitter to me
was separation! For a long time I have not seen my brothers Noutsal
and Sourkha, and I meet them with pleasure; but without them I do not
grieve: without you I wish not to live!"

"For thee I am ready to die, my morning-star: to thee I give my
soul--not only life, my beloved!"

The sound of footsteps interrupted the lovers' talk: it was
Seltanetta's attendant. All three went to congratulate the Khan, who
was consoled, and unaf