"When you set out on a long journey, my friend Michelaki, you have not only to stir the foot of activity, but to mount the patient horse of toil and travel.'-But you are yawning and rubbing your eyes, as if you were fatigued to death: to-morrow, if your soul awake, I will tell the remainder of my story." you CHAPTER IX. Mislike me not for my complexion; The Merchant of Venice. "My first astrological feat" (continued the Dervish on the following evening) "let in a flood of light on the darkness of my understanding. I trod this paltry earth with the foot of pride, but my head was in the stars: I thought of nothing but of horoscopes; I talked of nothing but of astrolabes; I dreamt of nothing but the Goddess Beltha, the most beautiful of the planets, and more glorious in my eyes than the supreme divinity of the Zabian. I resolved to become a star-gazer; and, in order to do so with impunity, to enter a convent of Dervishes whenever I could command a few hundred piastres. My soul was still ambitious of sacerdotal honours; the repose of a convent was a pleasing contemplation. I had no doubt it was written in the great book above that I was to be a priest; if not an Imam, at least a Dervish. I had no doubt but that the disconsolate widow would purchase my silence if she found the Imam's gold, and I awaited the three days' expiration with no little impatience. In the mean time, my unlucky star again had its ascendancy in the heavens; the worship of my favourite planet once more involved me in trouble and perplexity. My worthy master, Abou Rassed, my instructor in heavenly knowledge, had no less than seven mouths to feed in his harem, so that he seldom had a surplus paras in his purse; yet he looked to his giam and the stars for his raz kallah, or daily subsistence from Providence,' with as much confidence as if the Haznadar of the heavens was his first cousin. One evening, I was gazing on the Goddess Beltha from the window of my closet, which looked into the court-yard, thinking of all the love that was necessary to make 6 6 so much light, when an earthly cough took my attention off the heavens. By the light of the pale moon I could discover the figure of a female on the opposite terrace. I could distinctly see the fair one's hands clasped over her heart; then raised to her lips, and then pressed on her eyelids. Never did I behold so exquisite a shape, or so dignified a deportment. 'Ye heavenly bodies,' I exclaimed, shine propitiously on my head! It is the Queen of Love, the Goddess Beltha herself, who has descended from her sphere to bless the sight of the most devoted of her votaries. She calls me to her! Behold her lily palm extended towards me, beckoning me to approach! A moss-rose in a milk-pail is not more beautiful than that blush of modesty on her marble cheek. The whiteness of her skin is more resplendent than the silver beams of the moon. Oh that the night was less obscure, or my mistress a little nearer !' I come, my divinity, whispered I, as I pointed to the door of the harem, which led to the terrace, and then taking off my shoes, I flung an entire bottle of rose-water over my person, and crept up the stairs without even daring to draw my breath. I heard the astrologer snoring as I passed his room. The door of the harem had been left ajar; in the twinkling of a planet I was on the terrace-I beheld my divinity, the beautiful lily of my soul, standing at a little distance. I rushed into her arms-(ye heavenly bodies, enable me to proceed!) the daughter of darkness pressed me to her bosom, I found myself locked in the embraces of a black! My head recoiled with horror from the swarthy slave; yet I endeavoured to conceal my repugnance. 'It is evident,' thought I, 'the Goddess Beltha is laughing at my beard. By all the planets, from this dreadful hour, I abjure her worship!' "What is he matter with 6 my turtle-dove?" said my Ethiopian charmer: Have I found no favour in the eyes of my sweet bulbul? Alack! how unfortunate I am not to please my lord." 66 6 66 6 6 May the modesty of your speech,' cried I, 'my raven of gentility, meet the reward it merits." Ah, Effendi!' replied the girl, ́ do not laugh at my amsak, because I am not a white woman; I know it was very foolish to fall in love with you, but I could not help it; since |