which the discovery that she loved another would have upon a man of such violent passions as the King. Zelma threw herself at Riesen's feet, and, taking the hem of his robe, she exclaimed, in a trembling voice:

Mighty monarch, Zelma is too humble, too lowly, for so great an honour as that which thou designedst for her; let her return to her father's house and-"

"Beautiful Zelma!" hastily interrupted Riesen, in a tone of the utmost kindness, mistaking her meaning, and really believing that she was dazzled by the contemplation of so exalted a position, as that of being Queen of so mighty a monarch; "beautiful Zelma, take courage, for I love thee more than I ever yet deigned to love any woman, and thou alone art worthy to share my throne."

At the same time, he would have raised her from the ground, but she did not suffer him to do so, but, still holding the hem of his robe, she continued:

"Be not angry with me, O King! Ere I saw thee, I loved another. I-"

"What!" exclaimed Riesen, starting back,

and his brow darkening with fury, "is it come to this-that I, in whose hands are all the nations of the earth, am thwarted by a young maiden, rivalled by some obscure stripling, my proffered diadem refused? Knowest thou," said he, seizing her arm with such force that her frail wrist was nearly crushed in his grasp, "knowest thou that what I have willed has never remained unaccomplished? Nations have perished at my word, and kingdoms crumbled away beneath my foot; and shall my will be

now crossed by a woman?

And who," con

tinued he, fiercely, "who is Riesen's rival? I will crush him as a worm beneath my foot. I will"

Here Zelma, overcome by excess of terror, sank down in a swoon. He paused, and bent

over her. She looked like some beautiful marble statue, but far more beautiful, for no marble could portray the angelic innocence which characterized her features. Riesen looked at the delicate wrist which he still continued to hold; and, when he saw it disfigured by the rudeness of his grasp, he felt remorse for his harshness; love triumphing over pride, for a moment

softened his heart. He brought some water from one of the many fountains that adorned the garden, and sprinkled it on her pale brow. He knelt down beside her, and supported her on his arm, and continued to regard her intently. After a while, she slowly opened her eyes.

Zelma," said he, when she had somewhat recovered herself, "pardon the phrenzy into which I have been betrayed, and consider again before thou rejectest him whose power is only bounded by the limits of the earth. Oh! drive me not to exert that power, nor force me to a course which I fain would not pursue.'

Having thus spoken, he left her, and entered. the palace.

CHAPTER XII.

THE CAPTIVE PRINCE.

AFTER Javan had been, by Mahal's orders, conducted in chains round the walls of the beleaguered city, his father commanded that he should be imprisoned in the lowest dungeon of his palace until his return. When Jared attempted to break through the lines, Mahal, as we have seen, fled at the first onset, and it was not until the following day, that he was informed of the result of the contest.

As soon as he heard of the death of his hated neighbour, and the destruction of his city, he immediately issued orders for the preparation of a grand feast to celebrate his triumph, and spent

G

an entire week in all manner of revelling and excesses. There was, however, one thing which marred his satisfaction: it was, that Jared's death had been too quick, his sufferings too brief. He had hoped to have taken him captive, and to see him waste slowly away in a dungeon overwhelmed by the degradation of his daughter, and by his own misfortunes.

This scheme, as we have seen, was defeated by Javan's chivalrous generosity, and, although Mahal knew that Salah had assisted his rebellious son, yet he was so well aware of his Captain's influence with the people, that he did not venture to fall out with him publicly, but determined to be revenged on him at the first favourable opportunity. No such fears, however, restrained him with regard to Javan, for whom he had never felt any affection, owing to the general esteem in which that young soldier was held for his courage, and the unfavourable contrast which his character presented to Mahal's own. He therefore, as soon soon as the feasting was over, condemned him mercilessly to death as a traitor, and fixed his execution for the succeeding day.