away the mysterious magic power which dwelt there, and wrestling for
the dominion of the noble territory of her soul. When morning began
to dawn she said, "Thou wouldst not be called an angel last evening,
but thou art truly one. For what else are angels than messengers of
the Most High God?" "In that sense," rejoined Heimbert, "I am well
satisfied with the name, for I certainly hope that I am the bearer of
my Master's message. Yes, if he bestows on me further grace and
strength, it may even be that you also may become my companion in the
pious work." "It is not impossible," said Zelinda thoughtfully.
"Thou must, however, come with me to my island, and there thou shalt
be regaled as is befitting such an ambassador, far better than here
on the desolate sand, with the miserable palm-wine that thou hast so
laboriously obtained."

"Pardon me," replied Heimbert; "it is difficult to me to refuse the
request of a lady, but on this occasion it cannot be otherwise. In
your island many glorious things have been conjured together by your
forbidden art, and many lovely forms which the good God has created
have been transformed. These might dazzle my senses, and at last
delude them. If you will, therefore, hear the best and purest things
which I can relate to you, you must rather come out to me on this
desert sand. The palm-wine and the dates of the Arab will suffice
for me for many a day to come." "You would do better to come with
me," said Zelinda, shaking her head with somewhat of a scornful
smile. "You were certainly neither born nor brought up to be a
hermit, and there is nothing on my oasis so destructive as you
imagine. What is there more than shrubs and flowers and beasts
gathered together from different quarters of the world, perhaps a
little strangely interwoven; each, that is to say, partaking of the
nature of the other, in a similar manner to that which you must have