The stern warrior, the relentless foe, the severe judge, and the
pampered monarch, all were merged in the man, when by her side--and
Sultan Mahomet, for the first time in his life, felt that he loved!

As we have shown, it was not the headstrong promptings of passion
that actuated him--far from it; for had the monarch been heedless of
her love and respect in return, how easily might he have commanded
any submission, on her part, that he could wish. The truth was, he
feared to risk the love he now felt that he coveted so strongly, by
any overt act, and thus day by day her life stole quietly on, and
lie was still ever tender and respectful, ever thoughtful for her
comfort or pleasure, and ever assiduous to make her feel contented
and happy with her lot.

It would have been most unnatural had not Lalla experienced, in
return for all this kindness, the warmest sentiments of gratitude,
and this she showed in the expression of her dark, dreamy eyes, at
all times; and to speak truly, the Sultan felt himself amply repaid
by her gentle gratitude and tender smiles.

In the mean time, as days and weeks passed on, silently registering
the course of life, the chill of homesickness, which had been so
keen and saddening at first, wore gradually away from the radiant
face of the slave, though she thought no less earnestly and dearly
of her friends and her home, far away in the Circassian hills; yet
absence and time had robbed her grief of its keenness, while the
easy and luxuriant mode of living that she enjoyed had again
restored the roundness of her beautiful form, had once more imparted
the rose to her check, and the elasticity of her childhood's day to
her movements. In short, she who was so lovely when she entered the