around the Hebrew, whose breast shook with strong emotions, and exclaimed
passionately, in the same language, "Oh, my father! what have I done?--
why send me from thee?--why intrust thy child to the stranger? Spare me,
spare me!"

"Child of my heart!" returned the Hebrew, with solemn but tender accents,
"even as Abraham offered up his son, must I offer thee, upon the altars
of our faith; but, O Leila! even as the angel of the Lord forbade the
offering, so shall thy youth be spared, and thy years reserved for the
glory of generations yet unborn. King of Spain!" he continued in the
Spanish tongue, suddenly and eagerly, "you are a father, forgive my
weakness, and speed this parting."

Juan approached; and with respectful courtesy attempted to take the hand
of the maiden.

"You?" said the Israelite, with a dark frown. "O king! the prince is
young."

"Honour knoweth no distinction of age," answered the king. "What ho,
Perez! accompany this maiden and the prince to the queen's pavilion."

The sight of the sober years and grave countenance of the attendant
seemed to re-assure the Hebrew. He strained Leila in his arms; printed a
kiss upon her forehead without removing her veil; and then, placing her
almost in the arms of Perez, turned away to the further end of the tent,
and concealed his face with his hands. The king appeared touched; but
the Dominican gazed upon the whole scene with a sour scowl.

Leila still paused for a moment; and then, as if recovering her self-