drapery, were thrown widely open to court the cooling breeze. Nourjehan stepped upon the brink of a marble fountain, whose waters played 'soft as lovers' sighs' encircled by myriad clusters of golden orange-blossoms, and his bold eye was enabled to penetrate to the interior of the chamber. The scene within transfixed him to the spot as if by enchantment.

Seated upon piles of silken cushions, placed for the sake of the air near the window, an aged man and youthful maiden were playing chess; while a female slave watched the progress of the game from a distant corner, with her arms crossed on her breast. The apartment was lighted by several oldfashioned silver cressets, and its walls were curiously ornamented in arabesque. Vases of porcelain containing cut blossoms of the rarest flowers added their odors to the fragrance of the garden, and perfumed the atmosphere so as to be hardly endurable by aught but an Oriental. The whole interior denoted the graceful taste of the possessors of the dwelling, while a certain plainness in its decorations spoke of moderate habits rather than of great wealth. The windows were open to the ground, and the bubbling of the fountain had contributed to render the advance of Nourjehan unheard. The tenants of the chamber demand an especial paragraph.

The aged man's countenance beamed with that expression of patriarchal af fection which instantly denoted that he was the parent of the fair being before him. His beard and hair were white as snow, his features regular and placid, his brow high and wide. His whole look was that of a venerable sage, teaching philosophy to one of his most chosen neophytes. A warm-hearted smile played on his lip, as he pored earnestly over the chess-board.

The beautiful being-for beautiful she was who contended with the elder in the mimic war, struck Nourjehan at

once as something superior to all he had ever looked on. The long dark auburn hair hanging, after the Persian fashion, in two enormous curls upon her bosomthe delicately pencilled eyebrows, meeting in the centre. the long kohl-stained lashes the pearly teeth the transparent skin-all these charms were here united in the rarest degree of loveliness. The taper fingers of the maid, betipt with henna, hovered over the chess-board, fancied Nourjehan, like the angels of delight when they visit the pining heart of the captive. Her veil was quite thrown back, in the privacy of the anderûn, so that our loiterer's gaze fell deep and enduring. He could only liken the fair form of the maid to some celestial essence; and he held his breath lest the slightest sound should break the spell, and resolve the peri back into her native element of air. The dress of the lady was chiefly of shawls, disposed with elegance around her finely moulded form.

A quarter of an hour flew by like a moment. Nourjehan was chained to the marble fount by which he rested. The players conducted their chess with a placid earnestness which betokened skill. Nourjehan was himself a passionate admirer of the game, and this gave a feature of additional interest to the scene. Not a word had yet been uttered by either of the two high belligerent powers, but the coral lips of the bright-eyed beauty at length parted in gentle speech. The tones of her voice were sweetly musical, and with a deep sigh the heart of the excited Nourjehan surrendered itself forever captive.

'Thy chess is in great force to-night, O my father! Well was the word spok en but yesterday of thy skill by the learned Mirza, Eben-Timuri.'

And what was that word, O flatterer ?'

The talk ran, my father, upon the gardens of the Mirza, with their roses and running waters; and Eben-Timuri

made answer and said: 'Truly the garden is beautiful; but Al-Suli's game of chess is yet more beautiful.' '*

Al-Suli laughed with complacency at his daughter's sally. Nourjehan recognized the name as being that of the first chess-player in Persia; though personally unacquainted with him himself, our eavesdropper having been so long absent from the royal city, and Al-Suli having but recently come from Meshed to reside in Ispahan. After a pause, the conversation was renewed, as a sort of running accompaniment to the game

in

progress.

my

'Yes, my loved Zelica, great is skill, and the day of my brightest hope is dawning. The army of Persia returns in triumph; and the son of our shab, on whom be reverence as there is glory, will doubtless deign to measure himself in chess with the aged Al-Suli.' Does the prince play well, then, O

my father?'

'According to report he does; and that, notwithstanding the lying spirit of flattery, which so darkly veileth truth from kings. The prince is wise and learned; may his shadow never be less! I mate thee, O my child!'

'Pardon, dear father, my sense is dim. The night wears, and the midnight hour of prayer is close at hand.' And Zelica hung pensively over the now tranquil chess-field.

"Thou art sick in health, I fear, if not in heart, O my daughter! Dull is our solitude for thy trusting and hoping youth. I doubt me thou sighest for a household to govern, more exclusively thy own, O my fair lady Banou!'

'Not so, O my parent!' answered Zelica blushingly.

'Yet such is nature, and often do I regret I have not earlier wedded thee; but I have sworn by the Caaba that none may take thee from me but a fine chess-player, and the vow of a father

*In Dr. HYDE's 'De Ludis Orientalibus,' we find this saying recorded as having been actually applied to the skilful chess-play of Al-Sull.

for his child is a holy thing in the sight of Allah.'

All men but thee to Zelica are

naught; and this thou knowest, O my father! With my birds and flowers, how tranquilly floweth life!'

'Tranquilly, it may be; but the heart echoeth back stronger words, I fear, in secret. Well, GOD is great; and what is written to be, is written! Chess may yet give me a son; and thee, girl, a spouse.'

Hardly could Nourjehan forbear challenging the old man to encounter him in chess upon the spot. In one halfhour he had loved away his life. The cold West cannot appreciate or understand the feelings of the East in this respect; since it is fairly on record, that men in Persia and Arabia have fallen dotingly in love with the mere impress of a woman's fingers on the wall-nay, have sat down and died for the feelings thus germinated. A strange heart is that of man! Nourjehan felt a profound conviction that his future happiness was forever inextricably bound up with the fate of the lovely being before him. Their acquaintance seemed already to have been of twenty years' duration.

like the gazelle before the bright eye of Nourjehan was fascinated the mountain-panther. His breast throbbed with the most intense and painful emotions, and it was only by a mighty effort at self-command, that he was enabled to overcome the strong temptation to go forward and speak. 'But she shall learn to love me for myself,' thought he, 'and shall know me but as that which I appear to be. Allah guide me! To win her affections do I

devote my life!'

Two of the ruffians had seized AlSuli, and were binding his limbs with leathern thongs. The female slave was grasped by a powerful Arnaout, in readiness to be borne away. Nourjehan's headlong spring cast him upon the Arnaout, who fell at the same time a corpse, cloven through skull and turban. The coming of our hero was as the coming of Azrael, the angel of death, and his sword fell like the blinding lightning. He uttered no word, but threw himself bodily upon the ruffians, and his blade drank blood at every sweep. The lady Zelica was in the hands of men who were hurriedly twisting her veil around her head, as if to stop her cries.. Two of these marauders raised their weapons in astonishment at the rescue; but the one was cut down by the next sword-stroke of Nourjehan, while the other was sent staggering against the wall by a blow of our soldier's heavy left hand. The chief of the party dropped the fainting Zelica from his grasp, and turned like the tiger balked of his prey. All was the work of a moment. Nourjehan darted upon his foe in a state of now ungovernable excitement, shouting the Persian war-cry of Slay! slay!' His opponent recognized his voice and features; and, throwing down his sword, advanced his neck, in the muteness of despair, to abide the coming blow. Nourjehan stayed the force of that blade which seldom struck twice. 'Ismael Khan, by the holy of holies! say, before I smite, can it be thou, ruffian and plunderer? The shah's best soldier turned bandit! O shame! What meaneth this?'

At the sound of that voice every weapon suddenly dropped, and all was hushed as the silent grave. Every man present stood abashed and cowering. The light revealed the dress and accoutrements of the royal troops. Nourjehan glanced fiercely around. Twice he raised his falchion to plunge it into the khan's bosom, and twice he stayed the death-stroke.

'The lion wars not with the hound!' cried Nourjehan, as turning contemptuously away, he flew to raise the insensible form of Zelica. Ismael Khan remained motionless as a statue. His men unbound Al-Suli, and released the slave. Zelica recovered from her swoon to find herself in the arms of her preserver, who was hanging over her with an expression of fond and respectful devotion.

Quick as thought Nourjehan signed to Al-Suli and the female domestic; and, exchanging a few brief words, the lady was borne by them from the chamber of blood, which now rather resembled a battle-field than the heaven of peace it had so recently represented. Nourjehan addressed Ismael Khan once

more.

'On your life, man, speak!' said he, and make this darkness light. Give me not many words, but give me truth.'

'I am your sacrifice,' faltered forth the khan, a tall, majestic-looking soldier in splendid attire. On my eyes be obedience. The girl pleased thy serv ant, and he wished to have her. What need of words? The dark slave without took gold and opened to us. I would have carried the women to the camp, and left the old man here. Thy servant has spoken. What harm?'

Nourjehan was anxious to put an end to the scene.

'Take thy life, Ismael Khan — thou hast twice saved mine in battle; but henceforth thy head answers for the safety of this dwelling. Carry the false Ethiop without, and strangle him in the garden. Two of these fellows are dead. Bear off the three bodies, and cast them forth on the sands of the camp for the jackal and the vulture. Let the waters of the fountain yonder remove the pollutions of this room, and that on the instant; after which depart to your dwellings with the silence of ghouls returning to the tomb. mark me, men! you know my mood; if any one babble of this, he dies the

And

Thy servant hears and obeys,' was the khan's answer, with a profound inclination of the head. The orders of Nourjehan were responded to with military promptitude. The unfaithful male slave was strangled the floor was cleansed of its gore- the dead and dying were removed, and the midnight intruders vanished from the scene with the silent gladness of men delighted to escape with their heads on their shoulders. All was once more profoundly still. Al-Suli and Zelica again appeared, trembling and agitated as birds when the falcon swoops on the dove-cot. They doubted the reality even of life, and could hardly look on the events of the last halfhour save as the wild incidents of a fearful vision. Nourjehan whispered the words of peace and safety, and their bewildered senses slowly recognized their salvation of life and honor at his hands. There are moments of feeling which the pen cannot trace. The chess-master and his daughter asked no questions; they knew not, they recked not, who or what was their preserver; but their hearts yearned to him as to their MAKER. By a mighty effort, Al-Suli spoke:

Nourjehan was alone.

'Be to me,' said he, henceforth a son, as thou hast been to her to my Zelica as a brother. Visit us early and late, morning and evening. Come

to look upon our gratitude. Remove thy veil, O my daughter, and bid GOD, on whom be glory, bless thy valiant saviour. Verily the young man hath shown this night the force of Rustam, and the courage of Antar; and the mighty keeping of Allah be upon him forever!'

The trembling Zelica raised her veil, and seizing the hands of Nourjehan, pressed them eagerly to her lips and bosom. During the brief moment of this caress, it seemed to our hero that he had already crossed the bridge of death, and entered upon the abode of

'O my father! O my sister!' murmured Nourjehan with the timidity of a fawn; 'let thy son-thy brotherbeg a boon, if he have in truth found favor. When I visit ye on the morrow, and if it may be granted on the next morrow also, give me indeed the privi lege of a brother to look upon my sister face to face; and blessed be the God of Persia who hath made me now HIS humble instrument of succor and of health!'

Nourjehan left the house of Al-Suli, and sought his tent with the encampment of the army's advanced guard. The dew of sleep dwelt not that night upon his eyes; for body and soul were sundered, and his spirit rested with the lady chess-player.

CHAPTER SECOND.

GENERATIONS of man change, but the seasons change not. Nations and dynasties roll away, but light and darkness endure in regular alternation. Nourjehan arose from his tented couch at morning, and felt almost surprised to see the sun shining with the same look he had borne yesterday. To him all things seemed altered, and the very atmosphere unlike that he had hitherto breathed. The Promethean spark had lighted up his heart, and he abandoned himself to his new feelings with the true enthusiasm of a son of Iran.

It need hardly be said that this day, and the next, and many more 'next' days saw Nourjehan worshipping at the shrine of his adoration. He represented himself to be an officer in the service of the shah, endowed for the time with a commission of particular consequence, which had given him that marked as cendency over Ismael Khan and his lawless troop. The grand army had entered Ispahan in triumph, and the emperor had offered up public thanksgivings, in the chief mosques, for the happy state of general peace in which Persia rested beneath his rule.