came to visit her—incited by his mother,
who declared that no maiden would avert
her face from him—she received him in
sullen silence, and turning her face to the
wall, deprived him of the sight of her beauty.
He dared not approach, and scarcely dared
to speak, but sat on a carpet near the doorway,
sighing and beating his breast. These
visits were repeated every day; at length
Salameh, understanding that her danger
was less than she had feared, began to
feel more compassion towards the young
King. She spoke to him once of Naomi; but
then his eyes flashed with anger, so that she
perceived that her only protection was her
own beauty, and the King's natural goodness.
Becoming wise, therefore, in her own defence,
she spoke merely of the cruelty of imposing
love by force, and found that she could
always drive Zakariah to despair and humility,
by saying that hearts must be given, not
stolen, and that princes could command
everything but smiles.

Meanwhile the sentiments of the people
were undergoing a great change. At first
they had allowed the oppression of Gerges
and his daughter to pass unnoticed; and
many even approved. But punishment soon
overtook them. The King, whose thoughts
were occupied day and night with Salameh,
ceased to administer justice in his own person,
and abandoned that care to others, who
took the opportunity to serve their own
interests. Wrong began to be practised, and
increased every day in intensity. Just claims
were disregarded, violence was allowed to
go unpunished, corruption spread, the judges
took bribes, and traffickers in bribes
became rich. In the midst of all this a man
dressed as a beggar, began to go about the
streets complaining and prophesying. It was
Gerges, the father of Salameh, who had
become mad in banishment, and had returned
to demand vengeance on the unjust Zakariah.
The officers of the court one day offered to
beat him; but the people took his part, and
carried him away in triumph. Insurrection
was threatened; and the watchword became
Naomi and Salameh.

For, the young man, evading the watchers,
(being warned by messengers), had returned
likewise; and hearing that the maiden
he loved had been violently seized, and
taken to the king's palace, resolved to be
revenged. He told his story in the market-
places; pointed to the miserable Gerges, who
followed him, weeping; and was soon chosen
as the chieftain of the people. The captains
of the soldiers were dismayed, and began to
talk of flight, and already it was whispered
that Naomi should be made king.

But, the mother of Zakariah understood the
danger in time. Without consulting her son
she caused all unjust judges and oppressors
of the people to be seized, and either put to
death or cast into prison; she sent criers
about, promising that all grievances should
be redressed; she opened the treasury and
scattered gold; she remitted the taxes for a
year; and then collecting an armed force,
ordered Mansour to march against Naomi.
A single battle in the streets decided the
fortune of the day. Naomi was taken prisoner,
his followers were put to the sword; and
he himself was condemned to die by public
execution.

King Zakariah, shut up in the innermost
recesses of his palace, knew nothing of these
things; but continued to visit Salameh, no
longer in the hope of winning, but because in
her presence he felt less unhappy than
elsewhere. One day, as he was about to lift up
the curtain that closed the door of her apartment,
he heard her lamenting aloud, and
saying: "And hast thou returned, Naomi,
only to taste the bitter waters of death?
Better for thee to have remained in a far
country, and for us to have communed at a
distance with our hearts. I think I could be
happy, knowing that another had thy love,
if only thy life could be saved."

"And what danger," said the King, entering,
"hath crossed the path of this Naomi?"

"Thou knowest best, O King!" replied the
maiden. "By thy orders is he to die this
day."

Then she related what she had heard of
the revolt of Naomi from one of her attendants;
and wept aloud, and beat her breast
and implored for mercy.

"Grant this boy his life," said she, trying
to make it seem of small importance, "grant
me his life, O mighty King; and I will forget
him and become thy slave."

She had seized the knees of Zakariah, who
stood struggling with strong emotions before
her.

"My child," said he at length, with
trembling lips, "this is a thing that cannot
be. I cannot take thy love at that price;
but I will save the life of Naomi."

The King felt a pang when he had uttered
these words, because Salameh withdrew a
little from him, and retired as it were once
more within her love; but, he had at length
understood that affection cannot be forced,
and that so far from finding what he had
sought in Salameh, he had only found a new
proof of the truth that had made him miserable.
All that he had done, now seemed
odious to him; and he determined to spend
the rest of his life in repairing the mischief
he had occasioned. He could not, however,
consent to allow the happiness of Salameh and
Naomi to take place under the windows of
his citadel. The young man was released,
but banished with Gerges and the maiden,
to an island in the sea, where they lived
to the end of their days in joy and
tranquillity. Zakariah became again popular with
all classes of men; and learned to appear
content.

But his love for Salameh never slept.
Every year, in the summer season, did he