father's great house, which stood alone near
the land-gate of the city. Her life was
in great part one of meditation and prayer.
Her mother watched over the development,
of her mind and character with with nervous
anxiety, and the girl more than once suspected
that she was often purposely kept from her
father's sight. It was certain the old man loved
her in his way. All her wishes he was ready
to satisfy, the instant they were expressed
but he had a strange, wild, lawless style of
talk, in which he would sometimes indulge, as
if it gave him a fierce delight: saying things
that stupefied poor Guzla, and made her look
upon him for a moment as if he were not her
father, but another being who had taken
his shape. Then the mother, as soon as they
were left alone, would labour to direct her
attention from what had taken place, and
lead her mind to the contemplation of religious
subjects; or speak to her of some neighbouring
misfortune which it was in their
power to alleviate. These arts were generally
successful; but, sometimes poor Guzla could
not be deprived of her troublesome thoughts.
and she would seek an opportunity to be
alone, and remain musing in some dim recess,
until she felt her mind grow giddy. She
then knew where to fly for succour; and her
mother's breast was the altar upon which she
prayed.

There was evidently a secret in this household
—a secret that hung over it like a cloud:
now dark and heavy, now bright and almost
transparent, but never entirely dispersed. The
legend does not think it necessary to seek the
truth with much anxiety; for, as usual, it
dislikes retrospection, and prefers to take us
by the hand and lead us on towards the
future. It seems to be implied that the scandal-mongers
of Beyrout were well-informed,
and that this Christian Ibrahim—Christian or
Pagan, there was no certainty which—had
formerly been a self-elected king of the seas;
and that all the wealth he had amassed was
stained with blood. Where he had first known
the mother of Guzla was the most profound
part of the secret. She never spoke of her
early time but with horror and trembling;
and was sometimes seen to smile in a strange
manner, as if she were debating some great
cause within herself, in which love and hatred
pleaded on different sides. The former passion
gained the day no doubt; for, she continued
to love on calmly, and never gave
outward sign of being disturbed in mind,
stronger than when she would, without seeming
cause, seize Guzla in her arms and overwhelm
her with caresses, in the midst of
which some tears were scattered upon the
maiden's hands and garments, like pearls
accidentally unstrung.

Thus they lived on until the time came
when Guzla was nearing the limits of
womanhood. Then the Effendi, carelessly,
as he was smoking his pipe, upon which
Guzla had just placed a live coal, patted the
girl on the head, and mentioned that in a
lay or two her future husband would present
himself. Guzla, perhaps for the first time
in her life, raised her eyes with an arch expression
to her father's countenance, and was
about to make some playful objection, when
her mother, in a sad solemn voice, that
sounded like the first note of a warning peal,
said, ''And whence, Ibrahim, does this sudden
husband come ? "

A long glance was exchanged between the
two parents—kindled perhaps by terrible
memories. The mother of Guzla sank back
almost helpless on her couch; and the father
rose and slowly moved away from the room.
He returned presently, as if he had required
a moment's solitude to find all his resolution;
and said in a loud firm voice,

"The husband whom I have chosen for my
daughter is named Lanfranc."

"All is lost!" murmured the mother of
Guzla when they were left alone; and then
they embraced, a long while, in silence.

"Thou must go and cast thyself on thy
knees before thy father," at length said the
mother;" and not stir until thou hast obtained
the promise of another husband. This
one is a man of terror and guilt. He will put
thy soul in danger."

"Is he young?" inquired Guzla, in a
vague, uncertain voice; and her eyes, filled
with unwonted light, seemed to be gazing
towards the future. Her mother took her
in her arms and dragged her almost roughly
upon her knees, where she held her in a
tight embrace.

"Daughter," she said at last, "it is not
meet that thou shouldst know all the mysteries
of the past. This Lanfranc is a child
of blood! and will make both thee and me
miserable."

Guzla remained silent for some time, but
clasped her mother closer and closer; and it
was not necessaiy for her to say at length,
that if, by any means, the marriage could be
averted she would obey the warning.

Two or three days afterwards, a man in the
prime of life, with bold, handsome features,
and manners that were rather boisterous than
cheerful, presented himself at the house of
Ibrahim. He came without attendants or
baggage; and there was nothing to tell
whether he had arrived by sea or by land.
When Guzla heard that this was Lanfranc
and saw that he never entered a room without
first cautiously glancing towards every corner;
that his conversation with her father was in
whispers; that he saluted her mother with
almost contemptuous familiarity, and gazed
on her own features—when in obedience to
severe orders unveiled—with intent admiration,
the sentiment that began to take shape
in her mind was not one of love. She
spoke freely to her father; but he, whose
manner was kind, usually, though rough, became
furious like a wild beast. He raised his
hand to strike her, and swore by powers, of