Part 15 (2/2)
”I reh years have rolled away Never will it be effaced from my recollection while this heart, broken as it is, continues to beat, or this brain may be pered summits of the mountain which sheltered my abode from the unkind north-east wind: the leaves of the vines that hung in festoons on the trellis before lorious rays, had appeared so brilliant and transparent, had now assumed a browner shade, and, as far as the eye could reach, a thin blue vapour was descending the ravine: the distant sea had changed its intense blue for a sorey, while the surf rolled sullenly to the beach, as if in discontent that it could no longer reflect the colours of the prism as before, when it seemed to dance, with joy under the brilliant illumination of the God of day--”
”Poof!” ejaculated the pacha, fanning himself
”My boat was on the beach; my eyes were fixed upon it, in happy vacancy, until the shades of night prevented unnel I turned round at the soft voice of my Etana, as seated nearthe little one's impatience, as it would demand a more rapid flow of hted e of our affection I felt happy-- almost too happy: I had all I wished--yes I had,”--and the maniac paused and smote his forehead, ”but it is past now”
After a second or two he resumed--
”For my part it has always been my opinion that when the wind backs to the south-east, the fish repair to the deep water; and if you will be careful when you gather the grapes not to throw in the stalks, that the ill, as I before stated to your highness, only increase the extre how far a man could conscientiously deree of intellect, stated at different intervals, and extending down the crags of the whole ravine”
”I cannot, positively, understand a word of all this!” exclaimed the pacha, with irritation; ”can you, Mustapha?”
”How is it possible for your slave to cohness?”
”Very true,” replied the pacha
”Your highness will understand it all by-and-bye,” observed the maniac; ”but it will be necessary that you wait until I have finished the story, when it will all reel off like a skein of silk, which at present but appears to be ravelled”
”Well then,” replied the pacha, ”I wish you would begin at the end of your story, and finish with the beginning Now go on”
”There is nought under Heaven so interesting--so graceful--so pleasing to conte mother with her first-born at her breast The soft lisps and caresses of childhood--the expanding graces of the buddingbride, all lose in the co her destiny on earth; her countenance radiating with those intense feelings of delight, which more than repay her for her previous hours of sorrow and of anguish But I'hness”
”Wallah el Nebi!--by God and his Prophet, you do indeed Is it all to be like that?”
”No! pacha I wish to Heaven that it had been Merciful God!--why didst thou perrateful?--Were not ratitude and love, at the veryweapons were pointed to my breast--when the mother shrieked as they tore away the infant as a useless incuht it up, and the pistol of the savage Turk put an end to its existence? I see it now, as I kissed the little ruby fountain which bubbled from its heart: I see her too, as they bore her away senseless in their arms Pacha, in one short minute I was bereft of all--wife, child, home, liberty, and reason; and here I am, aupon his feet, he commenced in a loud voice:--”But I knoho they were--I know them all, and I knohere she is too: and now, pacha, you shall do me justice This is he who stole my wife; this is he who murdered my child; this is he who keeps her from my arms: and thus I beard him in your presence;” and as he finished his excla him by the beard with one hand, while, with the other, he beat his turban about his head
The guards rushed in, and rescued the vizier from the aard position in which he was placed by his own i the e of the pacha was excessive; and the head of the maniac would have been separated from his body, had it not been for the prudence of Mustapha, are that the common people consider idiots and madmen to be under the special protection of Heaven, and that such an act would be sufficient to create an insurrection At his intercession, the uards, and not released until he was a considerable distance from the palace
”Allah karim!--God is merciful!” exclaimed the pacha as soon as the lad that he did not think it was hness should have been so treated He has almost ruined the beard of your slave,” replied the vizier, adjusting the folds of his turban
”Mustapha, ain to accept an offer I'”
”Your highness speaks the truth--no old is not kicked up with the sandal, nor dia in the rays of the sun If ould obtain thehness be pleased to hear the manuscript which had been translated by the Greek slave?”
”Be it so,” replied the pacha, not in the very best of humours
The Greek made his appearance and made his salutation, and then read as follows:--
ManusCRIPT OF THE MONK
Recording the Discovery of the Island of Madeira