222' Selico, a tale. -^t'S' ^v 



that is all I request." The king was struck with the tone 

 and manner with which Berifsa had pronounced these last 

 words -y — he remained musing, holding down his head j and 

 was astonirtied himself at h-is own secret repugnance, for 

 once, to (hed blood. But recollecting that this negro 

 had accused himself as being guilty, and fancying that Be- 

 lifsa's eagernefs to save him, was from her love to him, all 

 his rage returned 5 he makes a sign to the executioner^ 

 who immediately sets fire to the pile ; the women begin 

 thc-ii'procefsion with their vases of boiling water, when 

 an old man, quite out of breath, and covered with blood 

 and wounds, pufhes through the crowd, and throws him- 

 self at the king's feet. " Stop !" cried he, "stop I it is 1 who 

 am the guilty person, — it was I who scaled the walls of 

 thy seraglio to carry off my daughter. I was formerly 

 the priest of the deity who was worlhipped on this spot j— 

 my daughter was torn from my arms, and dragged to thy 

 palace •, ever since I have constantly watched to see her. 

 This last night I got into her chamber, — ihe in vain at- 

 tempted to follow me, — thy guards saw her, and I escaped 

 amidst (howers of arrows of which you see here the marks. 

 I come to give myself up as a victim to you,- — to expire 

 with her for whom alone I wilhed to live." He had not 

 finifhed, when the king ordered the two prisoners to be 

 unbound and brought before him. He. interrogated Seli- 

 co,— he was desirous to know what motive could be power- 

 ful enough to make him wi(h for so cruel a punilhment. 

 Selico, whose heart beat with joy to find that his Berifsa 

 had not been faithlefs to him, was not afraid to inform the 

 monarch of every particular. He related his misfortunes, 

 the indigence of his mother, and the resolution he had 

 taken to gain the 400 ounces for her. Berifsa and her fa- 

 ther listened in ihedding tears of admiration. The chiefs, 

 the soldiers, and the people, were affected > the king felt 



