ISKANDER EFFENDI. 49 



pass out the holy fire on Easter-day, and the persons 

 within doubtless took no note of the existence of such 

 an outlet. They supposed themselves alone, and, having 

 full view of the doorway, imagined that no one was with- 

 in hearing. For you will bear in mind that the Chapel 

 of the Angel is a little chapel in front of the Sepulchre, 

 on the floor of the church, under the great dome. 



" ' My daughter,' said in Arabic a voice of singular 

 melody ; ' my daughter, your grief seems very heavy — ' 



" ' I do not understand Arabic/ interrupted a female 

 voice in Italian. 



'"I said,' replied the man, in Italian, 'that your grief 

 is very heavy. Can the Church do nothing to console 

 you ?' 



" ' I do not speak Italian well enough to converse in 

 it ; my language is English,' was the reply. 



" Then followed a few sentences in a low tone which 

 I could not hear — which, indeed, I did not try to hear, 

 for what had I to do with them? and then I heard an 

 exclamation of joy — ' Selim, Selim ! at last, at last !' — and 

 I remembered the voice. 



" ' Where, where have you wandered ? Every day for a 

 year and more I have been on this spot at noon, and you 

 came not; though when we parted you said we should 

 meet here to-morrow.' 



" ' I have been a fugitive. Yesterday was the first day 

 I have been able to enter Jerusalem, and last night I 

 was again compelled to assume a disguise. But all is 

 over. We will not part again.' 



"'Thank God! thank God !' 



" That voice ! that voice ! It had now haunted me 

 four-and-twenty hours. I had made it the business of 

 my life for those hours ; had built up the fabrics of ten, 



D 



