THE PIRATES OF SEGXA. 433 



the Proveditore as well as that of Dansowich, who 

 had never seen his daughter in a disguise worn only 

 at Venice or other places of peril, and while away 

 from her father and his protection. 



While the beautiful but still tearful Uzcoque maid 

 stood thus revealed before the astonished senator and 

 his enraptiired and speechless son, the approaching 

 footfall of a horse at full speed was heard, and in an 

 instant there darted round the angle of a cliff the 

 martial figure of a Turk, mounted upon a large and 

 powerful steed, of that noble race bred in the deserts 

 eastward of the Caspian. The tall and graceful per- 

 son of the stranger was attired in a close riding-dress 

 of scarlet cloth, from the open breast of which gleamed 

 a light coat of mail. A twisted turban, boiind with 

 chains of glittering steel, defended and adorned his 

 head. A crooked cimeter suspended from his belt 

 was his only weapon. His countenance bore a strik- 

 ing resemblance to that of Antonio, and had the same 

 sweet and graceful expression about the mouth and 

 chin ; but the more ample and commanding forehead, 

 the well - opened flashing ' eyes, the more prominent 

 and masculine nose, the clear, rich, olive complexion 

 and soldierly bearing, proclaimed him to be of a 

 widely different and higher nature. Riding close up 

 to the side of Strasolda, he reined in his steed with a 

 force and suddenness that threw him on his haunches ; 

 but speedily recovering his balance, the noble animal 

 stood pawing the earth and lashing his sides with, his 



