"Despise thee! despise the mouth that is the herald of my victories! 'Twere rank blasphemy. Prophecy triumph, Esther, and Alroy will never doubt thy inspiration."

"He doubts it now. I see he doubts it now. Oh! my king, I say again, enter not into Babylon."

"Beauteous maiden, those eyes flash lightning. Who can behold their wild and liquid glance, and doubt that Esther is inspired! Be calm, sweet girl, some dream disturbs thy fancy."

"Alroy, Alroy, enter not into Babylon!"
"I have no fear-I bear a charmed life.'
"Ah me! he will not listen.

"All is gained, my beautiful."

All is lost!"

"I would we were upon the holy mount, and gazing on the stars of sacred Sion.”

"Esther," said Alroy, advancing, and gently taking her hand, "the capital of the East will soon unfold its marvels to thy sight. Prepare thyself for wonders. Girl, we are no longer in the desert. Forget thy fitful fancies. Come, choose a husband from my generals, child, and I will give a kingdom for thy dower. I would gladly see a crown upon that tall imperial brow. It well deserves one."

The prophetess turned her dark eyes full upon Alroy. What passed in her mind was neither evident nor expressed. She gazed intently upon the calm and inscrutable countenance of the conqueror, she flung away his hand, and rushed out of the pavilion.

PART VIII.

I.

THE waving of banners, the flourish of trumpets, the neighing of steeds, and the glitter of spears! On the distant horizon, they gleam like the morning, when the gloom of the night shivers bright into the day.

Hark! the tramp of the foemen, like the tide of the ocean, flows onward and onward, and conquers the shore. From the brow of the mountain, like the rush of a river, the column defiling, melts into the plain.

Warriors of Judah! holy men that battle for the Lord! The land wherein your fathers wept, and touched their plaintive psaltery; the haughty city where your sires bewailed their cold and distant hearth; your steeds are prancing on its plain, and you shall fill its palaces. Warriors of Judah! holy men that battle for the Lord!

March, onward march, ye valiant tribes, the hour has come, the hour has come ! All the promises of ages, all the signs of sacred sages, meet in this ravishing hour. Where is now the oppressor's chariot, where your tyrant's purple robe?

The horse and the rider are both overthrown, the horse and the rider are both overthrown!

Rise, Rachel, from the wilderness arise, and weep no more. No more thy lonely palm-tree's shade need shroud thy sacred sorrowing. The Lord hath heard the widow's sigh, the Lord hath stilled the widow's tear. Be comforted, be com

forted, thy children live again!

Yes! yes! upon the bounding plain fleet Asriel glances like a star, and stout Scherirah shakes his spear by stern Jabaster's scimetar. And he is there, the chosen one, hymned by prophetic harps, whose life is like the morning dew on Sion's holy hill the chosen one, the chosen one, that leads his race to victory, warriors of Judah! holy men that battle for the Lord!

They come, they come, they come !

The ramparts of the city were crowded with the inhabitants, the river sparkled with ten thousand boats, the bazaars were shut, the streets lined with the populace, and the terrace of every house covered with spectators. In the morning, Ithamar had entered with his division and garrisoned the city. And now the vanguard of the Hebrew army, after having been long distinguished in the distance, approached the walls. A large body of cavalry at full speed dashed forward from the main force. Upon a milk white charger, and followed by a glittering train of warriors, amid the shouts of the vast multitude, Alroy galloped up to the gates.

He was received by Ithamar and the members of the deputation, but Honain was not there. Accompanied by his staff and a strong detachment of the sacred guard, Alroy was conducted through the principal thoroughfares of the city, until he arrived at the chief entrance of the serail, or palace, of the caliph. The vast portal conducted him into

a large quadrangular court, where he dismounted, and where he was welcomed by the captain of the eunuch guard. Accompanied by his principal generals and his immediate attendants, Alroy was then ushered through a suite of apartments which reminded him of his visit with Honain, until he arrived at the grand council chamber of the caliphs. The conqueror threw himself upon the gorgeous divan of the commander of the faithful.

"An easy seat after a long march," said Alroy, as he touched the coffee with his lips, which the chief of the eunuchs presented to him in a cup of transparent pink porcelain, studded with pearls(66). "Ithamar, now for your report. What is the temper of the city? where is his sultanship of Roum?" "The city, sire, is calm, and I believe content. The sultan and the caliph are still hovering on the borders of the province."

"So I supposed. Scherirah will settle that. Let the troops be encamped without the walls, the garrison, ten thousand strong, must be changed monthly. Ithamar, you are governor of the city: Asriel commands the forces. Worthy Jabaster, draw up a report of the civil affairs of the capital. Your quarters are the college of the dervishes. Brave Scherirah, I cannot afford you a long rest. In three days time you must have crossed the river with your division. It will be quick work. I foresee they will not fight. Meet me all here in council by to-morrow's noon. Farewell."

The chieftains retired, the high-priest lingered. "Were it not an intrusion, sire, I would fain entreat a moment's audience."

"My own Jabaster, you have but to speak.' "Sire, I would speak of Abidan, as valiant a It grieves me much, by some fatality, his services seem ever overpast.

warrior as any in the host.

"Abidan! I know him well,-a valiant man, but a dreamer, a dreamer.'

"A dreamer, sire! Believe me, a true son of Israel, and one whose faith is deep.'

"Good Jabaster, we are all true sons of Israel. Yet let me have men about me who see no visions in the mid-day sun. We must beware of dream

ers."

"Dreams are the oracles of God."

"When God sends them. Very true, Jabaster. But this Abidan, and the company with whom he consorts, are filled with high-flown notions, caught from old traditions, which if acted on, would render government impracticable-in a word, they are dangerous men."

"The very flower of Israel! Some one has poisoned your sacred ear against them."

"No one, worthy Jabaster. I have no counsellor except yourself. They may be the flower of Israel, but they are not the fruit. Good warriors,bad subjects excellent means, by which we may accomplish greater ends. I'll have no dreamers in authority. I must have practical men about mepractical men. See how Abner, Asriel, Ithamar, Medad, see how these conform to what surrounds them, yet invincible captains, invincible captains. But then they are practical men, Jabaster; they have eyes, and use them. They know the difference of times and seasons. But this Abidan, he has no other thought but the rebuilding of the temple: a narrow-souled bigot, who would sacrifice the essence to the form. The rising temple soon would fall again with such constructors. Why, sir, what think you, this very same Abidan preached in the camp against my entry into what the quaint fanatic chooses to call 'Babylon,' and bored me with some vision!"