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He who was her companion, and whom she had called Capt. Selim, was the same young officer whom the reader met in an early chapter at the slave bazaar, and who bid to the extent of his means for Komel, who was at last borne away by the Sultan's agent. He was well formed and handsome, his undress uniform showing him to be attached to the naval service of the Sultan.
To say that Komel was insensible to all her personal advantages would be unreasonable, and supposing her not possessed of an ordinary degree of perception.
"How knew you that I dreamed?" "I read it in your face. It needs no conjuror to define that, Komel." "Would you know of what I was thinking?" "It was my question, pretty one." "Of home of my poor parents, and of my lost Aphiz," she answered, bitterly. "I have told thee to forget those matters, and content thyself here as mistress of my harem."
All the while Selim seemed thoughtful and absent, and looked about him with strange interest, at everything that met his gaze. He even forgot to seek the side of Zillah, who, with Komel, was hurrying away to a conveyance up the mountain side. Nor did he join them until sent for by Aphiz. Let another chapter explain the mystery of this singular abstraction.
Komel had been called to mourn, and melancholy had thrown about her a gentle glow of plaintiveness, as a grateful angel added another grace to the rose that had sheltered its slumber, by a shroud of moss.
"You know I have free access to the palace, and could easily inform her of any plan for her release." "One half of the trouble is over then at once, if she will second your efforts." "Well, I will visit the harem this very day. I have good excuse for doing so, and will tell Komel " "Komel!" interrupted Selim. "Yes, that it the slave's name; why, what makes you look so thoughtful?"
The same sensations have more than once come over him since that hour while they were suffering together the hardships of the week, and the fearful scenes that followed the gale they had encountered after the chase. Aphiz and Komel loved each other now, as they never could have done, but for the strange vicissitudes which they had shared together.
Though both Komel and Aphiz had been thrice happy in their constant intercourse in the days of childhood, though those days, so well remembered, had been to them like a pleasant morning filled with song, or the gliding on of a summer stream, and were marked only by truthfulness and peaceful content, still both realized as they now entered upon a riper age of youth, that they were far happier than ever before, that they loved each other better, and all things about them.
It was a terrible sight and poor Komel saw it as they carried her away, and uttered such a fearful, piercing scream that it seems to ring in our cars even now. She fainted then in their arms, and we saw her no more." "Heaven guard her!" said Aphiz, with inward anguish expressed in his face. "Amen!" said the aged father, with a deep, heartfelt sigh, full of sorrow.
Here Komel came night after night, but the song was no more repeated. Either the sentry's shot had effectually frightened away the serenader, or else he had not come hither with any fixed object connected with his song. In either case the poor girl felt unhappy and disappointed in the matter, and her companions saw a cloud of care upon her fair face.
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