Anna Maria Porter

“ Kara Aziek noted the flush, and divined its meaning: she laid her hand gently upon his arm as he stood looking from the deck upon the city. “With love, friendship, and competency, in that enchanting region, shall we not be happy my Sebastian? Shall we not rest?”
Sebastian turned his softened eyes on her with a look of tender regret: “Would I had been born for thee only Aziek;—rest, alas! is not for a man whom sacred duties bind to action; I belong to my suffering people. But we shall rest, sweetest! (he added soothingly, seeing tears gather on her cheek) we shall rest at least awhile.” ”

“ The gentle Moor wept some time in silence; but how expressive was that silence! her eyes spoke every feeling of a fond and pitying heart; as they alternately looked from the dungeon to its noble inhabitant,—to him whose feet were cut, and bleeding still from the sharp rocks he had traversed, and whose countenance, though pale and wasted, was yet bright with unsubdued heroism.
“Ah, Fabian!” she exclaimed at length, in a voice that went to the soul, “why didst thou do this rash thing? If I should not be able to save thee?” ”

“ The young Duchess trembled with sudden emotion, and her fine countenance assumed an expression of veneration, joy, and sorrow, which heightened its charms; she half bent her knee, while exclaiming, “who is it that I behold? O majestic stranger, dare I believe that I see in you—”
“The father of your mother!” replied the old man, tears trickling down his cheek, “the widowed, wandering Sebastian.”
Luisa sunk at his feet, and devoutly kissed them. “You return then, at last!” she said, weeping with delight, “all who have known or persecuted you, my honoured father, are vanished from the earth. ”

“ Without replying, Sebastian shot an eagle glance round, as if in search of something, the next instant he darted forwards, and snatching up a hatchet which lay accidentally among some rubbish, flashed it in the eyes of Ben Tarab.
“I too am armed!” he exclaimed fiercely, “approach but one step nearer and this hatchet shall lay you dead at my feet.—I can die but once—yet if I do fall, I will sell my life dearly.—Mark me! the man who takes Gaspar to punishment from this prison must cut his way to him through my heart.” ”

“ Because, replied Abensallah, it is full of an extravagant hope of such unfading raptures as are only to be found in paradise. ’Tis the very spirit of youth which falsely believes all it loves, immutable: Time that shews thee the mutability of every thing, even of human character (for alas! how insecure sometimes is virtue herself,) will extinguish, or give a new direction to this erring fire.—Hast thou my son never felt, even in the midst of what is called felicity, a sort of feebleness in thy power of enjoyment, which seemed to make happiness mock thy very grasp? ”

“ Speak your wishes, and they shall be obeyed; if they be to fulfil your engagement with the Basha, I will myself conduct you to him; but if a friendship more sacred even than love—a gratitude exalted to adoration—every sentiment in short, except passion itself; if these may touch you—if you can condescend to accept a heart yet smarting with a former wound—a heart that shudders at love, yet where your image is worshipped and cherished—”
“O say no more!—no more, beloved Sebastian!” ”