The King's Talisman — page 39: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

30 } THE KING'S TALISMAN. tendants, so, of course, you will not intrude upon her privacy. She will be under the immediate attendance of ten of my most trusty eunuchs, and you will not interfere with their guardianship. Your retinue is already drawn up outside of the city, and two of my slaves who are to accom- pany you will direct you to the spot.” A slight curl of disdain rested upon the lips of the youth as the king ceased speaking, for the whole plan was so glar- ingly inconsistent with the nature of the professed embassy, that Noureddin could not help seeing it. Frequently did the king have occasion to send off a retinue of slaves on various errands, of the nature of which the people were ignorant; but it was something unheard-of for such a busi- ness ag the present to be left in the hands of menials. A curious equipment, thought Noureddin, for the negotiation of peace between two kingdoms! He kept his counsel to himself, however, and readily followed the two attendants who had been summoned to conduct him away, but before he went, he failed not to notice the fiend-like exultation that dwelt upon the king’s countenance. While Noureddin followed his conductors out of the city, let us look at the dwelling of Al-Bassa, the king’s counselor. In a sumptuous apartment, hung with crimson drapery, and ornamented by elaborately polished mirrors, reclined the form of a fair and beautiful maiden, while by her side stood an old man, down whose furrowed cheeks the traces of tears were still visible. About the countenance of Al- Bassa there was nothing that could indicate the harsh or unfeeling man, but there was a sort of timidity—a kind of womanish fear, that ill accorded with his reputed wisdom. People often wondered that so timid a man should be re- tained asthe king’s counselor, but they knew not how his very timidity made him the more acceptable tool in the hands of Modad. Selina raised her eyes to her father’s face, and cast upon (Eo) m cComicbooks;