The Armourer's Apprentice — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

ae Sy * Wag Xk mr) Th’ Ot a oe .. 2 er Se Ws s ; aa Ae e: ‘ee i i ‘ «?, - T > ; a4 ra “s “ A ae Fede to eile ‘if 748 Rha . P - “o> - * “Should we speak will there be danger in it?” demanded Sir Bidulph, who was terribly superstitious, and who had in _ spite of himself been greatly awed by the Mystical manner of Sir Stephen and the _ strange propositions he had made. “Tshall call up mighty spirits, and if _ you disturbthem not will answer with my hife that they will not hurt you; but if you _ attempt to mferrupt me I will not answer for the consequences. Was not the great - magician Ibraham Ebn Abu Ajeeb carried _ off, and some say torn to pieces, by devils _ which he had called up to his bidding; but, _ being enraged at what he saw, by their - aid broke the magic wand which had held _ them captive? Beware ofhis fate. Ifyou _, must speak, let it be with bated breath and in. as few words as possible.”’ “Twill not speak,” said the sheik. “Pro- ceed at once to thY work, O man of _ wisdom,” “Fix thou thy eyes upon yonder crystal _ muror. We will look into the past.” _ _ As he spoke, the pretended magician _ flung some fine powder into a silver dish, ve ud immediately a thick vapour, pregnant - with rich odours, filled the room. Waving his wand aloft, he muttered what appeared to be an incantation in _ some unknown tongue. | _ Scarcely had he finished when the crys- _ tal mirror shone as though it were red-hot. _ Then there arose the sound of music at a | eat distance—not the wild music of the Hastern nations, but that of the Western ng ands: then faintly—very faintly—the din and roar of battle. aa € L _ © Athick cloud of smoke gathered over the _ mirror, and as it faded away on the glitter- _ ing crystal a fierce battle scene was shown. _ There were the Christian armies, with _ banners flying and glittering armour, _ charging with almost irresistable fury upon _ But the wild horsemen of the deser_ _ fought nobly, darting hither and thither, \ waving their Sanne swords aloft, as they - shouted the battle cry, ‘Allah! ulah! pe ellah |” if _ Once more the cloud obscured the mirror, and the music became sad in the extreme, z ns on, as the vapour curtain drew aside, & _ chained therein. | _ Qhe old sheik’s eyes flashed fire with a look of triumph as he hissed between his 7 Saal _ “Ab! ’tis my deadly foe, Giaffa. Let him ‘rot there. I have his wife and gold.” __ Again the cloud fell and again it rose, -this_time to show a party of the sheik’s diers carrying off Giafia’s wife and pillag- ; his home ibs 4 + ‘l ' ae] Lr. st a a. “ ‘ ; 7 * Le 7 = “ en THE MAGIC MIRROR. eon was shown, with a Saracen en- “Ha, ha! ’Tis so,’tisso. fa,what was that?” exclaimed the sheik, starting. — At that moment a plaintive whisper seemed to fill the air, breathing the name of “‘ Zayda.” “The pretended magician waved his wand. The cloud-curtain again fell and rose again, this time discovering a couple of English knights and a few men-at-arms holding a young English girl who appeared to be captive. “This vision is @ strange one,” whis- pered Sir Stephen, pretending not to under- stand it, and speaking as if he were in the sreatest awe. “See! the knioht tears the cross from his breast and casts it on the ground. fle renounces his religion. Seet the sheik takes the jewelled crescent from his turban and fixes it on the knight's breast in place of the cross.’’ “Tt is as we met, Sir Gidulph,” whispered the shiek to his serasiir. “Hist! Breathe not the name,” replied Sir Bidulph. ‘ Remember I am now AIl- manzor.” Low as this was said, our hero managed ~ to hear every word of it, and if was with ~ difficulty he could restrain himself from flying at the treacherous renegade. Again the vision disappeared, to give place to another one, wherein the English cirl—now dressed after the Eastern fashion, and loaded with jewels—was discovered seated on a rich divan, weeping bitterly. The seraskir’s eyes kindled like coals when he saw this. “Thy art, O sage, is wonderful,” he whis- pered, “Tell me, good father, wiil that maiden ever be mine? I love her as the nightingale loves the rose. She will be the queen of my harem, the light of my «yes, the joy of my heart. Tell me shail she be mins ?” “Beware! There lies your danger. She is an infidel. Seek but to injure one hair her head, and the curse of the prophet will fall on thee. Where is this Zayda whose name was breathed by the spirits just now ?” demanded Sir Stephen, “She is dead,” replied the sheik, fiercely. **She crossed my will, and I slew her.” A deep groan came, from the alcove, and our hero knew that the uncomfortable Giaffa had heard of the terrible death of his unhappy wite. — Then the horrible idea came over him that the terrible news might cause his confidant to faint, and their trick be dis- covered. Or, worse still, he“might, in the depth of his grief and despair, rush forth and attack the sheik, and then discovery end death must follow. Bnt the Saracen, although ke had tha fierceness of his race, had also their control, GOMmiIGcbDookssGo