“As she will be in my company,” said Halima, “there will be no harm in her being in the house of my parents, or conversing with them.  I do so myself, and I am not less a good Turk for all that.  Besides, I do not intend to remain with them more than four or five days at most, for my love for you will not allow me to be so long without seeing you.”  Here the conversation dropped, the cadi not venturing to make any further objection, for fear of rousing her suspicions.

Friday being come, he went to the mosque, from which he was sure not to return for about four hours.  He was no sooner gone than Halima sent for Mario; but a Corsican slave who acted as porter, would not have admitted him into the court-yard if Halima had not called out to let him pass, whereupon he came in confused and trembling as if he were going to encounter a host of enemies.  Leonisa was seated at the foot of a great marble staircase, in the dress in which she had appeared before the pashas.  Her right arm resting on her knee supported her head, and her back was towards the door by which Mario entered, so that though he advanced to where she sat, she did not see him.

Ricardo cast his eyes all round the place when he entered; all was silence and solitude till he turned his gaze to where Leonisa sat.  Instantly he was seized with a thousand conflicting emotions.  He was within twenty paces of the object of his soul’s desire; but he was a captive, and the glory of his life was in the power of another.  Thus agitated with fear and exultation, joy and sadness, he advanced towards her slowly, until Leonisa suddenly turned round and her eyes met his earnest gaze.  He stopped, unable to move another step.  Leonisa, who believed him to be dead, was struck with awe and consternation at seeing him so unexpectedly before her.  With her eyes still fixed upon him and without turning her back, she retreated up four or five stairs, took a little cross from her breast, kissed it again and again, and crossed herself repeatedly, as though a being from the other world stood before her.  Ricardo presently recovered himself, and perceiving from Leonisa’s gestures what was the cause of her terror, he said, “It grieves me, beautiful Leonisa, that the news which Mahmoud gave you of my death was not true, so that I might be free from the fear I now feel lest the rigour you have also shown towards me still subsists entire.  Set your mind at ease, lady, and come down; and if you will do what you have never yet done—­approach me—­you will see that I am not a phantom.  I am Ricardo, Leonisa,—­Ricardo the happy, if you will bid him be so.”

Here Leonisa put her finger to her lips, giving Ricardo to understand that he should be silent or speak more low.  Gathering a little courage, he drew near enough to hear her whisper thus:  “Speak softly, Mario (for so I hear you are now called):  talk of nothing but what I talk of, and bear in mind that if we are overheard it will be the cause of our never meeting again.  I believe that Halima, our mistress, is listening to us:  she has told me that she adores you, and has sent me here as her intercessor.  If you will respond to her desires, you will consult the interest of your body more than of your soul; and if you will not, you must feign to do so, were it only because I request it, and for sake of what is due to the declared desires of a woman.”