buries the corpse, and goes off with a light heart, to the repetition, perhaps, of so simple an act. Demetrio did ultimately obtain this pardon, and was observed to be in peculiarly high spirits ever after. Be the fact of the murder as it may, their object was to secure the payment of the eight thousand piastres to the widow, our own countrywoman, and this the British Consul was to effect (as they hoped) by our information. Unwilling to trust our memory on the details of a matter of so much importance, we begged them to make a written statement of the whole affair, which we promised to deliver to the Consul. Rossignoli spoke the most, and with the most warmth; though the others were not without anxiety about an act of humanity, in the performance of which they had no visible interest whatever. Our visitors had walked three hours to find our boat, and, no doubt, expected to be regaled with a hearty English breakfast. Now we had long lived, from day to day, on what fortune brought us, even the Commodore's rice having been some time finished; and it happened that morning, that two small bits of bread formed the whole stock of provision, one of which they had devoured at the moment of entering the boat. Two of our servants were out foraging. We fairly confessed our situation to them; and after staying about two hours, they took their leave. Presently the foragers returned unsuccessful, and the remaining morsel of bread furnished us with our temperate repast. This is mentioned only because we heard, afterwards, that Mahommed Effendi had complained severely of our reception of him. Now it is difficult to say what reception a renegade has a right to expect from those whose religion he has deserted. We offered him neither insult nor reproach: did he expect cordiality and friendship? or was it in the presence of the corpses left to rot on the face of the earth by those whose faith he had from conviction embraced, that he thought us likely to respect him and his faith? We were, it is true, alike natives of a distant land, we spoke the same language, and were in the country of a common enemy; but the nature of crimes is not changed by the sun that burns, or the deserts that surround you; nor can any circumstances of hardship, difficulty, or danger, alter the feeling with which you approach an apostate. And yet it must be confessed, that, to the disgrace of the Christians resident in the East, renegades are, in general, much less despised by them than by the Turks themselves." Reading such accounts can we wonder that the Turks look at Franks and Christians with contempt? The Physician's villany is perhaps the most atrocious; but the everlasting dissensions among almost all the European visitors of these countries, are enough to give very bad impressions of our characters. THE RENEGADE. A ROMANCE. BY THE VICOMTE D'ARLINCOURT. (Literary Gazette.) When we commenced the publication of these papers, (The Renegade) their end was beyond our sight, as we had not received from England the whole of the Gazettes from which they are selected. We hope now to finish the story in this and the next Atheneum. Although it be scattered through many numbers, we think a re-perusal of the whole would be found entertaining and well repay the reader. The Romance in the original has exacted great attention in France, equal to that given in England and our own country to the Waverley novels, and probably it well deserves it. Ed. Ath. CHARLES MARTEL now takes the command of the French army, inspirited by the success of Ezilda at Segorum. He orders Leodat and the heroine's force to join him. Leodat refuses, and aware of the treacherous character of Charles, earnestly advises the princess to consult her safety by retiring to the peaceful mountains of Cevennes, if she will not marry and give him a right to be her protector. Ezilda, the betrothed of Clodomir, declares she will never wed any but the son of Thierri. She also rejects a demand from Charles to deliver up her prisoners to him; and in opposition to that demand releases Alaor, to whom she says: "An important plan on the success of which depend my fate and that of Agobar, at present occupies my mind. You may assist me in the accomplishment of this design. May I rely on you?"-" Command, dispose of me!" replied the friend of Agobar. On the shore of the Mediterranean, continued the princess, near the plain of Augustura, rises the pyramid of Fabius.* There I wish to have an interview with Agobar. Alaor, tell your chief that in three days hence Ezilda will meet him at the pyramid of Fabius. Depart, you are free.-To-morrow I shall quit Segorum and visit the royal camp. I wish to converse with the Duke of France; and after my interview with Charles Martel, that which I may have with Agobar will decide the fate of Gaul. Adieu !" and without affording the young Mussulman time to reply or to express his gratitude, she immediately withdrew. Alaor quitted Segorum, and at the close of the following day he rejoined his chief. The Prince of Avernes was apprised of Ezilda's sudden determination to visit the royal camp. Alarmed for her safety, and unable to guess her design, he employed all the power of eloquence to oppose her departure; but nothing could shake the resolution of the princess. Mounted on an Andalusian courser, Ezilda quitted Segorum, accompanied only by the Prophet of the Black Mountain and three faithful squires. Goudair was well acquainted with the road, and the princess arrived without difficulty at the vast plains of Umbrani. She was introduced to the tent of the proud conqueror. Charles immediately dismissed his warriors, and Ezilda spoke as follows:-" Duke of France! When rousing the people of Cevennes from their shameful servitude, I ventured to appeal to my countrymen, it was not the desire of glory and renown that determined my resolution. • The Consul Fabius Maximus having conquered Gallia Narbonensis, and placed it under the dominion of the Romans, pyramids and monuments were erected to him in those places in which he gained his most brilliant victories. To repel the standard of the false pro- "Far from concealing himself, (replied the princess,) he bears a name which is, alas but too celebrated.--Clodomir, whom you persecuted, when, under the name of Astolphe, he appealed for his lawful rights-whom you vanquished when he took up arms against youClodomir, rejected by his country, is Agobar. Agobar! (repeated Charles, with horror,) and can you have conceived the wild idea of placing the crown of France on the head of a renegade !"-"On the head of the son of Thierri! (exclaimed Ezilda,) whatever title he may have borne, to whatever country he may have wandered, he'is still the son of Thierri." She then briefly related to the Maire du Palais the history of Agobar." But (exclaimed Charles,) Clodomir the renegade having borne arms against his country, cannot now inspire respect and confidence!-No, (he continued) I can never consent to such a proposition; it would be dishonouring the French crown to place it on the head of a Saracen it would be dishonouring myself to crown a renegade, Clodomir is unworthy to wield a sceptre." "I understand you, said Ezilda, rising with dignity; neither the safety of France, nor the happiness of mankind occupy your thoughts. The eyes of Charles are open only to ambition. Duke of France, pursue if you will your perilous career! ascend the throne! But recollect the tragical fate of the ambitious Maires who have preceded you. To morrow I shall see Agabar: I will endeavour to restore him to his duty and his God, and should heaven second my efforts the bride of Clodomir will proclaim the King of France. It will then be seen under whose banner the sons of Gaul will enroll themselves!-At this unexpected menace Charles trembled. He felt that in existing circumstances the Princess of Cevennes might annihilate his power. Recovering from his surprise, "Princess (said he,) Heaven doubtless inspires you, and I submit. Inform Agobar that the Maire du Palais offers him the crown: let him return to the religion of his fathers, let him abjure the Mussulman faith, and France is his own!"-The daughter of Theobert plainly perceived that fear and necessity had alone determined the despot, but it was enough that she had attained her object. [The Princess next journeys to her interview with Agobar, during which, one of her squires arrives and thus accosts her.] "The perfidious Charles has issued a Proclamation, stating that you are now holding correspondence with the chief of the infidels, whose life you have saved, and that you are plotting the ruin of France. Orders have been given to arrest you whereover you may be found, and the Maire du Palais has dispatched a party of troops to cut off all communications between you and the legions of Segorum." What an unexpected stroke for Ezilda!-But she was less alarmed at the unwelcome news which she had just heard, than she was apprehensive for the fatal effect it might produce on Agobar.-After a short pause, she turned to the Saracen chief. Alas! all her fears were confirmed. “Christian! (said Agobar with savage irony,) this is the loyalty of your prince, the gratitude of your people, and the justice of your God!"-These (replied the heroine) are the trials of Providence! the flames in which virtue is purified! the steps which lead to heaven !”— Agobar seized an ivory horn which he wore suspended from his girdle. He blew it three times, and at the hero's summons, the hills were in a few minutes covered with Mussulman troops, at whose head was Alaor. "Speak (said the son of Thierri, addressing himself to the princess:) What are your wishes? Behold this army! it is yours; these shores they are yours! If you wish to be revenged on Charles, he shall be brought to you in chains. Here Agobar reigns, and Ezilda may command an asylum, a palace, or a kingdom."-Grant me (said the prin cess) an escort as far as Segorum! the protection of your troops is necessary to enable me to rejoin my mountaineers."--" Alaor, (exclaimed the hero) with your battalion follow the Princess of Luteve! and obey her as you would obey me!" [Ezilda finds her progress impeded by a line of French troops, in the happy valley."--"Is the torrent navigable?" (enquired Ezilda "Yes,(replied Goudair) I have frequently fol lowed this subterranean course in a little boat which I have constructed for that purpose. When curiosity led me to discover an unknown country beyond the burning rocks of Fontanias, I thanked heaven for having conducted me to the land of felicity. I remained there for several weeks, and soon the tenderest friendship united me to the patriarchs of the valley. Some of these men, who are revered like the oracles of ancient times, know that there are other countries besides that which they inhabit; but having brought up their chil very direction in which she was advancing, and therefore determines to take refuge with Goudair in the temple of Calmor; and from the summit of the monument, which was surrounded and defended by the troops of Alaor, view the combat. Agobar defeats the French, and the princess is about to proceed once more for Segorum, when looking towards the sea, she observed several vessels bearing the Mahometan flag advancing at full sail, in the direction of the coast.]—" Alaor (said she) those vessels are doubtless sent with reinforcements from the powerful caliph Aberdam." The young Saracen turned pale "That is the flag of Athim (he exclaimed.) Some perfid-dr in the belief that the outlets of the ious project must bring the mortal enemy of Agobar to these shores." [Ezilda, yields the command of her troops to Theodat, and, to avoid lighting the flames of civil war, resolves to bury herself in solitude.] She explained to Goudair her reason for quitting the fortress of Segorum. "In you I now place all my hopes, (said she.) You, Goudair, who have ascended inaccessible mountains, and penetrated the most secluded retreats, conduct me to some remote asylum, where I may live unknown to the world. Lead me to some hidden solitude that may afford me an asylum." Princess (said Goudair, after a few moments reflection,) you shall be obeyed. To morrow I will conduct you to an abode of peace; to a valley unknown to France and Europe. On the east of Segorum arises the burning peak of Fontanias, famed in this part of Gaul. Burning vapours rising from the summit of the volcano, render all approach to it impossible. For ages past no stranger has ventured to ascend the mountain, behind which is a delicious valley, inhabited by a few patriarchs and their families. A triple line of volcanic rocks form a bulwark round this unknown Eden. There are only two ways by which the retreat can be reached. One runs between the craters of Fontanias,and cannot be passed without extreme danger. The other is by a torrent which runs thro' the interior of the mountain, and the waters of which, after pursuing a long and gloomy course, run into the valley are the gates of hell, they have Athim, the mortal enemy of Agobar, had circulated at the Court of the Caliph the blackest calumnies against his fortunate rival. It was reported inSpain that the Saracen conqueror, who had been long endeavouring to shake off the yoke of his prince, was on the point of being crowned King of France. Abderam believed he had acquired positive proofs of the treason of the Renegade; and while on the field of Angustura the son of Thierri fancied he had attained the pinnacle of glory and power, his sentence of death, pronounced by the caliph, was rapidly crossing the seas, borne by Athim himself. Athim landed in Gaul, and having pitched his tent on the coast, he summoned Agobar and his principal warriors to appear before him. The Renegade, far from suspecting treachery, visited the tent of the Mussulman envoy, attended only by a few of his most distinguished chiefs. The emissary of Abderam, surrounded by royal pomp, held in his hand the fatal decree, which he was about to read to his enemy. The hero advanced: "Agobar! (exclaimed the vile African,) sooner or later Heaven never fails to visit the traitor with punishment. Your plots are discovered. Allah condemns, and Abderam strikes." Then having read the sentence of death, "Guards, (said he,) let the orders of the Caliph be instantly executed!" At this moment Alaor rushed into the tent with his janissaries. "Soldiers, (he exclaimed,) save the hero of Europe! save the immortal Agobar!" The young Saracen foreseeing the perfidy of Athim, had kept a watchful eye on his benefactor, and had followed his footsteps in defiance of every obstacle. A dreadful conflict ensues. With his invincible cimeter Agobar cut his way through the warlike multitude. Followed by Alaor and the soldiers of his guard, he escaped from the dreadful scene of carnage, and directed his impetuous course towards the rocks which bordered the sea, unobserved by Athim and his troops. The night was gloomy. Agobar and his faithful companion fled from cavern to cavern. After wandering for several hours, they stopped. They were entirely alone. The rest of the prince's defenders had either perished or lost their way, and they no longer heard the cry of the Mussulmans, who had pursued them to a considerable distance. The fugitives are refreshed at a hut. Leaving behind them their armour and turbans, they wrapt themselves in fishermen's cloaks, and armed only with their swords, they left the hospitable roof. They determined to direct their course to the plain of Angustura, where Agobar was persuaded he might reassemble his legions and recover his power. Descending a steep pass among the rocks, they met a traveller, who informs them that the reported death of Agobar at first spread grief and consternation among his troops; but the general sorrow was but of short duration. Messengers from Athim, preceded by trumpets, traversed the camp, reading aloud a detail of the crimes and treasons of Agobar. Even the partisans of the Renegade thought his punishment just, and not a voice was raised to defend his memory. Sums of money were distributed to the soldiery in celebration of the happy event; and the infidels rejoiced at the execution, as the period of their deliverance! now blighted. His army had forsaken All the hopes of the Prince were him. He was rejected by the whole world. The Renegade turned to Alaor, and the ferocious expression of his countenance alarmed the young Saracen. It was not the calmness of insensibility; it was the frenzy of rage that was now depicted in his features. He numerous wounds; and the blood tore off the bandages that covered his which boiled in his veins flowed copiously ;-his limbs tottered beneath him, his eyes closed, and he fell at the feet of his friend. In course of a few hours he recovered his senses. looked around him, and what was his surprise to find that he was transported to the hut of a woodcutter: he uttered an exclamation of joy. Alaor was watching beside his wretched couch. Alaor saw but one mode of restoring the tranquillity of his friend, and thereby saving his life. He determined to proceed alone to the plain of Angustura, to ascertain the spirit of the army, and to raise against Athim the devoted legions of Agobar. He As soon as the shades of evening overspread the heavens, the young Mussulman hastened to the plain of Angustura. Stretched on his wretched couch, Agobar had fallen into a slumber; but the most dreadful visions presented themselves to his disordered fancy he was released from real tortures only to contend with imaginary |