"'Will you give me five thousand doblas for her?'
"'A hundred thousand, if I had them!'
"'But you have them not?'
"'Alas, no!'
"'Then you cannot have Zara. Depart in peace.'
"Garstoff looked frantically about him for a moment and then rushed from the apartment like one demented.
"'My friends,' continued Nemyl, turning to the mountaineers, who stood behind him—'I wished you to aid me in recovering a lost treasure, and you drew your swords for me. My daughter is delivered from the Christian robber, and six of his soldiers are sent to Eblis. I gave the dog his life, because he saved mine, when it was nearly forfeited; but we shall soon meet in battle, and then let the Giaour beware! Depart in peace, my friends.'
"As I have before stated, Zara fell into a swoon, immediately after the first appearance of her father, on the evening of her attempted flight, and was carried to her chamber, unconscious of how the affray resulted. For two days, she was kept a prisoner in her own apartment, seeing no one but the little mute. At the end of that period, her father made his appearance, while she slept, and rudely pulled her from the couch on which she lay.
"'Holy Prophet, have mercy!' she exclaimed, in an agony of fear, imagining that he intended to slay her.