He would be generous-minded, Sultan as he was, and raise up this kneeling Esther and make a queen of her: besides, her sadness and beauty touched him as much as her submission, and so he cheered her, and raised her up and forgave her, so to speak.

All her hopes and feelings, which were dying and withering, this her sun having been removed from her, bloomed again and at once, its light being restored.

You would scarcely have recognised the beaming little face upon Amelia's pillow that night as the one that was laid there the night before, so wan, so lifeless, so careless of all round about.

The honest Irish maid-servant, delighted with the change, asked leave to kiss the face that had grown all of a sudden so rosy.

Amelia put her arms round the girl's neck and kissed her with all her heart, like a child.