صفحة 289 من 483

"I swear," he cried, "by the sun, and by the blue sky of heaven,

and by the fire of love that burns my heart, that if you grant my

prayer, while they exist you shall never behold me again. Depart

to your home and commence your labours; I shall watch their

progress with unutterable anxiety; and fear not but that when you

are ready I shall appear."

Saying this, he suddenly quitted me, fearful, perhaps, of any

change in my sentiments. I saw him descend the mountain with

greater speed than the flight of an eagle, and quickly lost among

the undulations of the sea of ice.