The Vision of Agib: An Eastern Tale [pp. 753-759]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
thousand conflicting pangs, he stands before his rival in
an agony of helpless rage.
"Agib," said the fairy-and how did her voice still
thrill to his inmost heart. "Poor Agib! I pity-I forgive thee." The merchant stood silent.
"Do thou forgive me, also," continued the fairy, extending her beautiful hand. "We cannot, as thou
knowest, control our affections. Yet what I can do for
thee, I will do. Speak to me, Agib, wilt thou be our
friend?"
"Your friend! fairy," exclaimed the merchant, and
even in his rival's presence, the agony of tenderness
rushed to his eyes. "Your friend! Can the heart that
has loved you as I have loved, calm its wild throbbings
to so cold a name? No! break the chain that has
bound us together; I will not behold you happy in
another':"
"I will not compel thee to so cruel a trial," said the
queen, and how did her quiet voice chill and pain the
heart of the unfortunate Agib. "Thou shalt leave the
oasis-thou shall have treasures-power-whatever
thou will."
"Fairy, thou hast broken my heart!"
"Agib! Agib! I pity —I deplore it. But can I not
atone?"
" No, fairy. It is that injury for which there is No
atonement. Hear me. I was happy when I saw you
first. The world opened to me whatever the heart
might ask to be happy. My prospects equalled my
ambition, my life might have glided on serene and calm.
But why —oh! why did you interrupt its course?why lure me to a passion beyond all dreams delirious
then, beyond all words distracting now? Can you restore me peace? —can you regain for my soul its own
respect? You have betrayed the trust of my heart;
and oh! fairy, were you the prophet himself, you could
not atone to it for the ruin you have made. And Zarah
has known my treachery-the true, the kind, is sacrificed! No, fairy, no!-offer me nothing, but transport
me once more to my lost one's presence, and oh! if she
live to forgive me, I will atone to her."
"Place again the lily wreath upon your head," said
the fairy, with the indifference which the happy feel
for the miserable. "Name this Zarah as you do so,
and be with her when you will."
Agib withdrew, and as he departed heard the Emir's
sneer at his expense, and saw the queen of the oasis
smile on him as he uttered it!
So he fled to the rivulet, and twined the lilies on his
brow, and, with tears in his eyes, he uttered the name
of his betrothed. At this moment he stood at the entrance of Aleppo. And he thought how rarely it is,
that, even on earth, a deviation from the straight road
of honor fails to create its own punishment. But he
had little time for reflection. As if just arrived from a
long journey, he traversed the city, and approached
old Hussein's house. Exclamations of wonder and
joy brought the venerable merchant to the door. His
welcome was warm, but his looks were overcast. Much
that Agib already knew, his uncle now repeated.
"A maniac! But is she still a maniac?"
"Her delirium has settled into melancholy silence,"
said Hussein; "but she recognizes no one."
"And the cause?" asked Agib, willing to understand
how much his uncle understood of the affair.
"Your absence, my son, and the delusions of an enchantress, who persuaded her, as I gather from her
women, that you had become unfaithful. But could
she be made to comprehend your return, her joy might
win your forgiveness of a woman's weakness."
Agib groaned.
"Let us see," he said, after a pause, "let us see if
she cannot recognize me."
"I have no hope, my son; yet follow me."
Agib hurried after him-to his cousin's apartment.
She was lying on a sofa, changed, motionless, almost
unconscious-nor did she raise her eyes as he entered.
For a moment Agib stood conscience-struck, and
unable to move from the door. Then stung by the
recollection of Zarah's former beauty, and of her betrayed affection, he rushed to her side.
"Zarah, dear Zarah," he exclaimed, almost choked
by contrition, and returning affection-and he took her
hand, but it did not return his pressure, "will you not
look upon me, Zarah?" he continued," will you not
speak to me? Though you know no one else, you will
recognize me! Zarah! Zarah! it is Agib."
Roused from her apathy by a voice ever thrilling to
her heart, Zarah half raised herself, and gazed upon
him eagerly, long, without utterance.
"I am repentant, Zarah, I am changed. I am yoursyours only!" continued Agib with increasing anguish.
"Zarah!" he pursued rapidly, and clasping her hand,
whilst he strove to free himself from the long gaze
which was becoming intolerable, "only speak to me!
one word, Zarah, only one. Say you will forgive me;
tell me you will live."
"Live!" exclaimed Zarah, again sinking back, and
closing her eyes. "But where is Agib?"
"Alla!" screamed the merchant at this renewal of
his despair.
The shriek aroused the invalid, and again she raised
her eyes, and now-yes now there is in those eyes a
ray of intelligence.
"Oh if I might trust myself! Is it Agib-Agib returned?"
" Yes, Zarah, yes! it is Agib," said the breathless
merchant-" he loves you only, Zarah,-he is waiting
your forgiveness!" He drew her to his heart, and she
wept there long and violently.
"She has not wept till now," said one of her attendants.
And blessed tears they were, for in the course of an
hour she appeared collected and rational, and although
some days elapsed before the full flow of joy was expended, or the explanations and apologies of the merchant (and some of these were none of the clearest)
were concluded; yet, after a time, things began to be
composed. Zarah, perhaps, at last did not completely
understand why Agib's return had been delayed, and
her father Hussein was compelled to be satisfied with a
long tale of a compulsory residence with the Arabs;
but on the whole, affairs grew flourishing once more.
A brother merchant had disposed of the merchandize
of Agib at Yemen, and rendered to old Hussein a very
fair account of the profits. By degrees Agib began to
lose his regret for the faithless fairy, and to resume his
attachment for ZaraL, who daily improved in health,
and whose beauty again transcended that of all the
ladies in Aleppo.
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