'
'When may I go? Tell me when I may go. When may I quit this dark and
noisome cell? 'Tis worse than all their tortures, dear Honain. Air and
light, and I really think my spirit never would break, but this
horrible dungeon---- I scarce can look upon thy face, sweet friend. 'Tis
serious.'
'Wouldst thou have me gay?'
'Yes! if we are free.'
'Alroy! thou art a great spirit, the greatest that I e'er knew, have
ever read of. I never knew thy like, and never shall.'
'Tush, tush, sweet friend, I am a broken reed, but still I am free. This
is no time for courtly phrases. Let's go, and go at once.'
'A moment, dear Alroy. I am no flatterer. What I said came from my
heart, and doth concern us much and instantly. I was saying thou hast no
common mind, Alroy; indeed thou hast a mind unlike all others. Listen,
my Prince. Thou hast read mankind deeply and truly. Few have seen more
than thyself, and none have so rare a spring of that intuitive knowledge
of thy race, which is a gem to which experience is but a jeweller, and
without which no action can befriend us.'
'Well, well!'
'A moment's calmness. Thou hast entered Bagdad in triumph, and thou hast
entered the same city with every contumely which the base spirit of our
race could cast upon its victim.
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