before St. George and the saints, to return before seven?'
"'Effendi,' I said, kissing his feet, 'you are indeed a good man. I swear by the mother of God and all the saints that dwell in heaven, that if you let me go, I will come back again a full hour before the time fixed for the execution.' And I meant it, too, for I only wished before I died to say good-bye once more to Laila.
"'Effendi!' I said, kissing his feet."
"Well, the governor took me secretly into his own house, and telling me many times over that he trusted to my honour, and would lose his place if it were known he had let me go, he put me forth, with my brother, by his own private door, making me swear on no account to be late for the execution.
"As soon as I got outside, I said to my brother, 'Tell me, Sirgeh, at whose house is Laila?'
"And my brother answered and smiled, 'Laila is still at Karnak, where we sent her for safety, and our father is well. But I have a plan for your escape that I think will serve you.'
"'Never!' I cried, horror-struck, 'if I am to break my word of honour to the governor of the prison.'
"'That isn't it,' he made reply. 'I have a plan of my own which I will proceed in words to make clear before you.'
"What happened next would be long to relate, effendi." But I noticed that the fellah's eyes twinkled as he spoke, like one who passes over of set purpose an important episode. "All I need tell you now is, that that whole night through the good governor lay awake, wondering whether or not I would come home to time, and blaming himself in his heart for having given such leave to a mere condemned criminal. Still, effendi, though I am but poor, I am a man of honour. As the clock struck six in the prison court next morning, I knocked at the governor's window with the appointed signal; and the governor rose, and let me in to my cell, and praised me for my honour, and was well pleased to see me. 'I knew, Athanasio,' he said, roping his moustache once more, 'you were a man to be trusted.'
"At eight o'clock they took me out into the courtyard. The executioner was there already, a great black Nubian, with a very
