CHAPTER I--THE DAWN.
An ancient English Cathedral Tower?
How can the ancient English Cathedral tower be here! The well-known massive gray square tower of its old Cathedral?
How can that be here! There is no spike of rusty iron in the air, between the eye and it, from any point of the real prospect.
What is the spike that intervenes, and who has set it up?
Maybe it is set up by the Sultan's orders for the impaling of a horde of Turkish robbers, one by one.

It is so, for cymbals clash, and the Sultan goes by to his palace in long procession.

Ten thousand scimitars flash in the sunlight, and thrice ten thousand dancing-girls strew flowers.

Then, follow white elephants caparisoned in countless gorgeous colours, and infinite in number and attendants.

Still the Cathedral Tower rises in the background, where it cannot be, and still no writhing figure is on the grim spike.