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06 - Khaled, A Tale of Arabia by Francis Marion Crawford · Khaled, A Tale of Arabia

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Speaker 1: Mary and Crawford, chapter six. On the following day, Kleed
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Speaker 1: made a division of the spoils and gave Almasta to
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Speaker 1: abdul Karim, enjoining upon him to marry her, since he
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Speaker 1: had but two wives and could do so lawfully. The
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Speaker 1: Sheikh of the Horseman was glad, for he had heard
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Speaker 1: much of Almosa's beauty, and he loved fair women, being
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Speaker 1: of a fierce temper and not more than forty years old,
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Speaker 1: so he called his friends to a marriage feast that
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Speaker 1: same day, and Zahawa sent Almasta in a litter to
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Speaker 1: his harm, giving her also numerous rich garments by way
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Speaker 1: of a dowur, but which in fact were due to
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Speaker 1: abdul Karim as his share of the booty. So the
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Speaker 1: men feasted with music until the evening, when the bridegroom
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Speaker 1: retired to the harem and the kadi came and read
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Speaker 1: the contract, after which abdul Karim sat down while Almasta
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Speaker 1: was brought before him in various dresses, one after the
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Speaker 1: other as his customary. When the women were all gone away,
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Speaker 1: abdul Karim began to talk to his wife, but she
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Speaker 1: only laughed and said the few words she knew, not
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Speaker 1: knowing what he said, and presently she began to sing
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Speaker 1: to him in a low voice in her own language.
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Speaker 1: Her voice was very clear and quite different from that
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Speaker 1: of the Arabian women whom Abdul had heard, and the
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Speaker 1: tones vibrated with great passion and sweetness, so that he
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Speaker 1: was enchanted and listened as in a dream. Ball's head
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Speaker 1: rested against Almossa's knee. She continued to sing in such
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Speaker 1: a manner that his soul was transported with delight, and
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Speaker 1: at last, as the sound soothed him, he fell into
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Speaker 1: a gentle sleep. Al Masta, still singing softly, loosened his vest,
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Speaker 1: touching him so gently that he did not wake. She
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Speaker 1: then drew out of one of the tresses of her
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Speaker 1: hair a fine steel needle, extremely long and sharp, having
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Speaker 1: at one end a small wooden ball for a handle,
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Speaker 1: and while she sang, she thrust it very quickly into
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Speaker 1: his breast to its full length, so that it pierced
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Speaker 1: his heart, and he died instantly, but she continued to sing,
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Speaker 1: lest any of the women should be listening from a distance. Presently,
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Speaker 1: she withdrew the needle so slowly that not a drop
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Speaker 1: of blood followed it, and having made it pass thrice
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Speaker 1: through the carpet. She restored it to her hair, after
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Speaker 1: which she fastened the dead man's vest again, so that
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Speaker 1: nothing was disarranged. She sang on after this for some time,
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Speaker 1: and then after a short silence, she sprang up from
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Speaker 1: the couch, uttering loud screams and lamentations, and beating her
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Speaker 1: breast violently. The women of the Harem came in quickly,
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Speaker 1: and when they saw that their master was dead, they
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Speaker 1: sat down with Almasta and wept with her, for he
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Speaker 1: lay dead there with no mark of any violence, nor
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Speaker 1: any sign wherebya could be told that he had not
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Speaker 1: died naturally. When Colette heard that abdul Karim was dead,
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Speaker 1: he was much grieved at heart, for the man had
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Speaker 1: been brave and had been often at his right hand
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Speaker 1: in battle. But the news being brought to him at
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Speaker 1: dawn when he awoke, he immediately sent the Jewish physician
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Speaker 1: of the court to ascertain, if possible, the cause of
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Speaker 1: the sudden death. The physician made careful examination of the body, and,
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Speaker 1: having purified himself, returned to Colette to give an account.
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Speaker 1: I executed my lord's orders with scrupulous exactness, he said,
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Speaker 1: and to find that without a doubt, the Sheik of
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Speaker 1: the Horseman died suddenly by an assess of humors to
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Speaker 1: the heart, the sun being at that time in then
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Speaker 1: a deer, for he died about midnight, and being moreover
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Speaker 1: an evil conjunction with the dragon's tail and the heart
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Speaker 1: of the lion, and not yet far from the square
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Speaker 1: aspect of al Marek, which caused the death of his majesty,
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Speaker 1: the late Sultan, upon whom be peace. But Khaled was thoughtful,
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Speaker 1: for he reflected that this was the second time that
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Speaker 1: a man had died suddenly when he was about to
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Speaker 1: be Almosta's husband, and he remembered how she had attempted
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Speaker 1: to kill the Sultan of Haal and had ultimately brought
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Speaker 1: about his death. Have you examined the dead man as
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Speaker 1: minutely as you have observed the stars, he inquired? Is
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Speaker 1: there no mark of violence upon him? Nor of poison,
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Speaker 1: nor of strangling? There is no mark? By allah, I
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Speaker 1: speak truth. My lord may see for himself, for the
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Speaker 1: man is not yet buried. Am I a jackal that
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Speaker 1: I should sniff at dead bodies? Asked Khalad. Go in peace.
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Speaker 1: The physician withdrew, for he saw that Khaled was displeased,
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Speaker 1: and he was himself as much surprised as anyone by
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Speaker 1: the death of Abdul Karim, a man lean and strong,
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Speaker 1: not given to surfaoning, and in the prime of health.
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Speaker 1: Men Allah, he said, as he departed, We are in
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Speaker 1: the hand of the Lord who knoweth our rising up
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Speaker 1: and are lying down. It is possible that if I
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Speaker 1: had seen this man at the moment of death, or
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Speaker 1: at a little before, I might have discovered the nature
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Speaker 1: of his disease, for I could have talked with him
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Speaker 1: and questioned him. But Khaled went in and talked with Zahawa.
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Speaker 1: She was greatly astonished when she heard that Almasta's husband
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Speaker 1: was dead, but she was satisfied with the answer of
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Speaker 1: the Jewish physician, who enjoyed great reputation was believed to
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Speaker 1: be at that time the wisest man in Arabia. Give
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Speaker 1: her back to me to be one of my women,
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Speaker 1: said she. It is not written that she should marry
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Speaker 1: a man of Nazed, unless you will take her yourself.
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Speaker 1: But Khalid bent his brow angrily, and his eyes glowed
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Speaker 1: with the coals of a campfire, which is almost extinguished
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Speaker 1: when the night wind blows suddenly over the ashes. I
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Speaker 1: have spoken, he said, and I have heard. She answered,
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Speaker 1: Let there be an end, but give me this woman
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Speaker 1: to divert me with her broken speech. I fear that
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Speaker 1: she will do you an injury of which you may
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Speaker 1: not live, said Khlied. What injury can she do me,
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Speaker 1: asked Sahawa in astonishment. Not understanding him, she asked of
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Speaker 1: your father, the head of the Sultan of Hael, whom
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Speaker 1: she hated, and your father gave it to her. Peace
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Speaker 1: be upon him. I slaim, Zahawa piously upon him peace.
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Speaker 1: But when he would have married her, he dies suddenly
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Speaker 1: at the feasting. And now this Abdul Karim, who was
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Speaker 1: to have been her husband, is dead, also without sign,
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Speaker 1: in the night, as a man stung by a serpent
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Speaker 1: in his sleep. These are strange doings. If you think
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Speaker 1: she has done evil, let her be put to death,
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Speaker 1: said Zahawa. But the physician found no mark upon abdul Karim.
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Speaker 1: By the hand of Allah, he was taken. Doubtless, his
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Speaker 1: fate was about his neck. But it is strange. Sahawa
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Speaker 1: looked at Khaled in silence, but presently she smiled and
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Speaker 1: laid her hand upon his This woman loves you with
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Speaker 1: her whole soul. She said, you think that she has
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Speaker 1: slain Abdul Karim by secret arts and hope that she
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Speaker 1: may marry you and your father also. Then they were
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Speaker 1: both silent as a how it covered her face, since
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Speaker 1: she could not prevent tears from falling when she thought
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Speaker 1: of her father, whom she had loved. If this be so,
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Speaker 1: she said, after a long time, let the woman die immediately.
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Speaker 1: It is necessary to be just. Kled answered, I will
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Speaker 1: put no one to death without witnesses, not even a
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Speaker 1: captive woman who is certainly an unbeliever at heart. Has
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Speaker 1: anyone seen her do these deeds? Or does anyone know
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Speaker 1: by what means a man might be slain in his
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Speaker 1: sleep or at a feast, so that no marcus left
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Speaker 1: upon his body. At der Yah, your father was alone
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Speaker 1: with her in the inner part of the tent, and
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Speaker 1: she was singing to him that he must sleep, for
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Speaker 1: I've made inquiry. And when Abdul Karim died, he was
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Speaker 1: also alone with her. I cannot understand these things, but
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Speaker 1: you are a woman and subtle. It may be that
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Speaker 1: you can see what is too dark for me. It
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Speaker 1: may be therefore, give her back to me, and I
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Speaker 1: will lay a trap for her so that she will
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Speaker 1: betray herself. She has really done evil, and when we
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Speaker 1: have convicted her by her own words, she shall die.
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Speaker 1: Are you not afraid, Sahawa? Can I change my destiny?
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Speaker 1: If my hour is come, I shall die of a
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Speaker 1: fever or a cold, whether she be with me or not.
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Speaker 1: But if my years are not full, she cannot hurt me.
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Speaker 1: This is undoubtedly true, answered Kaled, who could find nothing
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Speaker 1: to say. But I will first question the woman myself.
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Speaker 1: So he said, slaves with the litter to bring Almasta
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Speaker 1: from the house of mourning to the palace. And when
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Speaker 1: she had come, he sent out all the other women
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Speaker 1: and remained alone with her and Sahawa, making her sit
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Speaker 1: down before him so that he could see her face.
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Speaker 1: Her cheeks were pale, for she had not slept, having
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Speaker 1: been occupied in weeping and lamentation during the whole night,
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Speaker 1: and her eyes moved restlessly, as those of a person
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Speaker 1: distracted with grief. Kaled then drew his sword and laid
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Speaker 1: it across his feet as he sat and looked fixedly
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Speaker 1: at al Masta. If you do not speak the truth,
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Speaker 1: he said, I will cut off your head with my
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Speaker 1: own hand. Allah is wits. When almosta saw the drawn sword,
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Speaker 1: her face grew whiter than before, and for some moments
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Speaker 1: she seemed not able to breathe. But suddenly she began
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Speaker 1: to beat her breast and broke out into loud wailings,
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Speaker 1: rocking herself to and fro as she sat on the carpet.
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Speaker 1: My husband is dead, she cried. He was young, he
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Speaker 1: was beautiful. He is dead. Waha, waha, my husband is dead.
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Speaker 1: Kill me too. Cled looked at Zahawa, but she said nothing,
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Speaker 1: though she watched Almasta intentively. Then Kaled spoke to the
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Speaker 1: woman again, make an end of your lamentinge for the present,
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Speaker 1: he said, It is pleased Allah to take your husband
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Speaker 1: to the fellowship of the faithful. Peace be upon him.
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Speaker 1: Tell us in what matter he died and what words
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Speaker 1: he spoke when he felt his end approaching, For he
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Speaker 1: was my good friend, and I wish to know all.
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Speaker 1: Al Masta Ogga did not understand or made a pretense
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Speaker 1: of the understanding, But when she heard Colette's words, she
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Speaker 1: ceased from wailing and sobbed, silently, beating her breast from
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Speaker 1: time to time. How did he die? Kled asked in
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Speaker 1: a stern voice. He was asleep he died, replied almosta
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Speaker 1: in broken tones. You will get no other answer, said Zahawa.
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Speaker 1: She cannot speak our tongue. Is there no woman among
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Speaker 1: them all who can talk to this woman's language? As
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Speaker 1: Khaled with impatience, for he saw how useless it was
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Speaker 1: to question her. There is no one I have inquired.
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Speaker 1: Leave her with me, and if there is anything to
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Speaker 1: be known, I will try to find it out. So
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Speaker 1: Khaled went away, and Zahawa endeavored to soothe Almasta and
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Speaker 1: make her talk in her broken words. But the woman
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Speaker 1: made as though she could not be comforted, and went
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Speaker 1: and sat apart upon the stone floor, where there was
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Speaker 1: no carpet, rocking to and fro and wailing in a
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Speaker 1: low voice. Sahawa understood that whatever the truth may be,
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Speaker 1: Almasta was determined to express her sorrow in the customary way,
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Speaker 1: and that it would be better to leave her alone.
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Speaker 1: For seven days, she sat thus apart, covering her head
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Speaker 1: in mourning and refusing to speak with anyone, so that
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Speaker 1: all the women supposed her to be indeed distracted with
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Speaker 1: the grief at the death of Abdul Karim. Each day
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Speaker 1: Cled inquired of his wife whether she had yet learned
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Speaker 1: anything and received the same answer. But in the meantime
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Speaker 1: he was occupied with his own thoughts as well as
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Speaker 1: with the affairs of the kingdom, though the latter were
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Speaker 1: as nothing in his mind compared with the workings of
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Speaker 1: his heart. When he thought of Zahawa. It chanced one
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Speaker 1: evening that Kleb was riding among the gardens without the city,
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Speaker 1: attended only by a few horsemen. For he was simple
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Speaker 1: in his ways and liked little to have a great
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Speaker 1: throng of attendants about him, So he rode alone, while
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Speaker 1: the horseman followed at a distance. Was ever a man
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Speaker 1: or an angel so placed in the world as I
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Speaker 1: am placed? He thought? How much better would have been
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Speaker 1: had I never seen Zahawa, if I had never slain
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Speaker 1: the Indian Prince. For I should still have been with
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Speaker 1: my fellows, the genie from which I am now cut off,
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Speaker 1: and at least I should have lived until the day
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Speaker 1: of the resurrection. But now my horse may stumble and fall,
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Speaker 1: my neck may be broken, and there is no hereafter.
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Speaker 1: Or I may die in my sleep, or be killed
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Speaker 1: in my sleep, and there will be no resurrection for me,
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Speaker 1: nor any more in life, anywhere in earth or heaven,
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Speaker 1: for Zahawa would never love me, was ever a man
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Speaker 1: so placed. And I am ashamed to complain to her
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Speaker 1: any more. For she is a good wife, obedient and
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Speaker 1: careful of my wants, and beautiful as the moon is
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Speaker 1: full rising amidst palm trees, besides being very wise and subtle.
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Speaker 1: How can I complain? Has she not given me herself
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Speaker 1: whom I desired, and a great kingdom, which indeed I
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Speaker 1: did not desire, but which no man could despise as
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Speaker 1: a gift. Yet I am burned up within, and my
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Speaker 1: heart is melting as a piece of frankincense laid upon
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Speaker 1: coals in an empty chamber, when no man cares for
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Speaker 1: its sweet savor. Surely I am the most wretched of mankind.
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Speaker 1: Oh that the angel who would make garments for me
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Speaker 1: out of the gotta bush and the bay mare of
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Speaker 1: a locust, would come down and lay his hand upon
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Speaker 1: Zaha's breast and make a living heart of the stone
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Speaker 1: which Allah has set its place. So he rode slowly on,
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Speaker 1: reasoning as he had often reasoned before, and reaching the
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Speaker 1: same conclusion in all his argument, which availed him nothing.
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Speaker 1: But suddenly, as a sun went down, a new thought
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Speaker 1: entered his mind and gave him a little hope. The
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Speaker 1: sun has gone down, he said to himself, But Allah
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Speaker 1: has not destroyed. The sun will rise in the east
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Speaker 1: tomorrow while the white cock crows. In the first heaven.
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Speaker 1: Many things have been which the sight of man cannot see.
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Speaker 1: It may be that although I see no signs of
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Speaker 1: love in the heaven of Zahawa's eyes, yet love is
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Speaker 1: already there, and will before long rise to the sun
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Speaker 1: and illuminate my darkness. For I am not subtle as
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Speaker 1: the evil genie are, but I must see very clearly
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Speaker 1: before I'm able to distinguish. He rode back into the city,
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Speaker 1: planning how he might surprise Theahwa and obtain from her unawares,
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Speaker 1: some proof that she indeed loved him. To this end,
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Speaker 1: he entered the palace by the secret gate, covering his
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Speaker 1: garments with his abba in his head. At the koffia
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Speaker 1: he wore in order to disguise himself from the slaves
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Speaker 1: and the soldiers whom he met. On his way to
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Speaker 1: the harem. He passed on towards Zahawa's apartment by an
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Speaker 1: unlighted passage not generally used, and hid himself in the
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Speaker 1: niche of the wall, close to the open door, from
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Speaker 1: which he can see all that happened and hear what
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Speaker 1: was said. Sahawa was seated in her accustomed place, and
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Speaker 1: Almosta was beside her. Cleg could watch their faces by
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Speaker 1: the light of the hanging lamps. As the two women
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Speaker 1: talked together. You must put his eye all morning now,
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Speaker 1: as Ahawa was saying, for I will find another husband
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Speaker 1: for you, another husband. Almosta smiled and shook her head. Yes,
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Speaker 1: there are other goodly men in Riyat, although abdul Karim
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Speaker 1: was one of the goodliest, as all say who knew him.
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Speaker 1: He was the Sultan's friend. But he was more soldier
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Speaker 1: than courtier. He deserved it better. At death, Abdul Karim
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Speaker 1: died in peace. He was asleep. Almossa smiled still, but
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Speaker 1: more sadly, and her eyes were cast down. He died
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Speaker 1: in peace, Sahawab repeated, watching her narrowly. But it is
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Speaker 1: better to die in battle by the enemy's hands. Such
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Speaker 1: a man falling in front of the fight for the
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Speaker 1: true faith enters immediately into paradise to dwell forever under
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Speaker 1: the petul shade of the tree Sadra and another blackness,
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Speaker 1: nor shame shall cover his face. There the rivers flow
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Speaker 1: with milk and with clarified honey, and he shall rest
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Speaker 1: on a couch covered with thick silk embroidered with gold,
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Speaker 1: and shall possess seventy beautiful virgins, whose eyes are blacker
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Speaker 1: than mine, and the skin whiter than yours, having color
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Speaker 1: like rubies and pearls, and their voices like the song
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Speaker 1: of nightingales, and a gem of which travelers tell these
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Speaker 1: are the ards of the true believer. Is set forth
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Speaker 1: in al Koran by our prophet, upon whom peace a
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Speaker 1: man slain in battle for the faith, enters directly into
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Speaker 1: the possession of all this. But unbelievers shall be taken
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Speaker 1: by the forelock and the heels, and cast them to
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Speaker 1: hell to drink boiling molten brass, as a thirsty camel
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Speaker 1: drinks clear water. Almasta understood very little was a house set,
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Speaker 1: but she smiled, nevertheless, catching the meaning of some of
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Speaker 1: the words. The Sultan Kohled loves black eyes, She said,
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Speaker 1: he will go to paradise. Doubtless he will quench his
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Speaker 1: thirst in the incorruptible milk of heavenly rivers. Sahawa replied,
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Speaker 1: he is the chief of the brave, the light of
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Speaker 1: the faith, and the burning torch of righteousness. Otherwise Allah
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Speaker 1: would not have chosen him to rule. But I spoke
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Speaker 1: of abdul Karim. He died in peace, said Almosta the
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Speaker 1: second time, and again, looking down. I did not know
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Speaker 1: how he died, Sahawa answered, looking steadily at the woman's face.
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Speaker 1: It was a great misfortune for you. Do you understand.
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Speaker 1: I am very sorry for you. You would have been
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Speaker 1: happy with abdul Karim. I mourned for him, Almosta said,
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Speaker 1: not raising her eyes. It is natural and right. Doubtless
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Speaker 1: you loved him as soon as you saw him. Almosta
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Speaker 1: glanced quickly at Sahawa, as though suspecting a hidden meaning
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Speaker 1: in the words, and for a moment each of the
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Speaker 1: women looked into the other's eyes. But Zahawa saw nothing.
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Speaker 1: For a wise man is truly said that one may
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Speaker 1: see into the depths of black eyes as into a
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Speaker 1: deep well. But the blue eyes are like the sea
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Speaker 1: of Alman in winter, sparkling in the sun as a
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Speaker 1: plain of blue sand, but underneath more unfathomable than the desert.
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Speaker 1: Almosta was too wise and deceitful to let the silence last,
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Speaker 1: so when she had looked at Zahawa and understood, she
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Speaker 1: smiled somewhat sorrowfully and spoke, I could have loved him,
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Speaker 1: she said, I desire no husband. Now that is not true,
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Speaker 1: Sahawa answered quickly. You wish to marry Khalte, and that
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Speaker 1: is the reason why you killed Abdul Karim. All Mosta
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Speaker 1: started as a camel struck by a flood of locusts.
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Speaker 1: What is this lie? She cried out with indignation. Who
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Speaker 1: has told you this lie? But her face was as
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Speaker 1: gray as a stone, and her lips trembled. You probably
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Speaker 1: killed him by magic arts, learning in your own country,
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Speaker 1: said Zahawa. Quietly. Do not be afraid. We are alone
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Speaker 1: and no one can hear us. Tell me how you
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Speaker 1: killed him. Truly, he was very skillful of you, since
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Speaker 1: the physician, who was the wisest man in Arabia could
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Speaker 1: not tell how it was done. But all Moosta began
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Speaker 1: to beat her breast and to make o's and asservations
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Speaker 1: in her own language, which is a howa cannot understand.
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Speaker 1: If you will tell me how you did it, I
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Speaker 1: will give you a rich gift, Sahawa continued. But so
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Speaker 1: much the more a Masta cried out, stretch her hands
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Speaker 1: upwards as speaking incomprehensible words. So Sahowa waited until she
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Speaker 1: became quiet again. It may be that Kaled will marry
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Speaker 1: you if you will tell me your secret, Sahowa said.
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Speaker 1: After a time. Then Almosta's cheek burned, and she bent
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Speaker 1: down her eyes. Will you tell me how to kill
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Speaker 1: a man and leave no trace? Asked Sahwa, still pressing her.
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Speaker 1: Look at this pearl? Is it not beautiful? See how
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Speaker 1: well it looks upon your hair. It is as a
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Speaker 1: leaf of a white rose upon a river of red gold,
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Speaker 1: and on your neck you cannot see it yourself. It
17:30
Speaker 1: is like the full moon hanging upon a milky cloud.
17:33
Speaker 1: Kaled would give you many pearls like this if he
17:35
Speaker 1: married you. Will you not tell me whom do you
17:39
Speaker 1: wish to kill? Almosta asked very suddenly, But Sahawa was unmoved.
17:44
Speaker 1: It may be that I have a private enemy, she said.
17:46
Speaker 1: Perhaps there is one who disturbs me, against whom I
17:48
Speaker 1: plot in the night, but can find no way of
17:50
Speaker 1: riding myself of him. A woman might give much to
17:53
Speaker 1: destroy such a one. Kaled will kill your enemies. He
17:57
Speaker 1: loves you, He will kill all whom you hate. You
18:01
Speaker 1: may progress. You speak our language better, said Zahawa, laughing
18:04
Speaker 1: a little. You will soon be able to tell the
18:06
Speaker 1: Sultan that you love him as well as I could myself.
18:09
Speaker 1: But you did not love him, Almasta answered boldly. Sahaw
18:13
Speaker 1: It bent her eyebrow so that they met between her
18:15
Speaker 1: eyes as the grip of a bow. Then Colet's heart
18:18
Speaker 1: leaped in his breast, for he saw that she was
18:20
Speaker 1: angry with the woman, and he supposed it was because
18:22
Speaker 1: she had secretly loved him. But he held his breath,
18:25
Speaker 1: lest even his breathing should betray him. The portion of
18:29
Speaker 1: fools is fire, said Zahawa, not deigning to give any
18:32
Speaker 1: other answer, for she was a king's daughter, and Almasta
18:35
Speaker 1: was a bought sleeve. The Kolette had taken her in war.
18:39
Speaker 1: Be merciful, exclaimed Almasta in humble tones. I am your handmaid,
18:42
Speaker 1: and I speak Arabic badly. You speak with exceeding clearness
18:46
Speaker 1: when it pleases you. Indeed, I cannot talk in your language,
18:49
Speaker 1: for it is not long since I came to Arabia.
18:53
Speaker 1: We will have you taught, for will give you a
18:54
Speaker 1: husband who will teach you with sticks. There is a
18:57
Speaker 1: certain hunchback, having one eye and marked the smallpox, who's
19:01
Speaker 1: fist on with the feet of a camel. You will
19:02
Speaker 1: be a good husband for you, and will teach you
19:04
Speaker 1: the Arabic language. And your skin shall be dissolved, but
19:06
Speaker 1: your mind will be enlightened thereby be merciful. I desire
19:11
Speaker 1: no husband. It is good that a woman should marry,
19:13
Speaker 1: even though the bridegroom be a hunchback. But if you
19:16
Speaker 1: will tell me your secret, I will give you a
19:17
Speaker 1: better husband and forgive you. There is no secret I
19:20
Speaker 1: have killed no one, cried Almasta, who has told you
19:23
Speaker 1: to lie? And moreover, continued Sahawa, not regarding her protestations.
19:28
Speaker 1: There are otherwise of learning your secrets, besides by kindness,
19:31
Speaker 1: such for instance, as sticks and hot irons, and hunger
19:34
Speaker 1: and thirst in a prison where there are reptiles and
19:36
Speaker 1: poisonous spiders, besides many other things which I have no
19:39
Speaker 1: doubt the slaves of the palace are acquainted. It is
19:42
Speaker 1: better that you should tell your secret and be happy.
19:45
Speaker 1: There is no secret, Almasta repeated, and she would say
19:47
Speaker 1: nothing else, for she did not trust to Hawa and
19:49
Speaker 1: feared a cruel death. As she told the truth, but
19:53
Speaker 1: Zahawa wearied of the contest at last, being by no
19:55
Speaker 1: means sure that the woman had really done any evil,
19:57
Speaker 1: and having no intention of using any violent means, such
20:00
Speaker 1: as she had suggested, for she was as just as
20:02
Speaker 1: she was wise, and would have no one suffered wrongly.
20:06
Speaker 1: Kaled indeed cared little for the pain of others, having
20:08
Speaker 1: seen much bloodshed and war, and would have caused Almasta
20:11
Speaker 1: to be tortured if Zahawa had desired it, but she
20:14
Speaker 1: did not, preferring to wait and see whether she could
20:17
Speaker 1: not entrap the slave into a confession. Kaled now came
20:20
Speaker 1: out of his hiding place into the room and advanced
20:22
Speaker 1: towards Zahawa, who remained sitting upon the carpet, while Amosta
20:26
Speaker 1: rose and in her respectful salutation. But noither of the
20:29
Speaker 1: women knew that he had been hidden in the niche
20:32
Speaker 1: Sahawa did not seem surprised, while Amasa's face was white
20:35
Speaker 1: and her eyes were cast down, though indeed Kaled wished
20:38
Speaker 1: that it had been otherwise. He was encouraged, however, by
20:41
Speaker 1: what he had seen, for Zahawa had certainly been angry
20:43
Speaker 1: with Almasta on his account, and he dismissed the latter
20:46
Speaker 1: that he might be alone with his wife. You are wise, Zahawa,
20:51
Speaker 1: he said, and gifted with much insight. But you will
20:53
Speaker 1: learn nothing from this woman, though you talked with her
20:55
Speaker 1: for a whole year, for she suspects you and is
20:58
Speaker 1: guarded in her speech and manner. I was standing by
21:00
Speaker 1: the doorway a long time. You did not see me,
21:03
Speaker 1: but I heard all that you said. Why did you
21:06
Speaker 1: hide yourself, Sahawa asked, looking at him curiously in order
21:10
Speaker 1: to listen. He answered, and I heard something and saw
21:12
Speaker 1: something which pleased me. Well. She said that you did
21:15
Speaker 1: not love me. You were angry. Did that please you?
21:19
Speaker 1: You are more easily pleased than I had thought. Should
21:21
Speaker 1: I bear such things from a slave? How is it
21:23
Speaker 1: her business whether I love you or not? But you
21:26
Speaker 1: were angry, Klever repeated, vainly, hoping that she would say more,
21:29
Speaker 1: yet not wishing to press her too far lest she
21:31
Speaker 1: should say again that she did not love him. She, however,
21:35
Speaker 1: said nothing in replied, but busied herself in taking his
21:37
Speaker 1: kaffia from his head, and it soared from his side,
21:40
Speaker 1: that he might be at ease. He rested upon the
21:43
Speaker 1: cushions and drank of the cool drink she offered him.
21:46
Speaker 1: This woman, al Masta is exceedingly beautiful, he said at last,
21:50
Speaker 1: It would indeed be a pity that a slave of
21:51
Speaker 1: such a value should go into the possession of another,
21:54
Speaker 1: so that we can see her no more. It is
21:56
Speaker 1: best that you should keep her with you. So Howa
21:59
Speaker 1: laughed a little. She sat down beside him and began
22:01
Speaker 1: to play with her beads. This is what I have said,
22:04
Speaker 1: she answered, I will keep her with me. It is better,
22:07
Speaker 1: so said Khalude. Then he remained silent in deep thought,
22:11
Speaker 1: having devised a new plan for gaining what he most desired.
22:14
Speaker 1: It seemed to him possible that Theahowa might be moved
22:16
Speaker 1: by jealousy, if by nothing else. For although he had
22:19
Speaker 1: sworn to her and angrily that he would never take
22:21
Speaker 1: almosta for his wife, and though nothing could really have
22:24
Speaker 1: prevailed upon him to make him do so, it would
22:26
Speaker 1: be easy to talk to the woman and speak to
22:28
Speaker 1: her of her beauty, and appeared to take delight in
22:30
Speaker 1: her singing, which was more melodious than that of a
22:32
Speaker 1: Persian nightingale. Since she would now be permanently established in
22:36
Speaker 1: his harem, nothing would be easier for him ud spend
22:38
Speaker 1: many hours in the woman's society. Being a simple minded man,
22:42
Speaker 1: the plant seemed to him subtle, and he determined to
22:44
Speaker 1: put it into execution without delay. He knew also that
22:48
Speaker 1: Almasta had loved him since the first day when she
22:50
Speaker 1: had been brought before him in the palace of Haal,
22:52
Speaker 1: and this would make it still more easy to rouse
22:54
Speaker 1: Sahawa's jealousy. Though she had herself advised him to marry
22:58
Speaker 1: almosta he did not believe that she was great in earnest,
23:01
Speaker 1: for he felt assured that if the possibility were presented
23:03
Speaker 1: before her in such a way as to appear imminent,
23:05
Speaker 1: she would be deceived by the appearance. It is better
23:09
Speaker 1: that she should remain here, he said after a long time,
23:12
Speaker 1: for we cannot put her to death without evidence of
23:13
Speaker 1: her guilt. And if we are obsostinate in wishing to
23:15
Speaker 1: give her a husband, we did not know how many
23:17
Speaker 1: husbands she may destroy before she is satisfied. She is
23:20
Speaker 1: beautiful and will be an ornament in your kaba. Indeed,
23:23
Speaker 1: I do not know why I send her away just
23:25
Speaker 1: now when I came in. Let us call her back,
23:28
Speaker 1: that she may sing to us. Some of her own songs.
23:32
Speaker 1: Sahaba clapped her hands, and Almasta immediately returned, for she
23:35
Speaker 1: had indeed been waiting outside the door, endeavoring to hear
23:37
Speaker 1: what was said, since she suspected that Khaled would speak
23:40
Speaker 1: of her and ask questions. She understood well enough and
23:43
Speaker 1: often much better that she was willing to show, though
23:46
Speaker 1: she could as yet speak but few words of the
23:47
Speaker 1: Arabic language. Sit at my feet, said Khaled, and sing
23:51
Speaker 1: to me the songs of your own people. Almosta took
23:54
Speaker 1: a musical instrument from the wall and sat down to sing.
23:57
Speaker 1: Her voice, indeed was of enchanting sweetness. But as for
24:00
Speaker 1: the words were songs, the seven wise men themselves could
24:03
Speaker 1: not have understood a syllable of them, seeing that they
24:05
Speaker 1: were neither Arabic, nor Persian, nor even Greek. Nevertheless, Claude
24:10
Speaker 1: made a pretest of being much pleased, resting his head
24:12
Speaker 1: against the cushions and closing his eyes, as though the
24:14
Speaker 1: sound soothed him. As for Zahawa, she watched the woman
24:18
Speaker 1: with great curiosity, wondering whether it were possible that a
24:21
Speaker 1: creature so fair as Almasta could have done the evil
24:23
Speaker 1: deeds of which she was suspected, and planning how she
24:26
Speaker 1: would surprise her into the confession of guilt end of
24:30
Speaker 1: chapter six,