mohammed ali and his house-第67部分

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hat　it　could　last　forever！　But　no！　a　cloud　passes　over　his　brow；　he　remembers

〃No！　Let　the　present　pass　rapidly；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　a　prisoner；　and　how　would　my　soldiers　laugh　to　see　the　sarechsme；　Mohammed　Ali；　bound　and　a　captive　in　the　tent　of　a　Bedouin　chieftain！〃

He　knew　that　Butheita　had　remained　in　the　other　apartment　and　heard　his　words。　She　quickly　went　to　him；　profound　sorrow　depicted　in　her　charming　countenance。

〃They　would　laugh　at　you；　sarechsme？　Oh；　how　sorry　I　should　be　to　have　them　do　so！　True；　it　is　unpleasant　to　be　a　prisoner。　Yet；　you　must　know　that　my　father　is　highly　esteemed；　he　is　the　first　man　of　the　village。　O　sarechsme；　the　Bedouins　call　him　their　father；　their　protector；　and　the　Mamelukes　are　proud　of　his　friendship；　and　it　was　out　of　love　for　them　that　he　made　you　a　prisoner。　If　you　are　unhappy；　oh；　forgive　poor　Butheita；　who　was　compelled　to　obey　her　father's　commands！　Oh；　do　not　be　angry　with　her！〃

〃I　am　not　angry　with　you；〃　said　he；　gently。　〃Yet　consider；　is　it　not　hard　and　shameful　for　me；　a　man　and　a　soldier；　to　lie　here　bound　hand　and　foot？〃

Her　countenance　lighted　up　with　joy。　〃Yes；　I　understand　that；〃　said　she；　thoughtfully。　〃It　pains　me　to　the　soul；　not　to　be　able　to　lessen　your　misery；　to　improve　your　condition。　Yet；〃　she　suddenly　continued；　〃I　can　and　I　will　relieve　you。〃

〃That　you　can；　if　you　will；〃　murmured　he。　〃Seat　your　self　beside　me；　Butheita。　Let　me　hear　your　voice。　Tell　me　the　sweet　history　of　your　heart。　Remain　with　me　till　your　father　comes。　While　listening　I　shall　forget　all　shame　and　disgrace；　and　rejoice　only　in　your　presence。　It　would　seem　as　though；　a　good　spirit　had　led　me　into　another　world；　where　an　angel　was　bowed　down　over　me；　to　whom　I　looked　up　in　sweet　ecstasy！〃

〃No；　it　will　only　be　a　poor　child　of　the　desert；　who　sits　beside　you；〃　said　Butheita；　smiling。　〃Only　look　at　poor；　miserable　me。　There　is　nothing　beautiful　or　radiant　about　me；　proud　stranger！　Let　me　go；　you　would　die　of　hunger　and　thirst　if　I　remained　here；　and　it　would　be　shameful；　too；　if　I　should　neglect　the　duty　of　hospitality　toward　my　guest。　But　I　will　tell　you　what　I　can　and　will　do！　You　shall　not　lie　there　bound。　I　will　not　have　it　so；　Mohammed　Ali。　Give　me　your　sacred　word　that　you　will　not　leave；　but　will　remain　here　until　my　father　comes　for　you。　Give　me　your　word；　and　I　will　untie　the　cords　that　bind　your　hands　and　feet。　Give　me　your　word。〃

He　looks　at　her　in　astonishment。

〃Do　you　still　have　such　faith　in　man's　promises　that　you　believe　I　would　keep　my　word　if　I　gave　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　she；　smiling；　〃I　do；　this　would　be　a　horrible　world　if　one　could　not。　My　father　has　often　said　to　me：　'When　a　man　has　given　his　word　he　keeps　it；　though　the　consequence　should　be　death。　Thus　a　truly　brave　man　acts；　only　cowards　break　their　word。'〃

〃Then　you　consider　me　a　truly　brave　man；　Butheita；　and　not　a　coward？〃

〃It　is　only　necessary　to　look　at　you；　stranger；〃　said　she；　with　a　winning　smile；　〃to　feel　in　the　depths　of　one's　heart　that　you　are　a　man；　and　no　coward。　Give　me　your　word；　and　you　are　unfettered。　Give　me　your　word　that　you　will　not　leave。〃

〃Well；〃　said　he；　gazing　at　her　joyously；　〃I　give　you　my　word；　as　a　man！　I　swear　by　Allah；　and　the　prophet；　and　by　my　own　honor；　I　will　not　leave　here　until　your　father　comes　and　says　that　I　may；　and　states　the　conditions。　I　will；　if　you　will　permit　me；　remain　with　you　in　the　mean　while；　and　do　nothing　but　look　at　you。　I　will　be　your　slave；　drink　the　sweet　dew　from　your　lips；　and　read　your　commands　in　your　eyes。　Tell　me；　pearl　of　women；　will　you　accept　me　as　your　slave？〃

Without　answering　his　question；　she　knelt　down　blushingly；　and　untied　the　cords　that　bound　his　hands　and　feet。　〃Now；　stand　up；　a　free　man！〃

He　arose；　and　with　a　feeling　of　intense　relief；　stretched　out　the　hands　that　ached　from　their　long　confinement；　and　extended　his　arms。　He　would　gladly　have　clasped　the　girl　in　their　embrace；　but；　with　the　grace　and　ease　of　a　gazelle；　she　sprang　back　out　of　his　reach　to　the　door　of　the　tent；　and　looked　at　him　threateningly。

〃Mohammed　Ali；　if　you　abuse　your　freedom；　you　are　not　the　man　I　took　you　to　be。〃

He　bowed　his　head　in　silence。　〃You　are　right；　Butheita；　forgive　me！　I　submit　to　the　will　of　the　desert　queen；　I　am　your　slave；　and　await　your　commands；　command　me；　and　I　will　humbly　obey。〃

He　looked　at　her　inquiringly。　Butheita's　large　black　eyes　gazed　at　him　with　a　soft　expression；　and　again　a　tremor　agitated　her　gentle　being。

〃I　desire　nothing　more；　sarechsme；〃　said　she；　timidly；　〃than　that　you　remain　here　in　the　rear　apartment　of　the　tent；　and　I　beg　you；　should　any　one　come；　to　remain　here　quietly；　as　it　is　that　place　generally　reserved　for　women；　no　one　will　dare　to　enter　it。　I　dwell　in　it　alone；　for　my　father　is　not　fond　of　women！　He　says　they　are　talkative　and　quarrelsome；　vain　and　lazy；　too；　and　he　has　had　enough　of　them。　Twelve　wives　has　he　brought　to　his　tent；　one　after　the　other；　but　after　a　short　time　he　sent　every　one　of　them　home　to　her　father。　I　am　the　daughter　of　his　first　wife；　and　my　father　loves　me　more　than　he　has　ever　loved　any　of　them；　and　he　wants　no　woman　in　his　tent　but　his　Butheita。　Nor　do　I　wish　to　have　any　other　woman　here。　I　can　attend　to　father's　household　affairs　quite　well；　alone。　I　milk　the　goats；　make　the　butter；　and　bake　the　bread。　I　also　spin　the　wool　of　our　black　sheep；　and　still　have　plenty　of　time　left　to　knit　the　shawls　my　father　needs。〃

〃So　industrious；　Butheita？　Happy　and　enviable　will　the　man　be　who　shall　some　day　lead　your　father's　daughter　to　his　home！〃

〃You　need　not　envy　him；〃　said　she；　quickly；　〃there　will　be　no　such　man。　It　is　with　me　as　with　my　father；　he　loves　only　me；　and　I　only　him。　No　man　shall　ever　lead　me　to　his　tent　as　his　wife！〃

〃Butheita　will　say　that　until　she　loves　some　man；〃　replied　Mohammed；　looking　deeply　into　her　eyes。　〃Would　Butheita　one　day　follow　me　to　my　tentme？〃

She　did　not　reply。　She　drew　back　in　alarm；　and　again　she　blushed　deeply；　quite　unlike　a　child　of　the　desert；　but　after　the　fashion　of　a　city　girl；　and　drew　aside　the　curtain　that　divided　the　tent。

〃I　am　only　going　to　prepare　your　breakfast。〃

He　did　as　she　had　requested；　and　retired　to　the　second　apartment　of　the　tent；　to　patiently　await　Butheita's　return。　There　he　sat　absorbed　in　thought；　seemingly　forgetful　that　he　was　the　sarechsme；　Mohammed　Ali；　and　a　captive；　for　a　happy　smile　rested　on　his　lips。　His　thoughts　were　beyond　the　sea；　in　the　distant　Cavalla。　Whom　did　he　see　there？　It　seems　to　him　that　Masa；　stands　before　him　with　her　large　soft　eyes；　and　sweet　smile；　and　Masa's　image　is　strangely　interwoven　with　that　of　the　Bedouin…child；　Butheita。　The　two　fair　forms　were　blended；　and　it　did　not　displease　him。　Yet　another　face　is　there。　It　regards　him　with　a　grave　yet　kindly　expression。　It　is　not　the　face　of　a　young　girl；　sweet　and　youthful　fresh　ness　and　love　are　not　in　its　features；　and　yet　it　is　a　loved　face；　that　of　his　wife　Ada；　the　mother　of　his　children。　No；　he　has　not　forgotten　her！　How　could　it　be　possible　after　living　side　by　side　in　peace　and　harmony　for　almost　ten　years！　How　could　it　be　possible　to　forget　her　who　had　given　him　three　loved　lives？　Ah；　his　beloved　boys；　how　his　heart　yearns　after　them！　Yet　his　heart　yearns　for　her　too；　for　his　wife。

For　almost　ten　years　this　quiet…loving　woman　has　sat　by　his　side；　and　he　will　never　put　her　away　from　him；　never　for　get　her；　the　mother　of　his　children。　Years　pass　rapidly；　but　a　man's　heart　does　not　grow　old。　A　man's　heart　is　ever　young；　ever　fresh　for　a　new　love；　and　every　love　seems　to　him　to　be　the　first。

If　Butheita　were　not　the　daughter　of　a　Bedouin　chieftain；　but　a　Georgian　or　Circassian　slave；　he　would　give　for　her　all　the　riches　he　possesses　；　the　beautiful　house　and　furniture　given　him　by　Cousrouf　Pacha。　He　would　make　her　his　wife；　cost　what　it　might。　〃I　thank　you；　O　Mohammed；　thou　great　prophet；　who；　reading　the　heart　of　man；　allows　him　to　have　four　wives。　I　would　Butheita　were　my　second　wife。〃

The　curtain　of　the　tent　is　drawn　aside；　and　Butheita　enters；　a　wooden　waiter　in　her　hand。　All　that　she　has　to　set　before　her　guest；　the　beautiful　dates　and　bananas；　the　black　bread；　the　butter；　all　are　nicely　arranged　on　the　waiter；　which　she　now　smilingly　deposits　at　the　feet　of　her　guest。

〃Now　seat　yourself　on　the　mat；　beloved　guest；　and　refresh　yourself　with　what　poor　Butheita　has　to　offer　you。　Pray　take　the　bread　and　break　it；　and　let　us　eat　it　together　in　token　that　we　are　friends；　and　that　you　are　sacred　to　me。〃

〃And　you　are　sacred　to　me；〃　replies　Mohammed；　gravely；　as　he　takes　up　the　black　bread　and　breaks　it。　Together　they　eat　of　it；　and　then　sit　down　beside　each　other；　and　refresh　themselves　with　Butheita's　daintily　arranged　fruits　and　goat's　milk。　Butheita　tells　him　in　her　charming　way　of　her　housekeeping；　of　her　sheep　and　goats；　and　how　glad　they　were　when　she　returned。

Mohammed　has　forgotten　his　ambitious　plans；　all　the　thousand　wishes　that　agitated　his　heart　at　other　times。　For　the　moment　he　is　once　more　the　boy　of　Cavalla；　communing　with　Nature　in　innocence　and　joyousness；　for　to　him　Butheita's　fair　form　now　represents　Nature。　It　is　not　indeed　Nature　itself　that　charms　him；　but　Nature's　fair　daughter；　Butheita。　He　must　and　will　resist　the　charm；　for　he　has　now　broken　bread；　and　eaten　fruit　with　her。　He　is　her　guest；　and　he　must　hold　his　young　hostess　sacred。

He　forces　himself　to　assume　a　grave　manner；　and　directs　his　thoughts　to　turn　from　her　fair　presence　and　occupy　themselves　with　the　events　that　have　taken　place；　and　the　great　wrong　done　him。　Perhaps　at　this　moment　a　battle　is　raging　on　the　plain　of　Damanbour；　and　Youssouf　Bey　is　perhaps　Victorious　over　the　Mamelukes。　What　will　his　fate　be　in　that　case？　will　not　the　defeated　enemy　avenge　themselves　cruelly　on　him？　But　if；　on　the　other　hand；　Youssouf　has　been　routed　and　put　to　flight；　then　woe　to　you　alike；　Mohammed！　Youssouf　will　then　complain　of　him　to　Cousrouf　Pacha；　and　he　will　be　accused　of　treason…yes；　of　treason；　if　he　does　not　confess　that　he　is　a　prisoner。　But；　if　he　confesses　this；　he　will　become　the　laughing…　stock　of　the　whole　army。　Yes；　in　Butheita's　presence　all　that　was　painful　and　disagreeable　in　his　position　had　been　forgotten。　N