mohammed ali and his house-第92部分

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Ada's　heart　trembles　as　she　approaches　it；　and　her　thoughts　are　with　the　house　in　Cavalla。　Oh　that　Mohammed　Ali　had　returned　to　live　with　her　there！　〃Departed　are　all　the　sweets　of　domestic　happiness　for　poor　Ada！〃　a　voice　whispers　in　her　heart。

The　women　now　come　forward；　four　at　a　time；　and　with　loud　congratulations　lay　the　presents　at　her　feet；　the　golden　dishes；　the　jewelled　buckles；　the　gold…inworked　cloths；　and　every　thing　that　delights　the　heart　of　woman。　With　kindly　words　Ada　thanks　them　for　their　gifts；　hardly　realizing　what　they　are。　She　thanks　Allah　when　the　affair　is　concluded；　and　the　master　of　ceremonies　approaches；　and　with　a　deferential　bearing　requests　her　to　descend　from　the　throne；　and　walk　to　the　door　that　leads　to　the　inner　apartments。　It　alarms　her　to　walk　between　the　long　rows　of　women　who　bow　low　as　she　passes。　But　behind　the　door　are　the　private　apartments；　and　there　she　will　be　alone。　This　thought　cheers　her　as　she　walks　on　unconscious　that　a　number　of　female　slaves　are　following　her　to　the　private　apartments。　Those　who　fill　such　exalted　stations　as　that　of　the　wife　of　the　Viceroy　of　Egypt；　know　no　solitude；　not　even　in　their　private　apartments。　The　slaves　now　gather　around　her；　fall　on　their　knees；　and　swear　to　serve　her　faithfully；　and　her　first　maid　asks　if　her　gracious　mistress　will　now　retire　to　the　toilet…chamber　to　change　her　dress。　She　dares　not　refuse；　and　allows　herself　to　be　conducted　thither；　where　the　most　splendid　garments　lie　in　readiness　for　her。　She　makes　no　selection；　but　permits　her　women　to　dress　her　as　they　think　proper。　This　is　at　last　concluded；　and　one　of　them　now　announces　that　she　may　enter　the　private　apartments；　where　his　highness　the　viceroy　is　to　receive　her。

Her　heart　throbs　wildly；　like　the　heart　of　a　young　girl；　as　she　enters　the　apartment。　At　the　entrance　she　stands　still；　timidly。　Alas！　he　is　not　yet　therethe　room　is　empty。　The　viceroy　makes　no　haste　to　greet　his　wife。

The　door　now　opens；　and　Mohammed　Ali　enters。

Ah！　she　would　hardly　have　recognized　him；　to　her　he　seems　quite　changed。　His　countenance　is　so　radiant；　his　bearing　so　proud；　so　splendid　his　gold…embroidered　uniform；　so　gracious　the　smile　with　which　he　advances　to　meet　her；　so　gracious　the　manner　in　which　he　extends　his　hand　and　smiles　on　her。Ada　is　conscious　that　it　is　the　viceroy；　the　good　friend；　who　stands　before　her；　but　the　husband　it　is　not。

〃Welcome；　dear　Ada！〃　he　says；　in　kindly　tones。　Ah！　she　is　familiar　with　these　loveless　tones。　〃Welcome；　dear　Ada；　I　rejoice　heartily　to　see　you　again　after　this　long　separation。〃

She　takes　his　hand；　presses　it　in　her　own；　and　looks　at　him　earnestly。

〃Yes；　after　so　long　a　separation；　do　you　know　how　long　we　have　been　separated？　Do　you　feel　it　in　your　heart？〃

〃I　well　know　bow　long；　Ada。　We　have　been　separated　five　years；〃　he　replies；　with　a　kindly　smile。　〃You　see　five　years　have　effected　great　changes。〃

〃Yes；〃　murmurs　she；　releasing　his　hand。　〃They　have　brought　about　great　changes。　I　see　it；　Mohammed。〃

〃But；　dear　Ada；　my　heart　and　my　affection　for　you　are　unchanged；〃　he　says；　gently。　〃I　shall　ever　honor　you；　Ada；　as　my　first　wife；　as　the　mother　of　my　first…born　sons。　Yes；　as　my　first　wife。〃

She　bows　her　head。　She　understands　the　tone　with　which　Mohammed　had　pronounced　that　fearful　word。　Yes；　she　understands　it；　and　bows　her　head　in　humility。　And　what　would　opposition　avail　her？　The　law　of　the　prophet　allows　the　man　to　have　several　wives。　Love　is　fleeting；　and　its　ardor　soon　passes　away　after　marriage。　Friendship　is　the　successor　of　love；　and　men　say　this　is　happiness。

The　women　sigh；　and　bow　their　heads　in　silence。

What　would　it　avail　Ada　to　rise　in　arms　against　Mohammed's　words；　〃My　first　wife〃？

〃Yes；　Ada；　you　will　ever　remain　my　first　wife；　the　honored　mother　of　my　sons。　You　will　ever　remain　my　friend。〃

Yes；　that　was　the　word。　She　closes　her　eyes　and　shudders。

〃'Tis　well。　Your　friend；　Mohammed！　I　will　not；　however；　honor　you　as　my　friend；　but　as　my　lord；　and　as　the　man　I　have　loved　alone　and　best　on　earth！〃

He　gently　encircles　her　neck　with　his　arm；　and　impresses　a　kiss　on　her　forehead。　Such　a　kiss　as　makes　the　heart　of　the　woman　who　loves　writhe　in　anguish。

Now　he　begins　to　speak　to　her；　in　gay　tones；　of　his　handsome；　manly　sons。

〃They　shall　come　to　greet　their　mother；　they　are　waiting　in　the　next　room。〃

He　walks　hastily　to　the　door；　opens　it；　and　the　three　boys　enter；　each　holding　a　small　package　wrapped　in　paper　in　his　hand。

〃What　do　you　bring　me；　boys！〃　asks　Mohammed；　seating　himself　on　a　divan；　and　calling　them　to　his　side。

〃What　do　we　bring　you；　father？〃　says　the　eldest；　Ibrahim。　〃We　have　brought　you　keepsakes　from　Cavalla；　and　with　them　we　wish　to　show　you　that　we　have　learned　something；　and　have　endeavored　to　imitate　you。　The　merchant；　Lion；　has　often　told　me　how　daring　a　boatman　you　were；　and　I　determined　to　learn　to　manage　a　boat　and　defy　the　treacherous　waves；　also。〃

The　viceroy　regards　his　son　with　a　radiant　smile。　The　boy's　sparkling　eyes　gladden　his　heart　and　inspires　it　with　high　hopes。

〃I　rejoice　in　you；　Ibrahim；　and　expect　you　to　become　a　hero；〃　cries　Mohammed。　〃Continue。　You　were　resolved　to　defy　the　waves〃

〃Yes；　father；　and　I　did　learn　to　make　the　waves　obey　me；　and　I　became　the　best　boatman　in　Praousta。　I　also　learned　to　dive；　and　no　diver　could　surpass　me。　To　prove　what　I　say；　I　have　brought　you　this　keepsake。　I　brought　it　up　from　the　depths　of　the　sea；　it　was　tied　up　in　a　bag。　I　dragged　it　to　the　shore　and　opened　it。　And　what　do　you　suppose　it　contained；　father？　Only　think；　a　skeleton！　As　these　were　the　first　things　I　had　taken　out　of　the　deep　as　a　diver　I　have　brought　you　something　out　of　the　bag　as　a　keepsake。　Here　it　is；　I　lay　it　at　your　feet。〃

〃From　the　depths　of　the　sea？　〃　repeated　the　viceroy；　with　pallid　cheeks。　〃Tell　me；　Ibrahim；　were　you　diving　off　the　shore　of　Praousta？〃

〃Yes；　father。　You　know　the　shore　is　steep；　and　the　sea　deep；　close　in　to　the　beach。　There　I　dived　and　found　the　bag；　with　which　I　swam　to　the　shore。　The　bag　contained　bones；　and　also　that　which　I　have　brought　you。〃

〃A　bag　that　contained　a　skeleton？〃　repeated　Mohammed；　with　quivering　lips。　〃And　what　is　it　you　have　brought　me？〃

〃A　tress　of　haira　tress　of　long；　black　hair。　It　must　have　been　a　woman　that　was　cast　into　the　sea　in　the　bag。〃

Mohammed　does　not　take　the　package　from　his　son's　hand；　and　Ibrahim　lays　it　at　his　feet　and　looks　at　him　with　astonishment。　He　is　completely　changed；　his　cheeks　are　pallid　and　his　eyes　dim。　Ada　also　observes　this　change　with　dismay；　and　calls　her　sons　to　her　side。　Aroused　by　her　voice；　Mohammed　awakens　from　his　stupor；　and　waves　his　hand　as　if　to　ward　off　some　spectre。

〃And　what　have　you　brought　me；　Ismail？and　you；　Toussoun？〃

〃We　have　also　brought　you　keepsakes　from　Cavalla；〃　they　reply。　〃We　endeavored　to　make　of　ourselves　what　you　were　when　a　boy。　We　were　told　that　you　had　been　a　famous　climber；　that　no　rock　was　too　high；　and　the　entrance　to　no　cave　too　narrow；　for　you。　And　we　discovered　a　large　cave　down　by　the　shore；　near　Praousta。　It　was　necessary　to　creep　through　a　long；　narrow　passage　to　get　into　it；　and　what　do　you　think　we　found　there？　It　seemed　as　if　people　had　lived　therethere　were　cushions　and　all　sorts　of　things　scattered　around　on　the　floor。　Oh；　we　often　enjoyed　ourselves　in　the　cave；　singing　songs；　and　eating　fruit　we　had　taken　there　with　us。　However；　when　we　visited　the　cave　for　the　last　time；　we　determined；　each　of　us；　to　bring　you　a　keepsake　from　it；　and　here　are　the　things　we　have　brought。　I　bring　you　a　beautiful　little　cup　I　found　there。〃

〃And　I　bring　you　a　piece　of　clotha　beautiful　gold…embroidered　cuffei　which　I　found　in　the　cave。　It　is　very　handsome；　only　there　are　a　few　spots；　as　though　blood　had　dropped　on　it。〃

And；　like　Ibrahim；　the　two　boys　also　lay　the　packages　they　had　brought　at　their　father's　feet。　He　sits　there　for　a　moment　as　motionless　and　pale　as　a　marble　statue；　and　then　motions　with　his　hand　toward　the　door。　He　cannot　speak；　he　only　motions　to　them　to　leave　the　room；　and　the　boys　hasten　to　their　mother's　side　in　alarm。　Ada　takes　them　by　the　hand　and　leaves　the　room　with　them。

Mohammed　is　now　alone　with　his　sons'　offerings。

He　stares　down　at　them　for　a　while；　and　then　takes　up　the　package　Ibrahim　had　laid　at　his　feet。

He　tears　it　open；　and　there　lies　Masa's　long；　black　hair。　A　cry　escapes　his　lips！　It　is　not　the　viceroy；　not　the　man；　who　cries　out。　It　is　the　death…cry　of　his　first　love！

He　presses　the　hair　to　his　lips；　and　two　tears　trickle　slowly　down　his　cheeks。　His　gaze　fastens　on　his　Masa's　hair　in　a　long；　painful　glance。

He　had　often　kissed　these　tresses　while　they　clung　to　her　beloved　head。　He　now　kisses　them　for　the　last　time；　and　then　conceals　them　in　his　bosom。

He　bends　down　again　and　takes　up　the　presents　of　his　other　sons。

He　remembers　the　cup　well。　Masa　had　often　drunk　out　of　it。

He　kisses　the　rim　of　the　cup；　the　place　where　Masa's　crimson　lips　had　touched；　he　then　carefully　places　it　on　the　cushion　beside　him。

He　now　takes　up　the　third　presentthe　gold…embroidered　cuffei　he　had　purchased　for　Masa　from　the　merchant；　Lion。

She　wore　it　around　her　neck　for　the　last　time　when　he　pressed　her　to　his　heart　and　took　leave　of　her　for　a　short　time；　as　he　thought。　She　wore　it　when　he　left　her　that　night；　and　when　he　returned　she　was　gone；　and　he　did　not　see　her　again　until　her　death…hour。

He　holds　the　cloth　up　before　him；　and　sees　the　dark…red　spots…her　blood！　She　had　struggled　with　her　captor；　and　he　had　injured　her　shoulder；　where　the　cloth　rested；　with　the　point　of　his　dagger！　He　can　tell　this　by　the　incision　in　the　cloth　where　the　spots　of　blood　are。

This　is　Masa's　blood；　shed　for　him！　He　kisses　the　spot；　and　binds　the　cloth　around　his　neckthe　cloth　she　has　worn；　the　cloth　inscribed　with　her　blood！　A　holy　remembrance　of　her；　he　will　never　part　with　it。　It　shall　protect　him　from　the　rude　wind　of　the　world。

He　lays　his　hand　on　Masa's　tresses　again；　he　looks　at　the　cup；　and　sits　there　motionless；　absorbed　in　thought；　for　a　long　time。

His　whole　past　rises　up　before　him。　He　is　once　more　at　home；　on　the　rude　rock　where　he　spent　his　youth。

He　sees　every　thing　once　more；　s