t yet--give me a few minutes," said the widow, bringing out the
words with difficulty: first she must have recourse to her secret
specific. When she had done so, she expressed her readiness to see Obada.
Her son's swarthy foe was anxious to appear a mild and magnanimous man in
her eyes, so it was with flattering servility and many smirking grins
that he communicated to her the necessity for her quitting the house in
which she had passed the longest and happiest half of her life, and no
later than next day.

To his announcement that her private fortune would remain untouched, and
that she would be at liberty to reside in Memphis or to go to her own
house in Alexandria, she indifferently replied that "she should see."

She then enquired whether the Arabs had yet succeeded in capturing her
son.

"Not actually," replied the Vekeel. "But we know where he is hiding, and
by to-morrow or the next day we shall lay hands on the unhappy young
man."

But, as he spoke, the widow detected a malicious gleam in his eyes to
which, so far, he had tried to give a sympathetic expression, and she
went on with a slight shake of the bead: "Then it is a case of life and
death?"

"Compose yourself, noble lady," was the reply. "Of death alone."

Neforis looked up to heaven and for some minutes did not speak; then she
asked:

"And who has accused him of robbery?" "The head of his own Church. . . ."

"Benjamin?" she murmured with a peculiar smile. Only yesterday she had
made her will in favor of the patriarch and the Church. "If Benjamin
could see that," said she to herself, "he would change his views of you
and your people, and have prayers constantly said for us."

As she spoke no more the Vekeel sat looking at her inquisitively and
somewhat at a loss, till at length she rose, and with no little dignity
dismissed him, remarking that now their business was at an end and she
had nothing further to say to him.

This closed the interview; and as the Vekeel quitted the fountain-room he
muttered to himself: "What a woman! Either she is possessed and her brain
is crazed, or she is of a rarely heroic pattern."

Neforis was supported to her own room; when she was in bed she desired
her maid to bring a small box out of her chest and place it on the little
table containing medicines by the bead of the couch.

As soon as she was alone she took out two letters which George had
written to her before their marriage, and a poem which Orion had onc