and
sidled up against me. The cat regarded us for a moment with a disgusted
eye, then stretched himself as if he had quitted Carlotta of his own
accord, and walked away in a state of dignified boredom.

"Hamdi is like a pig and an elephant and a great fat turkey," said
Carlotta.

"If all the world were beautiful," I exclaimed, "such a thing as our
appreciation of beauty would not exist. I should not even be aware that
my Carlotta was beautiful."

She put her hands on my knees in her impulsive way, and bending forward
looked at me delightedly.

"Oh, you do think so?"

"You are the loveliest and most intoxicating creature on the earth,
Carlotta."

"Now I am sure, sure, sure," she cried, enraptured. "You have never said
it before, Seer Marcous darling, and I must kiss you."

I checked her with my hands on her soft shoulders.

"Only if you promise to marry me."

"Of course," said Carlotta.

She said it as thoughtlessly and light-heartedly as if I had asked her
to come out for a walk. Again I felt the odd spasm of pain. In my late
madness I had often pictured the scene: how I should hold her throbbing
beauty in my arms, my senses clouded with the fragrance of her, and how,
in burning words, I should pour out the litany of my passion. But to the
gods it seemed otherwise. No Quaker maiden's betrothal kiss was chaster.
Cold grew the fever in my veins and the litany died on my lips.

Who and what is she whom I love? There have been days when her eyes have
carried in their depths the allurements of a sorceress, when her limbs
have woven Venusberg enchantments which it has taken all my strength to
withstand. But tonight, when I take the greatest step and claim her
as mine till our lives' end, she yields with the complaisance of an
ignorant child and raises up between us the barrier of her innocence.
When shall I learn the soul of her?

Well, _jacta est alea_. The events of to-night have precipitated our
destiny. In all probability Hamdi is powerless to take her from my
protection, and this marriage is unnecessary as a safeguard. I have no
notion of the international law on such points--but at any rate it will
make the assurance of her safety absolute. No power on earth can take
her from me. Great Heaven! The thought of her gone forever out of
my life brings the cold sweat to my forehead. Without her, child,
enchantress, changeling that she is, how could I face existence?

I shall have my heart's desire. Why, I