d took from one of its shelves an earthenware jar, placed there so as
to receive the slightest breeze. From it she poured water into a little
cup and drank greedily. That she could perform this menial service
for herself when a mere clapping of hands would have brought slaves to
minister to her need betrayed something of her disordered state of mind.

She slammed the inner lattice and turned to Marzak. "And now?" quoth
she.

"Now?" said the lad.

"Ay, what now? What are we to do? Are we to lie crushed under his rage
until we are ruined indeed? He is bewitched. That jackal has enchanted
him, so that he must deem well done all that is done by him. Allah guide
us here, Marzak, or thou'lt be trampled into dust by Sakr-el-Bahr."

Marzak hung his head; slowly he moved to the divan and flung himself
down upon its pillows; there he lay prone, his hands cupping his chin,
his heels in the air.

"What can I do?" he asked at last.

"That is what I most desire to know. Something must be done, and soon.
May his bones rot! If he lives thou art destroyed."

"Ay," said Marzak, with sudden vigour and significance. "If he lives!"
And he sat up. "Whilst we plan and plot, and our plans and plots come
to naught save to provoke the anger of my father, we might be better
employed in taking the shorter way."

She stood in the middle of the chamber, pondering him with gloomy eyes
"I too have thought of that," said she. "I could hire me men to do the
thing for a handful of gold. But the risk of it...."

"Where would be the risk once he is dead?"

"He might pull us down with him, and then what would our profit be in
his death? Thy father would avenge him terribly."

"If it were craftily done we should not be discovered."

"Not be discovered?" she echoed, and laughed without mirth. "How young
and blind thou art, O Marzak! We should be the first to be suspected.
I have made no secret of my hate of him, and the people do not love me.
They would urge thy father to do justice even were he himself averse to
it, which I will not credit would be the case. This Sakr-el-Bahr--may
Allah wither him!--is a god in their eyes. Bethink thee of the welcome
given him! What Basha returning in triumph was ever greeted by the like?
These victories that fortune has vouchsafed him have made them account
him divinely favoured and protected. I tell thee, Marzak, that did thy
father die to-morrow Sakr-el-Bahr would be proclaimed Basha of Algiers
in his stead,