"Can you find no excuse for me in all that?"

It moved her a little, for if she maintained a hostile attitude, at
least she put aside her scorn.

"No wrongs," she told him, almost with sorrow in her voice, "could
justify you in outraging chivalry, in dishonouring your manhood, in
abusing your strength to persecute a woman. Whatever the causes that may
have led to it, you have fallen too low, sir, to make it possible that I
should trust you."

He bowed his head under the rebuke which already he had uttered in his
own heart. It was just and most deserved, and since he recognized its
justice he found it impossible to resent it.

"I know," he said. "But I am not asking you to trust me to my profit,
but to your own. It is for your sake alone that I implore you to do
this." Upon a sudden inspiration he drew the heavy dagger from his
girdle and proffered it, hilt foremost. "If you need an earnest of my
good faith," he said, "take this knife with which to-night you attempted
to stab yourself. At the first sign that I am false to my trust, use it
as you will--upon me or upon yourself."

She pondered him in some surprise. Then slowly she put out her hand to
take the weapon, as he bade her.

"Are you not afraid," she asked him, "that I shall use it now, and so
make an end?"

"I am trusting you," he said, "that in return you may trust me. Further,
I am arming you against the worst. For if it comes to choice between
death and Asad, I shall approve your choice of death. But let me add
that it were foolish to choose death whilst yet there is a chance of
life."

"What chance?" she asked, with a faint return of her old scorn. "The
chance of life with you?"

"No," he answered firmly. "If you will trust me, I swear that I will
seek to undo the evil I have done. Listen. At dawn my galeasse sets out
upon a raid. I will convey you secretly aboard and find a way to land
you in some Christian country--Italy or France--whence you may make your
way home again."

"But meanwhile," she reminded him, "I shall have become your wife."

He smiled wistfully. "Do you still fear a trap? Can naught convince you
of my sincerity? A Muslim marriage is not binding upon a Christian, and
I shall account it no marriage. It will be no more than a pretence to
shelter you until we are away."

"How can I trust your word in that?"

"How?" He paused, baffled; but only for a moment. "You have the dagger,"
he answered pregnantly.

She stood considering