ke me do it. He
knows that already, unless----"

"Unless what? Why do you look horrified?"

"There's one thing I forgot to tell you about our talk in the desert. I
promised him I would say 'yes' in case something happened--something I
thought then couldn't happen."

"But you find now it could?"

"Oh, no--no, I don't believe it could."

"You'd better tell me what it is."

"That you--I said, I would promise to marry him if _you wished_ it. He
asked me to promise that, and I did, at once."

A slow colour crept over Saidee's face, up to her forehead. "You trusted
me," she murmured.

"And I do now--with all my heart. Only you've lived here, out of the
world, alone and sad for so long, that you're afraid of things I'm not
afraid of."

"I'm afraid because I know what cause there is for fear. But you're
right. My life has made me a coward. I can't help it."

"Yes, you can--I've come to help you help it."

"How little you understand! They'll use you against me, me against you.
If you knew I were being tortured, and you could save me by marrying
Maieddine, what would you do?"

Victoria's hand trembled in her sister's, which closed on it nervously.
"I would marry him that very minute, of course. But such things don't
happen."

"They do. That's exactly what will happen, unless you tell Maieddine
you've made up your mind to say 'yes'. You can explain that it's by my
advice. He'll understand. But he'll respect you, and won't be furious at
your resistance, and want to revenge himself on you in future, as he
will if you wait to be forced into consenting."

Victoria sprang up and walked away, covering her face with her hands.
Her sister watched her as if fascinated, and felt sick as she saw how
the girl shuddered. It was like watching a trapped bird bleeding to
death. But she too was in the trap, she reminded herself. Really, there
was no way out, except through Maieddine. She said this over and over in
her mind. There was no other way out. It was not that she was cruel or
selfish. She was thinking of her sister's good. There was no doubt of
that, she told herself: no doubt whatever.

XXXVII

Victoria felt as if all her blood were beating in her brain. She could
not think, and dimly she was glad that Saidee did not speak again. She
could not have borne more of those hatefully specious arguments.

For a moment she stood still, pressing her hands over her eyes, and
against her temples. Then, without turning,