marabout has blessed for him; and if the wedding is not in a
week, it will be a few days later. It is in Allah's hands."

"I tell thee, it will be never," Victoria persisted. "And I believe thou
but sayest these things to torture me."

"Dost thou not love Si Maieddine?" Miluda asked innocently.

"Not at all."

"Then it must be that thou lovest some other man. Dost thou, Roumia?"

"Thou hast no right to ask such questions."

"Be not angry, Roumia, for we are coming now to the great reason why I
sent for thee. It is to help thee. I wish to know whether there is a man
of thine own people thou preferest to Si Maieddine."

"Why shouldst thou wish to help me? Thou hast never seen me till now."

"I will speak the truth with thee," said Miluda, "because thy face
pleases me, though I prefer my own. Thine is pure and good, like the
face of the white angel that is ever at our right hand; and even if I
should speak falsely, I think thou wouldst not be deceived. Before I saw
thee, I did not care whether thou wert happy or sad. It was nothing to
me; but I saw a way of getting thee and thy sister out of my husband's
house, and for a long time I have wished thy sister gone. Not that I am
jealous of her. I have not seen her face, but I know she is already old,
and if she were not friendless in our land, the Sidi would have put her
away at the time of my marriage to him, since long ago he has ceased to
care whether she lives or dies. But his heart is great, and he has kept
her under his roof for kindness' sake, though she has given him no
child, and is no longer a wife to him. I alone fill his life."

She paused, hoping perhaps that Victoria would answer; but the girl was
silent, biting her lip, her eyes cast down. So Miluda talked on, more
quietly.

"There is a wise woman in the city, who brings me perfumes and silks
which have come to Oued Tolga by caravan from Tunis. She has told me
that thy sister has ill-wished me, and that I shall never have a boy--a
real child--while Lella Saida breathes the same air with me. That is the
reason I want her to be gone. I will not help thee to go, unless thou
takest her with thee."

"I will never, never leave this place unless we go together," Victoria
answered, deeply interested and excited now.

"That is well. And if she loves thee also, she would not go alone; so my
wish is to do what I can for both."

"What canst thou do?" the girl asked.

"I will tell thee. But first there is so