t my heart had found its
desire, that the woman who for all these years had, invisible to
others, walked beside me in my waking hours, and hovered near me in my
dreams, had come to life; that before me, if Allah willed, stood my
wife and the mother of my children. I know that the English race, from
lack of sun perchance, love not in a moment with a love that can
outlast eternity. I do not ask you if you love me, only that you will
be my wife, honouring me above all men, delighting me with such moments
as you can give me.

"Listen, O! woman. I ask of you nothing until you shall love me. You
shall draw the curtains of your apartment, and until you call me, you
shall go undisturbed. _When_ you shall call me--then--ah!" and his
voice sank to infinite depths of tenderness as he drew her to
him--"then you will be all mine--all--lily of the night you are
now--rose of the morning you will be then, and I--I will wear that rose
upon my heart. You are even as a necklace of rich jewels, O! my
beloved. Your eyes are the turquoise, your teeth are the white pearls,
even as the ravishing marks upon your face,[1] and may be upon that
part of your body upon which my eyes may not rest, are as black pearls
of the rarest. Your lips are redder than rubies, and your fingers are
of ivory.

"And one day shall that necklace be placed in my hands, and not alone
the necklace, but the white alabaster pillar of your body, from your
feet like lotus flowers, to the golden rain of your hair, shall you be
mine.

"And you shall not make me wait too long, for behold, I love you.
Allah! how I love you---as only we men of the desert love. Allah help
me," and holding the girl in the bend of his left arm, so that she felt
the racing of his heart, he raised his eyes and right hand to Heaven.
"Allah! God of all, give me this rose soon!"

For one long moment the girl was still, with face as white as death,
and great eyes troubled even as the ocean when swept by gusts of wind;
for to the very depths of her stirred her heritage of tremendous
passions, untouched, unknown, whilst that which is in all women, from
queen to coster, coming down from the day when they were slaves, that
which urges them to cry aloud, "Master! Master!" upon their bended
knees, stirred not at all; so that even as her eyes, so was her soul
troubled, knowing that love had not yet laid hand to draw the curtains
from about her womanhood.

Freeing herself gently, she moved towa