in her as the love-song thrilled; and sobbed, and cried its love
through the night; melted until she suddenly leant forward and
stretching out her hand laid it for one moment on the man's dark head,
whereupon he rose to his knees so that the dark beauty of his face was
on a level with hers, the tale in his eyes causing her heavy white lids
to close, whilst speechless she lay back among her satin cushions.

"Woman! O! woman! The touch of your hand is like the first breeze
after the scorching heat of the day, and yet must I await your word
before the love that consumes me may throw aside its coverings to stand
in the perfumed freshness of the wind which maketh the delight of the
desert dawn.

"Together we have watched the goings out of the caravans on their way
to Cairo, laden with gifts and all that is necessary for the feasting
of those who are invited to attend the marriage of one who, by the
wonder of Allah's bounty, has been allowed to gather the glory of his
harvest. In your graciousness you have troubled your heart with
misgivings as to the outcome of a marriage between a Mohammedan and a
Christian, and I have answered you that there are many such marriages
in the East, of which great happiness has been the outcome, though not
such happiness as shall well forth from the union of our love."

And the man rose to his feet, standing straight as a pine against the
fretted wood-work of the balcony, and the girl watching him from under
the half-closed lids, suddenly tearing the veil from before her face,
sprang also to her feet, and stood against him with her face upraised,
so that the glory of her red mouth came to the level of his shoulder,
and the thudding of her heart caused the diamonds on the embroidery of
her vest to flash in the starlight, and the perfume of her skin to
scent the night air.

And the man bent down until it seemed that their lips must meet in this
their first kiss, but instead he withdrew one pace, though the agony of
love drew all blood from his face, until it shone palely in the gloom.

"Yea, woman, you love me, else would not your eyes be suffused with the
pain of unsatisfied longing! Yet have I not said that until you come
to me, and whisper, 'Hahmed, I love you!' until that moment I will not
in love touch even the fairness of your hand, though as Allah is above
us it taxes my strength to the uttermost shred.

"Perchance I am foolish, missing the untold and unknown delights of
wooing t