s
the winds have been ill which have blown upon thee. Thou lookest
stricken unto death--and I know not how, but thou hast changed
inconceivably--thou art shorter. No! I know not what it is, but
hearken.

"Thou hast filled my cup of endurance, O! woman, to the brim. Yea!
until the drops of bitterness have overflowed and fallen upon the
sands, but now thou art come back, rather than let thee go I would
drive this dagger through thy heart.

"Fear not that I will pass uncalled the silken hangings of thy chamber,
or force upon thee the sweet title of wife which against my wish thou
hast so long disdained, but thou art my prisoner. If love could not
bind thee to me, then shall care be taken that thou strayest not again
from thy home.

"Thy body woman has orders to come to thee only when I command her to
do so, though such is her love for thee that she beats her shrivelled
body in despair at thy absence, and is like to die for weariness of thy
empty chamber. So when thou wilt retire, if perchance the silken
ribbon of thy raiment has become knotted, there are no hands but these
to the unravelling of the mysteries of thy toilet.

"If thou hast need of me, thou needest but call me, and I will speed to
thy bidding, for behold! I will lay across thy portal, as I have lain
these many moons since thy nest has been without the bird for whom it
was my pleasure to build."

For a moment fell a mighty silence between the two, broken only by the
stream which hurried past them on its way to the great green Nile.

Not a frond stirred, neither did the breeze even move the multitudinous
folds of Jill's raiment.

From the West the sand swept up to her feet, and as far as eye could
see to the East it stretched.

Slowly she turned and looked at the motionless figure under the palms,
then silently she held out her hands with a little movement of utter
submission, as a sound, twixt a sob and a moan, fell gently on the soft
air.

For one long moment they looked across the sand at each other, these
two who had been tried to their utmost limit, and then the man was at
her feet, with, flimsy veil held in his hands, lower he bent and lower,
as his white cloak swept out on each side of the girl like great
protecting wings, as catching the hem of her dress he raised it to his
forehead, and then rising to fasten the veil before her face, led her
by the hand to the door of her dwelling, pulling back the white silk
curtain for her to pass.