Part 22 (2/2)
”Thou art over-quick to anger,” Asad reproved hi still
”And by the Head of Allah, ill deny ht to it? Am I to conduct such an enterprise as this froht well be the fruits of a year's raiding, to be questioned by a beardless stripling as to why I was not guided by Oth there in the intensity of a passion that was entirely simulated Heperiods and broad, fierce gesture
”To what should Othuided me to more than I have this day laid at thy feet? What I have done speaks eloquently with its own voice What he would have had ht well have ended in disaster Had it so ended, would the blame of it have fallen upon Othmani? Nay, by Allah! but upon me And upon me rests then the credit, and let none dare question it without better cause”
Now these were daring words to address to the tyrant Asad, and still ht hard eyes aflash and the sweeping gestures of contempt hich they were delivered But of his ascendancy over the Basha there was no doubt And here noas proof of it
Asad almost cowered before his fury The scowl faded from his face to be replaced by an expression of dismay
”Nay, nay, Sakr-el-Bahr, this tone!” he cried
Sakr-el-Bahr, having slammed the door of conciliation in the face of the Basha, now opened it again He becaive it,” he said ”Blame the devotion of thy servant to thee and to the Faith he serves with little reck to life In this very expedition was I wounded nigh unto death The livid scar of it is a dumb witness to my zeal Where are thy scars, Marzak?”
Marzak quailed before the sudden blaze of that question, and Sakr-el-Bahr laughed softly in contempt
”Sit,” Asad bade him ”I have been less than just”
”Thou art the very fount and spring of justice, O my lord, as this thine adain, folding his legs under hiland in that cruise of o did injure me, and bethom and me there was a score to settle I exceeded my intentions in that I carried off two prisoners instead of one These prisoners,” he ran on, judging that the moment of reaction in Asad's mind was entirely favourable to the prefernio with the others They are still confined aboard the carack I seized”
”And why is this?” quoth Asad, but without suspicion now
”Because, my lord, I have a boon to ask in some reward for the service I have rendered”
”Ask it, my son”
”Give me leave to keep these captives for htly Despite himself, despite his affection for Sakr-el-Bahr, and his desire to soothe hi was at work again in his mind
”My leave thou hast,” said he ”But not the law's, and the law runs that no corsair shall subtract so much as the value of an asper from his booty until the division has been rave answer
”The law?” quoth Sakr-el-Bahr ”But thou art the law, exalted lord”
”Not so, my son The law is above the Basha, who must hih office And the law I have recited thee applies even should the corsair raider be the Basha hinio to join the others that tomorrow all may be sold in the sok See it done, Sakr-el-Bahr”
The corsair would have renewed his pleadings, but that his eye caught the eager white face of Marzak and the glea so hopefully for his ruin He checked, and bowed his head with an assumption of indifference
”Name thou their price then, and forthill I pay it into thy treasury”