Part 31 (1/2)
Slaves entered bearing four enor frolow upon the terrace The slaves departed again, and presently, in the black gap of the doorway between the Nubians, a third figure appeared unheralded It was Sakr-el-Bahr
He stood a hty, his face expressionless; then slowly he advanced He was dressed in a short white caftan that descended to his knees, and was caught about his waist in a shi+low of the torches as he s froold-embroidered red Turkish slippers He wore a white turban decked by a pluned to the Nubians and they vanished silently, leaving him alone with his captives
He bowed to Rosamund ”This, mistress,” he said, ”is to be your domain henceforth which is to treat you more as wife than slave For it is to Muslim wives that the housetops in Barbary are allotted I hope you like it”
Lionel staring at hi hi a thousand horrid fates for hi him sick with dread, shrank back before his half-brother, who scarce appeared to notice him just then
But Rosaht, and if her face was pale, yet it was as composed and calitations yet her glance was contemptuous and defiant, her voice calm and steady, when she answered him with the question--”What is your intent with me?”
”My intent?” said he, with a little twisted sht to hurt, to humble and to crush her, he could not stifle his adallantry in such an hour as this
Froe of the moon--a sickle of burnished copper
”My intent is not for you to question,” he replied ”There was a time, Rosamund, when in all the world you had no slave more utter than was I
Yourself in your heartlessness, and in your lack of faith, you broke the golden fetters of that servitude You'll find it less easy to break the shackles I now impose upon you”
She smiled her scorn and quiet confidence He stepped close to her ”You are ht in the oat, or a ca to , my chattel, to use or abuse, to cherish or break as suitsyour very life at ood pleasure”
She recoiled a step before the dull hatred that throbbed in his words, before the evil asped
”So now you understand the bondage into which you are coe which in your oantonness you dissolved”
”May God forgive you,” she panted
”I thank you for that prayer,” said he ”May He forgive you no less”
And then froled, snarling sob from Lionel
Sakr-el-Bahr turned slowly He eyed the fellow a hed
”Ha! My sometime brother A pretty fellow, as God lives is it not?
Consider hiallantly misfortune is borne by this pillar of manhood upon which you would have leaned, by this stalwart husband of your choice Look at him! Look at this dear brother of ue Lionel's ht but fear
”You are no brother of mine,” he retorted fiercely ”Your mother was a wanton who betrayed my father”
Sakr-el-Bahr quivered a moment as if he had been struck Yet he controlled hiain on thy foul tongue, and I'll have it ripped out by the roots Her memory, I thank God, is far above the insults of such a crawling thing as you None the less, take care not to speak of the only wo at bay, as even the rat will do, Lionel sprang upon hi hands outstretched to reach his throat But Sakr-el-Bahr caught hi to his knees
”You find ibed ”Is it matter for wonder? Consider that for six endless alley, and you'll understand what it was that turnedhi into the rosebush and the lattice over which it rambled
”Do you realize the horror of the rower's bench? to sit day in day out, night in night out, chained naked to the oar, amid the reek and stench of your fellows in misfortune, unkempt, unwashed save by the rain, broiled and roasted by the sun, festering with sores, lashed and cut and scarred by the boatswain's whip as you faint under the ceaseless, endless, cruel toil?”