Part 34 (2/2)
can you invent no better tale than that?” He turned aside as two slaves entered bearing an earthenware vessel ”Here comes your supper I hope your appetite is keener than your logic”
They set the vessel, from which a savoury smell proceeded, upon the little Moorish table by the divan On the ground beside it they placed a broad dish of baked earth in which there were a couple of loaves and a red, short-necked a-cup placed over the mouth of it to act as a stopper
They salaaain
”Sup,” he bade her shortly
”I want no supper,” she replied, her manner sullen
His cold eye played over her ”Henceforth, girl, you will consider not what you want, but what I bid you do I bid you eat; about it, therefore”
”I will not”
”Will not?” he echoed slowly ”Is that a speech from slave to master?
Eat, I say”
”I cannot! I cannot!” she protested
”A slave ”
”Then killup to confront and dare hi, and for that at least I should be grateful”
”I will kill you if I please,” he said in level icy tones ”But not to please you You don't yet understand You are , ed save at ood pleasure Therefore, eat, or my Nubians shall whip you to quicken appetite”
For a moment she stood defiant before him, white and resolute Then quite suddenly, as if her as being bent and crumpled under the insistent pressure of his own, she drooped and sank down again to the divan Slowly, reluctantly she drew the dish nearer Watching her, he laughed quite silently
She paused, appearing to seek for soain, between scorn and intercession
”Aers?” she de, or at least with suspicion But he answered her quite calainst the Prophet's law to defile meat or bread by the contact of a knife You iven you”
”Do you mock me with the Prophet and his laws? What are the Prophet's laws to , but in Christian fashi+on”
To indulge her, as it seeirdle ”Let that serve you, then,” he said; and carelessly he tossed it down beside her
With a quick indrawn breath she pounced upon it ”At last,” she said, ”you give rateful to you” And on the words she laid the point of it against her breast
Like lightning he had dropped to one knee, and his hand had closed about her wrist with such a grip that all her ar into her eyes, his swarthy face close to her own