But thou
couldst scarcely be lovelier than thou art; for thy skin is of pearl,
though there is no paint upon it, and thy lips are pink as rose petals.
Yet a little messouak to make them scarlet, like coral, and kohl to
give thine eyes lustre would add to thy brilliancy. Also the hand of
woman reddened with henna is as a brazier of rosy flame to kindle the
heart of a lover. When thou seest thy sister, thou wilt surely find that
she has made herself mistress of these arts, and many more."
"Canst thou tell me nothing of her, Lella M'Barka?"
"Nothing, save that I have a friend who has said she was fair. And it is
not many moons since I heard that she was blessed with health."
"Is she happy?" Victoria was tempted to persist.
"She should be happy. She is a fortunate woman. Would I could tell thee
more, but I live the life of a mole in these days, and have little
knowledge. Thou wilt see her with thine own eyes before long, I have no
doubt. And now comes food which my women have prepared for thee. In my
house, all are people of the desert, and we keep the desert customs,
since my husband has been gathered to his fathers--my husband, to whose
house in Algiers I came as a bride from the Sahara. Such a meal as thou
wilt eat to-night, mayst thou eat often with a blessing, in the country
of the sun."
Fafann, who had softly left the room when the guest had been introduced,
now came back, with great tinkling of khal-khal, and mnaguach, the huge
earrings which hung so low as to strike the silver beads twisted round
her throat.
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