"She will travel veiled, because, for
reasons that do not concern thee, it is wiser. But she is free to appear
before the Lord Maieddine. Bring her; and remember this, when I am gone.
If to a living soul outside this house thou speakest of the Roumia
maiden, or even of my journey, worse things will happen to thee than
tearing thy tongue out by the roots."
"So thou saidst last night to me, and to all the others," the negress
answered, like a sulky child. "As we are faithful, it is not necessary
to say it again." Without waiting to be scolded for her impudence, as
she knew she deserved, she went out, to return five minutes later with
Victoria.
Maieddine's eyes lighted when he saw the girl in Arab dress. It seemed
to him that she was far more beautiful, because, like all Arabs, he
detested the severe cut of a European woman's gowns. He loved bright
colours and voluptuous outlines.
It was only beginning to be daylight when they left the house and went
out to the carriage in which Victoria had been driven the night before.
She and Lella M'Barka were both veiled, though there was no eye to see
them. Hsina and Fafann took out several bundles, wrapped in dark red
woollen haicks, and the Negro servants carried two curious trunks of
wood painted bright green, with coloured flowers and scrolls of gold
upon them, and shining, flat covers of brass. In these was contained the
luggage from the house; Maieddine's had already gone to the railway
station.
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