All drank a little, for, said Lella Alonda, though strong drink was
forbidden by the Prophet, the palms were dear to him, and besides, in
the throats of good men and women, wine was turned to milk, as Sidi
Aissa of the Christians turned water to wine at the marriage feast.
When they had finished at last, a Soudanese woman poured rose-water over
their hands, from a copper jug, and wiped them with a large damask
napkin, embroidered by Aichouch, the pretty, somewhat coquettish married
daughter of the house, Maieddine's only sister. The rose-water had been
distilled by Lella Fatma, the widowed sister of Alonda, who shared the
hospitality of the Agha's roof, in village or douar. Every one
questioned Victoria, and made much of her, even the Agha; but, though
they asked her opinions of Africa, and talked of her journey across the
sea, they did not speak of her past life or of her future. Not a word
was said concerning her mission, or Ben Halim's wife, the sister for
whom she searched.
While they were still at supper, the black servants who had waited upon
them went quietly away, but slightly raised the heavy red drapery which
formed the partition between that room and another. They looped up the
thick curtain only a little way, but there was a light on the other
side, and Victoria, curious as to what would happen next, spied the
servants' black legs moving about, watched a rough wooden bench placed
on the blue and crimson rugs of Djebel Amour, and presently saw other
black legs under a white burnous coil themselves upon the low seat.
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