The current of her ideas
was abruptly changed. "How many days now," she asked suddenly, "will the
journey last?"
His face fell. "Art thou tired already of this new way of travelling,
that thou askest me a question thou hast not once asked since we
started?"
"Oh no, no," she reassured him. "I love it. I am not tired at all.
But--I did not question thee at first because thou didst not desire me
to know thy plans, while I was still within touch of Europeans. Thou
didst not put this reason in such words, for thou wouldst not have let
me feel I had not thy full trust. But it was natural thou shouldst not
give it, when thou hadst so little acquaintance with me, and I did not
complain. Now it is different. Even if I wished, I could neither speak
nor write to any one I ever knew. Therefore I question thee."
"Art thou impatient for the end?" he wanted to know, jealously.
"Not impatient. I am happy. Yet I should like to count the days, and say
each night, 'So many more times must the sun rise and set before I see
my sister.'"
"Many suns must rise and set," Maieddine confessed doggedly.
"But--when first thou planned the journey, thou saidst; 'In a fortnight
thou canst send thy friends news, I hope.'"
"If I had told thee then, that it must be longer, wouldst thou have come
with me? I think not. For thou sayest I did not wholly trust thee. How
much less didst thou trust me?"
"Completely. Or I would not have put myself in thy charge.
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