She drew Victoria closer, with an arm round her waist. "Tell me about
it," she said. "How you met him, and everything."
The girl knew she would have to tell, since her sister had guessed, but
there were many other things which it seemed more important to say and
hear first. She longed to hear all, all about Saidee's existence, ever
since the letters had stopped; why they had stopped; and whether the
reason had anything to do with the mystery about Cassim. Saidee seemed
willing to wait, apparently, for details of Victoria's life, since she
wanted to begin with the time only a few weeks ago, when Maieddine had
come into it. But the girl would not believe that this meant
indifference. They must begin somewhere. Why should not Saidee be
curious to hear the end part first, and go back gradually? Saidee's
silence had been a torturing mystery for years, whereas about her, her
simple past, there was no mystery to clear up.
"Yes," she agreed. "But you promised to tell me about yourself
and--and----"
"I know. Oh, you shall hear the whole story. It will seem like a romance
to you, I suppose, because you haven't had to live it, day by day, year
by year. It's sordid reality to me--oh, _how_ sordid!--most of it. But
this about Maieddine changes everything. I must hear what's
happened--quickly--because I shall have to make a plan. It's very
important--dreadfully important. I'll explain, when you've told me more.
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