But they only made me sullen and stupid. I
don't believe in anything now. You talk about 'God's power.' He's never
helped me. I should think 'things came right' more because Maieddine
felt you couldn't get away from him, then and later, and because he
didn't want to offend the marabout, than because God troubled to
interfere. Besides, things _haven't_ come right. If it weren't for
Maieddine, I might smuggle you away somehow, before the marabout
arrives. But now, Maieddine will be watching us like a lynx--or like an
Arab. It's the same thing where women are concerned."
"Why should the marabout care what I do?" asked Victoria. "He's nothing
to us, is he?--except that I suppose Cassim must have some high position
in his Zaouia."
"A high position! I forgot, you couldn't know--since Maieddine hid
everything from you. An Arab man never trusts a woman to keep a secret,
no matter how much in love he may be. He was evidently afraid you'd tell
some one the great secret on the way. But now you're here, he won't care
what you find out, because he knows perfectly well that you can never
get away."
Victoria started, and turned fully round to stare at her sister with
wide, bright eyes. "I can and I will get away!" she exclaimed. "With
you. Never without you, of course. That's why I came, as I said. To take
you away if you are unhappy. Not all the marabouts in Islam can keep
you, dearest, because they have no right over you--and this is the
twentieth century, not hundreds of years ago, in the dark ages.
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