Nothing could make me do it. He
knows that already, unless----"
"Unless what? Why do you look horrified?"
"There's one thing I forgot to tell you about our talk in the desert. I
promised him I would say 'yes' in case something happened--something I
thought then couldn't happen."
"But you find now it could?"
"Oh, no--no, I don't believe it could."
"You'd better tell me what it is."
"That you--I said, I would promise to marry him if _you wished_ it. He
asked me to promise that, and I did, at once."
A slow colour crept over Saidee's face, up to her forehead. "You trusted
me," she murmured.
"And I do now--with all my heart. Only you've lived here, out of the
world, alone and sad for so long, that you're afraid of things I'm not
afraid of."
"I'm afraid because I know what cause there is for fear. But you're
right. My life has made me a coward. I can't help it."
"Yes, you can--I've come to help you help it."
"How little you understand! They'll use you against me, me against you.
If you knew I were being tortured, and you could save me by marrying
Maieddine, what would you do?"
Victoria's hand trembled in her sister's, which closed on it nervously.
"I would marry him that very minute, of course. But such things don't
happen."
"They do. That's exactly what will happen, unless you tell Maieddine
you've made up your mind to say 'yes'. You can explain that it's by my
advice. He'll understand.
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