United States or Paraguay ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
A pool of shade by the roadside inviting, he sat down in it, and gave the rein to grief. It was with a mild surprise that, when his sense returned, he found himself under the ilex-tree before the little church which Mîtri served. Afraid of interruption he looked round uneasily. But no one was in sight, and he was loth to move.
Khalîl, the concertina-player, was a thought aggrieved that Mîtri forbade him to make music in the church itself, but forgot his dudgeon when the crowd trooped out again.
At that reproachful glance of the Sitt Hilda, all his childhood had risen up and testified against him. His heart was stricken with profound compunction. He broke away from Mîtri as soon as possible, refusing an invitation to enter his house and argue with him, and sped on across the sandhills to his own home.
By Allah, I swore truly when I said I knew of no treasure, as will appear from the full confession I now make to thee," Iskender answered, with eyes full of tears. He was going to embark upon his story when the figure of a woman closely shawled appeared before them in the doorway. "May Allah reward thee, O our father Mîtri," cried his mother, as, stooping, she kissed the priest's black robe.
Strolling thus in reverie, he came upon the house of Mîtri with surprise. The thought of the priest as a protector at once occurred to him; for Mîtri was a favourite with the Muslim rulers, and the Orthodox Patriarch, his ecclesiastical head, could oppose a power almost consular to any attempt to persecute a member of his flock.
It seemed he wished to go, but lacked the strength of mind required to detach his person from so large a company. His head and hands kept trembling, and he muttered to himself. Merriment was at its height when there came a knock at the door. The priest Mîtri opened, and exclaimed in glad surprise: "Honour us, O khawâjah! Come in! Fear not!
He even lent a hand in lifting the dead horse into the cart. Mitri tore off the shoes from the forelegs and gave them to his wife. One was broken, but the other one was whole. While he was digging the grave with a spade which was very blunt, the knacker appeared and took off the skin; and the carcass was then thrown into the hole and covered up.
She was still sitting there, at play with some glass beads, when her father returned. "Praise be to Allah!" exclaimed Mîtri, striding in and sitting down beside Iskender. As soon as he recovered breath, he told his story. He had seen the secretary of the caimmacâm, and from him had learnt that the English consul was Iskender's chief accuser.
"By Allah, no, he is the most sincere of converts!" responded Mîtri with his jolly laugh. "Have I anything to tempt a proselyte? Look round this room with one beyond it, it is all my house and compare it with the dwelling of the Father of Ice. Ah, no, my friend: this is a true conversion!" "I ask you to belief, sir, that I haf nothin' to do with it," said old Abdullah angrily in English.
God tells us to help the poor. Cut him a slice." Martha obeyed. The beggar went away. The man in charge of the thrashing-machine got up, said grace, thanked his hosts, and went away to rest. Mitri did not lie down, but ran to the shop to buy some tobacco. He was longing for a smoke.
Word Of The Day