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Updated: May 8, 2025
Katharina was quite capable of reading the implied meaning of these words, and she was not ill-pleased to be obliged to go off alone with the governor's handsome son, the first man for whom her little heart had beat quicker; she sprang up eagerly; but Mary clung to her arm, and insisted so vehemently and obstinately on being taken with them to bear witness in Paula's behalf, that her governess and Dame Neforis had the greatest difficulty in reducing her to obedience and letting the pair go off without her.
"Shake hands, girl. I often ought to have behaved differently to you; but why have you never in the smallest thing sought my love? God is my witness that at first I was fully disposed to regard you as a daughter, but you well, let it pass. I am sorry now that I should if I have distressed you." At the first words Paula had placed her hand in that of Neforis.
The young man and his mother exchanged uneasy glances, but Neforis collected herself at once and replied: "We have sent for Mary; but Paula you know she never was happy with us and since the events of yesterday...." "Well?" asked the invalid.
But Neforis was not the woman to put up with this demeanor in a child. Mary was her granddaughter, the only child of her lost son, and no one should come between them. So she forbid the little girl to go to Paula's room without an express message, and when a Greek teacher was engaged for her, her instructions were that she should keep her pupil as much as possible out of the Syrian damsel's way.
"And where you have been dealt with far too mildly," Neforis shrieked at her audacious antagonist, "and preserved from sharing the fate of the robber you smuggled into the house. To save a criminal it is unheard of: you dared to accuse the son of your benefactor of being a corrupt judge." "And so he is," exclaimed Paula furious.
"What has happened?" cried his mother in some anxiety, for she concluded from his dishevelled hair and heated cheeks that the meeting had gone anything rather than smoothly. "Incredible things," he replied. "Paula fought like a lioness for her father's freedman. . ." "Simply to annoy us and put us in a difficulty," replied Neforis. "No, no, Mother," replied Orion with some warmth.
Well, then, I will stake my whole fortune on her innocence. That beautiful, passionate creature is incapable of any underhand dealings." "Passionate!" Neforis smiled. "Her heart is as cold and as hard as the lost emerald; we have proved that by experience." "Nevertheless," said Orion, "she is incapable of baseness." "How zealous men can be for a pair of fine eyes!" interrupted his mother.
Then she kissed her aunt his mother, and it was long since she had done so as she and little Mary bid her good-night. Neforis accepted the kiss coolly but with some surprise, and looked up enquiringly at the girl and at her son. No doubt she thought many things, but deemed it prudent to give them no utterance for the present.
Indeed, the bereaved woman's excited fancy had firmly conceived the mad notion that the child was the evil genius of the house and the tool of Satan. Neforis had, however, enjoyed some hours of greater ease during the last two days.
"Sebek the steward told him all about it from me before the hour of audience and tried to have Hiram released." "And he said.... ?" "The lady Neforis said it was all a mere will-o'-the-wisp, and my lord agreed with her. Then your uncle forbade Sebek to betray the matter to you, and sent word to me that he would possibly send Hiram to Sinai when the horse-fair was over.
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