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Sah-luma smiled, as one who is tolerant of the whims of a hired buffoon, and, this time seating himself in his ebony chair, was about to commence dictating his Second Canto when Theos, yielding to his desire to speak aloud the idea that had just flashed across his brain said abruptly: "Has it ever seemed to thee, Sah-luma, as it now does to me, that there is a strange resemblance between thy imaginative description of the ideal 'Nourhalma, and the actual charms and virtues of thy strayed singing-maid Niphrata?"
Sah-luma! Singing-angel of Niphrata's soul! Forgive me! It is true, ... thou shouldst never hear of strife or contention among the coarser tribe of men, and I, ... I, poor Niphrata, would give my life to shield thee from the faintest shadow of annoy!
"Nothing, my lord" answered Niphrata in a low tone, raising a pair of lovely, dusky, violet eyes, fringed with long black lashes, "Nothing, save that my heart is always sad in thine absence!" Sah-luma smiled, well pleased.
As he uttered these words Niphrata entered, carrying a golden salver on which were placed a tall flagon, two goblets, and a basket of fruit.
But.. by my faith, thou hast gained wondrous boldness in thy speech to prate so glibly of the heart's emotion, what knowest THOU concerning such things.. thou, who hast counted scarcely fifteen summers! ... hast thou caught contagion from Niphrata, and art thou too, sick of love?"
Tranquillity! ... Divinest calm, disturbed only by the flutterings of winged thoughts hovering over the cloudless heaven of fancy! ... this, this alone is the sum and centre of my desires. and to- day I find that even thou, Niphrata " here his voice took upon itself an injured tone, "thou, who art usually so gentle, hast somewhat troubled the placidity of my mind by thy foolish talk concerning common and unpleasant circumstances, ... "He stopped short and a line of vexation and annoyance made its appearance between his broad, beautiful brows, while Niphrata seeing this expression of almost baby-petulance in the face she adored threw herself suddenly at his feet, and raising her lovely eyes swimming in tears, she exclaimed: "My lord!
Moreover this mad Khosrul of whom Niphrata spoke lately, thunders angry denunciations of Lysia and Nagaya in the open streets, with so much fervid eloquence that they who pass by cannot choose but hear, . . he hath a strange craze, a doctrine of the future which he most furiously proclaims in the language prophets use.
"I will go with thee, Sah-luma, anywhere!" replied Theos quickly "For in following such a guide, I follow my own most perfect pleasure." Niphrata looked at him meditatively, with a melancholy expression in her lovely eyes.
We have lived as sisters, sharing the same room, and the same couch of sleep, but alas! in spite of all my lord's most constant kindly favor, Niphrata is not happy, ..and.. and I have sometimes thought " here her mellow voice sank into a nervous indistinctness "that it may be because she loves my lord Sah-luma far too well!"
Niphrata is a woman-riddle, sometimes she angers me, sometimes she soothes, ... now she prattles of things that concern me not, and anon converses with such high and lofty earnestness of speech, that I listen amazed, and wonder where she hath gathered up her store of seeming wisdom." "Love teaches her all she knows!" interrupted Theos quickly and with a meaning glance.
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